Advice please - Norton Dominator

[dave55]

Gb does the postie live near enough for you to maybe do the work with him in HIS garage and you pop round and help him do some of the crappy bits with guidance then you could say we need you to order these bits from this place and him pay for them, when he gets them you go round again, maybe he pays you for your time per hour at the end of each week ? then if he don't pay you do no more work till he does ? Just an idea like  ..........I would not put my pride and joy bike such as yours is out under a cover over the winter for his to be in bits with him maybe giving excuses that he cant afford the bits right now so it does not progress !

[Greybeard]

Good points dave55. I don't know where the Norton is yet and I have no idea what condition it's in. I will make some decisions when and if I get to see the bike. Yes, the bike may be in a lovely dry garage that is suitable for the work.
I don't get an impression of someone who can do mechanicals from the postie

[Joolstacho]

Mate, you DEFINITELY need a bigger shed! 

[mikeb]

I'm fully with dave55 on this. help him fix it in his shed so its clear whose problem it is. best way for him to get mechanical is with a spanner in his hand and an old bike.
you are much more generous that me if you'd consider putting your a10 outside as winter approaches.

[Greybeard]

...best way for him to get mechanical is with a spanner in his hand and an old bike.

Hmm, maybe. I'm not sure you can just pick up manual skills if you don't already have them.

you are much more generous that me if you'd consider putting your a10 outside as winter approaches.

We are going to be putting up a carport so the A10 would be under a cover and a roof.

[Greybeard]

Mate, you DEFINITELY need a bigger shed! 

The only way that could happen is by nicking some of my wife's pride and joy; the garden; so I can forget that thought. We moved to this house three years ago and had to generally downsize. I guess I could do her in and bury her under a new garage base. I'll give that some thinks.

[KiwiGF]

Mate, you DEFINITELY need a bigger shed! 

I guess I could do her in and bury her under a new garage base. I'll give that some thinks.

Tut tut, prob best to keep that one secret !

[Topdad]

hi GB , last resort - do you have a patio ??

[mikeb]

I'm not sure you can just pick up manual skills if you don't already have them.

none of us were born knowing how. I'm still learning. if he's less than 85, without a brain injury and up for it then what could possibly go wrong?
(don't answer that)

[Greybeard]

hi GB , last resort - do you have a patio ??

No patio as such. The area in front of my shed, and the front door is block paved. I'm going to put a carport over the area. If I have the Norton in my shed my Beeza would have a cover and be under the carport.

[Rex]

I wouldn't work on it in his shed....that's costing you time and money, but I wouldn't advise working on his bike in your shed either...."you spent how much on that special nut? That's more than my dad paid for the bike...etc etc ".
Buying it may be best, but even then, do you really want a Norton to do up, or just because it came along?
Pro rebuilders struggle with tight-fisted owners, let alone enthusiastic well-meaning amateurs..
Personally I'd buy it for the right price, and if not there's plenty more out there.

[Topdad]

Sorry GB obviously never a "Brookside" fan ,

[Greybeard]

Sorry GB obviously never a "Brookside" fan ,

TD, I think I know the reference. Brookside is or was a UK soap. Someone was murdered and buried under the garage/shed/building. Right?

[chaterlea25]

Hi GB,
I work on other peoples bikes and in most cases I work on blocks of 10 hours labour,
So after initial examination/ strip down/ what ever, I prepare a list of parts required and a labour estimate for the owner
I ask for payment for the labour so far and hand the parts list to the owner, Its up to them to spend the time on the internet or phone to order the parts. If they ask for me to do this its charged out at the hourly rate, and money for the parts in advance of the order
Projects can often stall at this stage due to the owners needing to get a dose of reality about the costs involved

Likewise I ask the owners to spend time cleaning shitty parts and do the running around to blasters/painters and so on
In most cases owners are happy to pay this way as there is no major shock to their finances 

I have told people to part out their projects and buy a completed bike as it will save them money in the long run 
But most have some sentimental (real or imaginary)reason to want to proceed 

John

[Greybeard]

CL25, very good advice, thanks.