How can I turn my Norton into a bobber

[ QUOTE ]
I'm glad this topic was brought up, because I was thinking about turning my 59 Buick into a bobber.
Anyone know where I should start?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like a cool project! Start by cutting off your rear fenders until they're just over the tops of the wheels. Remove your front fenders completely. Strip the interior down & put a thin, hard seat in there supported by two tiny barrel springs.

That ought to get you going in the right direction - come back with pics & let us know how it's going...

 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm glad this topic was brought up, because I was thinking about turning my 59 Buick into a bobber.

Anyone know where I should start?

[/ QUOTE ]

To start with, take the bumpers, valences, and tail lights off and send them to me. (I'll put them to good use on my 60 Elky)

 

You can't make a bobber out of a chopper.
Thet's like making a virgin out of the prom queen.

A bobber is a stock dresser, (picture an FLH with roll bars and scoot boot) that has had all or most of the "dress" unbolted and removed from the bike in an effort to cut down on un necessary weight.
The bobber name comes from the bobbed rear fender that has just had the hinge pin pulled on the part that's hinged for rear wheel maintenance. There's no cutting or welding involved. Once you start cutting and "chopping" parts of the frame and welding things up different, you have rolled into the arena of the "Chopper", because it's been "chopped"
It doesn't just mean the front end has or hasn't been raked out, although it can (raked is instant chopper but unraked, but hardtailed when it didn't start that way is a chopper too.)
It's quite a simple definition difference.
You cut or welded on the frame, at all, it's a chopper.

Sorta like you can bolt some Cragers and take off the front bumper on your otherwise stock '57 Belair and it's still "stock" as long as you still have the bumper and stock wheels and caps to bolt back on it some day.
That would be a bobber if the term carried over, but nose and deck it and it's a custom!

 

Bobber

 

Here's one with no cutting or welding done to the frame........halfbreed? ...We have too many classifications in this hobby.

 

[ QUOTE ]

hardtails for Nortons are incredibly hard to find.
sometimes you find an old one from the 70's on ebay but there never any good.

[/ QUOTE ]


You'll find the reason for this is MOST Norton riders are PURISTS They even want the exact nuts and bolts that came stock or your a heathen. I loved being a heathen.....lol Now what your looking to do is what my latter years brought me to. I used to love the choppers but found a low bob was twice as nice, though your rake is a bit extreme and may need to be changed. I usually just took a stock legnth(or cut mine down) front end and stuck it on my chopper, Done Deal. A stock legnth springer looks SHARP on a Norton Good luck. NICE BIKE!

 

Two Things I Hated about my atlas 1: I couldn't keep plugs from fouling (til Bosh Platnums Then I never fouled another) and 2: Kick starting an Atlas will kick your ass I Repete KICK STARTING AN ATLAS WILL KICK YOUR ASS!!! I still have scars from going OVER the handle bars......lol

 

You built that frame yet you don't know how to build a bobber frame?

Did you get a lobotomy since you first build it?

 

[ QUOTE ]
Did you get a lobotomy since you first build it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I've always said I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy!

 

[ QUOTE ]
You built that frame yet you don't know how to build a bobber frame?

Did you get a lobotomy since you first build it?

[/ QUOTE ]


guess i should of explained more. I built the frame you see when i was working in a machine shop with jigs for harley bikes and stuff. I left the job to go to College, so i don't have any tools like that anymore. so i was thinking i'd have to find a shop that specializes in cutting existing frames.

Also, about the norton purists, I saved this engine from being scrapped. The guy i bought it from had engine out of chassis for repair when he happened to have a barn fire, so the engine and tranny are all that were left. so i made a chopper out of it. triumphs are too slow for me, don't sound good enough. but i can't afford a pan head. but now that my chopper is done, i can ride this till i sell it or trade it for a bobber of some sort.

anyone want to trade?