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Unknown old tandem (Norton)

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Eric L

On Training Wheels
Picked up this cool old tandem yesterday.

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Neither the previous owner (probably on here) or I could find anything about the company or bike, so I thought I'd ask the collective knowledge. He thought it might be Canadian, but I couldn't find anything listed for Norton on either of these:
https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/17218/22771
http://www.vintageccm.com/content/early-canadian-bicycle-makers

I can't find a comprehensive list of old British bicycle companies.

The headbadge says: The Norton Bicycle Company

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It has a cool "N" logo on the "cable" guide:

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It has rod brakes front and band rear (rod driven, though that rod is missing). Per this thread, they look like Phillips brakes: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/bikes-with-rod-brakes.42724/

Saddles seem to say "SS"

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Fenders are aluminum, frame is in good shape except one hole on the stoker tub. Cranks are cotter pinned, pedals read "No. 3000". Rear handlebar stem is long and curved, surely necessary given the shortness of the whole bike (this bike: 21" seatpost-seatpost, Schwinn Twinn Sport 22", Huffy Daisy Daisy 25").

Anyone have any information?

Thanks!
Eric

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I did (quite) a bit more sleuthing. Most of it seems to be rebranded Phillips. The seats are the same as several Phillips on here, though they do not say Phillips, they say "SS". The chainrings are the same pattern as the Phillips rings on the wartime bicycles. The rod brake mechanisms and handlebars are clearly Phillips as well.

Weirdly, the Phillips catalogues are available, and they definitely did not offer a tandem - therefore the frame must have come from "Norton". However, the first bunch of pages of these catalogues are selling individual components, so it makes sense that a frame builder would use their components.

I can't find anything on the tires (sorry, "tyres"), they are branded "The Special RC Cord Tyre" on one side, with chinese characters on the other, and may be original (???).

There is an old inquiry (unanswered) on another forum about an old Norton bicycle (from France), but no pictures.
 
I mis-read the tires - they are IRC SPECIAL CORD TYRE. Wikipedia says the company incorporated in 1951, so the tires are, at least, newer than the early 50's.

The freewheel was rusted fast, but a single soak of PB Blaster and it turns wonderfully. I figured it would be a Phillips, but it isn't badged at all (the freewheels in their 1930's and 40's catalogues say "Phillips" on them). There are three Norton badges - the head badge (pictured above), the "cable" guide "N", and, weirdly, the clamp for the front mudflap (long gone).

I'm not much farther along, though I've now torn it mostly down. I think I'm going to repack everything, clean it up a bit, change the tires, tubes, chain, and ride it for the season. There is a break in the stoker seat tube that really ought to be brazed, but I don't think I want to do that and match paint and all while it is still riding season.
 
Well, figured it out. Its 50's and Japanese (in the spirit of Royce Union, and all the copies of British cars: pretending to be British). I had thought British, the previous owner had thought Canadian, neither of those helped. When I got the rust off the wheel, the brand was Oukai, which led me to figure it all out. Interestingly, the company is still around as Royal Norton - we'll see if they return my email.

I also learned that tandems are illegal in Japan. That seems like an odd bit of trivia.

I wonder how it ended up in Michigan - perhaps a serviceman?
 
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