classic norton Archives

Norton Dominator: an Australian investigation. Part 4

21st April 2021 RowenaH Features

What else do we know about the unusual Norton 500 twins which seem to be an export special, sent to the Australian market? Were these machines intended to be sidecar tugs? Bruce J Tinworth thinks otherwise… In 1947, Gordon ‘Shorty’ Purcell commenced a five-year apprenticeship with Hazell & Moore in Newcastle in New South Wales. H&M were agents for Norton,…

Norton Dominator: an Australian investigation. Part 3

1st April 2021 RowenaH Features

In previous episodes, Norton enthusiast Bruce J Tinworth established the existence of a special version of Norton’s twin with a rigid rear end instead of the usual plunger suspension. This export-only ‘Dominator 500 Rigid Sport’ was sent to Australia, where the evidence mounts up that it was far from being a cobble-job of overstocked components… An iron cylinder head would’ve…

Norton Dominator: an Australian investigation. Part I

3rd March 2021 RowenaH Features

The history of Norton’s sporting twin is well-known around the world, but enthusiast Bruce J Tinworth has uncovered intriguing details about how a very special version of the Dominator ended up in Australia. But first, some background information… Spot the difference between this 1951 Norton twin, and its 1948 counterpart below In the depressed, post-war economic climate, Norton Motors took…