NIJ Norman T300 1950 MK2 Project Starts

Just ready to start this project full strip down.

Any do's or don'ts ??

Anybody know what the starting handle should look like as I might have to find or make one?

Anybody know if engine would have been painted originally? and if so what colour?

Thanks

As per my previous comment. Be careful how far you go - special tools required if you go inside.

You are lucky to have a pukkah air filter so try to preserve it.

Starting Handle
My T300 is a MK1 and has spring loaded detachable starting handle with square drive. If yours is the same I can send pictures / dimensions. Have a look in the manual I sent for general pattern.

Colour
Can't make out what's on the brass plate. Mine is ALCO (Arthur Lyon and Co) and was sort of Brunswick Green.

Mine is fitted with a (duff) BTH magneto, yours looks like WICO. Let me have model type and I'll see if I have any info.

You seem to be missing the speed adjustment and slow running mechanism?

Good luck.

Blue Cat on here is your man for these. I think the heads are the wrong way around so may need swapping over so the plugs are facing the flywheel, however some engines that came from mowers etc had a cowling fitted and did have them facing forward so they may be fine as they are?

Pete.

IIRC oil control rings are thin on the ground.

Hi NIJ, As Foden says the cylinder heads might possibly be on wrong way round, but my MK1 T300 had the heads on same way as yours has when I purchased it, on sending details to Blue Cat to see if any of its history was possible he told me it had been sold to the Greens Lawnmower Co. of Leeds to be fitted to a mower.

I have swapped the heads to the spark plug towards the flywheel and it has run with no problem , bar a small oil seepage at a crank up earlier this year, new head gasket sorted that.

Don

Send me the engine number. It will be something like TA1234

Thanks all.

Noted re colour.

re heads, had not spotted, but now looking at other photos of other engines, seem to be a mix bag of which way they are fitted.

Mag has "Series A WIPAC - buckingham england" on it.

Carb levers etc are there,(big level and adjuster above carb and smaller tension adjuster below carb) but both fitted air filter side, most pics I have seen they are fitted other side??

Blue cat - Engine number is TA 5394, Any further info would be great.

Cheers
NIJ

If you look closely at the mag it should have a small plate with a stamped model number AxxxxZ

So it does, hidden under dirt

A 939B Z
serial No.
E769056

On hols at the moment
Will check for manual on return.

Hi NIJ

Norman T300 Mk2 number TA5394

Supplied on 19 November 1951 to Thomas Green & Sons Ltd of Leeds.
Greens put these engines into the larger versions of their lawn mowers, typically 20 inches cut and above, and capable of towing a roller seat. So would have been used for sports fields, tennis courts, cricket/football pitches, etc, and for the big lawns on country estates.
Fitted with Wico Series A magneto (Type A939BZ is correct).
Fitted with cannister exhausts (a bit like large hozizontal pepper pots).

To clear up some of the questions/points made above:
The starting handle would have been exterior to the engine compartment on the mower. There would have been a steel shaft fitted to the socket remaining on your engine and a dog on the end of this shaft.
The engine would have been sprayed green by Thomas Green. Some had the flywheel painted red for safety.
The air fiter is original and impossible to find now, so take care of it. It is a Greens fitment and not the Vokes filter normally seen on these engines.
The heads are indeed on the wrong cylinders, simply swap them over.
There would have been no cowlings on a T300 engine.
Oil control rings are available from Cox & Turner (I'm lead to believe).
The governor control arm should be on the float chamber side. Because this has been on a mower it may have been disconnected and a cable throttle lever arrangement installed in its place.

Here's what if would have looked like:




... and with covers removed:

Excellent. Thanks blue cat.

Sorry for delay - Have been away.

Thanks Bluecat that’s a great amount of information, much appreciated.

Think will do green and red flywheel, also will swap the heads over.

Will take a photo of the carb and rods as they are currently

Cheers
NIJ

Slow progress, Carb now removed and rebuilt.

Ooooh Shiney!!

T300 down to crank shaft and cases - time to think about reassembly!

Ooooh More Shiney!!

Doing a cracking job. Fingers crossed it runs - all in good time.

Nice! I like the cylinder finish, what is it?

Alan

First time I have used this paint so cannot verify how robust it is. It is Rustins matt black heat resistant. Says good for 220deg C which should be adequate for an air cooled block.
I have degreased and put three coats on, guess only time will tell.

Progress Pic & Setting Valve Clearances.

That looks super - bet it sounds good!

Alan

Stunning work NIJ
Nice tidy and compact engine
RichieR

Nice work