Norton Dunstall
Encyclopedia
The Dunstall was a Norton
motorcycle
made by Paul Dunstall, a specialist tuner of 1960s and early 1970s twins using parts from Norton's Domiracer project when the Birmingham
factory was closed in 1963. In 1966 Dunstall Motorycles became a motorcycle manufacturer in its own right, so that Dunstalls could compete in production races, and set a number of world records before sales of the Dunstall Nortons declined in the 1970s and Paul Dunstall sold the name in 1982.
into a competitive racing motorcycle. As well as fitting a Norton Manx
gearbox and wheels, Dunstall balanced the crankshaft and installed the Dominator engine into a Manx Norton frame. After two outright wins at Brands Hatch
, Paul retired from racing to run a scooter shop and develop performance motorcycles from the parts left over from Norton's Domiracer project when the factory closed in 1963 and used them as the basis for a series of high performance motorcycles. The 130mph Dunstall Atlas roadster was the fastest motorcycle on the market at the time of its launch.
In 1966 Dunstall Motorycles became a motorcycle manufacturer in its own right, so that Dunstalls could compete in production races and the Auto-Cycle Union, which is the governing body for motor racing in Britain, approved Dunstall Dominators as a marque for the production race in the 1967 Isle of Man TT
. The 1969 Dunstall Norton racer produced over 70bhp from a Norton Atlas
750cc engine. The frame was designed by Eddie Robinson and had a spine of large-diameter steel tubing that got it the earned it the nickname The Drainpipe. The design included 'pannier' fuel tanks inside the fairiing to lower the centre of gravity and improve handling but following fuel starvation problems a conventional fuel tank was fitted.
Sales of the Dunstall Nortons declined in the 1970's and Paul Dunstall sold the name in 1982.
in Italy, and in 1968, Dunstall rider Ray Pickrell won the Isle of Man TT on a Dunstall Atlas and secured 17 1st places on a Featherbed frame
d 750 Dunstall Dommiracer, including the titles 'Master of Mallory' and 'King of Brands'. Ray also won the '68 IOM production TT race with a new race record of 99.39 mph. In 1969 Pickrell also rode Dunstall Nortons to set a new national record for the 750cc quarter mile at 144.69mph at Elvington
in Yorkshire
.
Norton (motorcycle)
Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
made by Paul Dunstall, a specialist tuner of 1960s and early 1970s twins using parts from Norton's Domiracer project when the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
factory was closed in 1963. In 1966 Dunstall Motorycles became a motorcycle manufacturer in its own right, so that Dunstalls could compete in production races, and set a number of world records before sales of the Dunstall Nortons declined in the 1970s and Paul Dunstall sold the name in 1982.
Development
Paul Dunstall was a specialist tuner of Norton twins in the 1960s and early 1970s. He started modifying Nortons in 1957, at the age of 18, when he converted a Norton DominatorNorton Dominator
The Dominator is a twin cylinder motorcycle developed by Norton to compete against the Triumph Speed Twin. The original Dominator was designed in 1947 and 1948 by Bert Hopwood, who had been on the Speed Twin design team at Triumph....
into a competitive racing motorcycle. As well as fitting a Norton Manx
Norton Manx
The Norton Manx or Manx Norton is a British racing motorcycle that was made from 1947 to 1962 by Norton Motors Ltd. A Norton had contested every Isle of Man TT race from the inaugural 1907 event through into the 1970s, a feat unrivalled by any other manufacturer, and the development and honing of...
gearbox and wheels, Dunstall balanced the crankshaft and installed the Dominator engine into a Manx Norton frame. After two outright wins at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
, Paul retired from racing to run a scooter shop and develop performance motorcycles from the parts left over from Norton's Domiracer project when the factory closed in 1963 and used them as the basis for a series of high performance motorcycles. The 130mph Dunstall Atlas roadster was the fastest motorcycle on the market at the time of its launch.
In 1966 Dunstall Motorycles became a motorcycle manufacturer in its own right, so that Dunstalls could compete in production races and the Auto-Cycle Union, which is the governing body for motor racing in Britain, approved Dunstall Dominators as a marque for the production race in the 1967 Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
. The 1969 Dunstall Norton racer produced over 70bhp from a Norton Atlas
Norton Atlas
The Norton Atlas was a Norton motorcycle made by between 1962 and 1968, until it was replaced by the Norton Commando.-Development:The Mark 1 Atlas was launched as the 750SS in the early 1960s. Designer Bert Hopwood’s 497cc Dominator engine was bored and stroked out to 745cc, via 600cc and then...
750cc engine. The frame was designed by Eddie Robinson and had a spine of large-diameter steel tubing that got it the earned it the nickname The Drainpipe. The design included 'pannier' fuel tanks inside the fairiing to lower the centre of gravity and improve handling but following fuel starvation problems a conventional fuel tank was fitted.
Sales of the Dunstall Nortons declined in the 1970's and Paul Dunstall sold the name in 1982.
Racing Success
In 1967 Rex Butcher set a number of world records on a 750cc Dunstall at MonzaMonza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
in Italy, and in 1968, Dunstall rider Ray Pickrell won the Isle of Man TT on a Dunstall Atlas and secured 17 1st places on a Featherbed frame
Featherbed frame
The featherbed frame was a motorcycle frame developed by the British Norton motorcycle company to improve the performance of their racing motorcycles around the twisting and demanding Isle of Man TT course in 1950. It was considered revolutionary at the time, and the best handling frame that a...
d 750 Dunstall Dommiracer, including the titles 'Master of Mallory' and 'King of Brands'. Ray also won the '68 IOM production TT race with a new race record of 99.39 mph. In 1969 Pickrell also rode Dunstall Nortons to set a new national record for the 750cc quarter mile at 144.69mph at Elvington
Elvington, City of York
Elvington is a village and civil parish situated approximately south-east of York, England, on the B1228 York-Howden road. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,212...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.