These high quality valve guides are made to the original dimensions of SOHC Norton valve guides - this being the inlet which are bored to take the standard 11/32" diameter inlet valve.  

The valve guide is made with the important oil feed - which has a small countersunk face to allow for a better tolerence when fitting them.

Both this and the exhaust guide are designed to take the standard Norton International 30\30M (and 40\40M) inlet valve spring holder collar, which we also sell - item 0318. This slides over the top face of the guide and provides a mount for Hairpin Valve Springs (which we also offer).

This type of Valve guide was fitted to most SOHC models - with both Cast Iron, Bi-metal (bronze skull and alloy fins), and fully alloy heads.  It should fit both round fin and square fin heads (i.e. early Manx), where 11/32" valves were used.   

These guides are CNC machined with the original dimensions - includig the original interference fit tolerance on the outer diameter.  As per normal practice - cylinder heads should be warmed to allow for easier removal of old guides and fitting of new (and we recommend putting guides in a freezer for at least 10 mins before fitting, to help with this).

Price is per single guide. 

Update April 2023:  A new batch of these now in stock.  Please note - the price of Phospher Bronze has risen hugely in the last 3 years since our last batch - but we have tried to stay close to the previous price.

These high quality Oversize inlet valve guides are as per our standard SOHC valve guides (Item 0301), except these guides have an external diameter that fits into the cylinder head with an additional 1 Thou (0.001") diameter - which can help if you think you have a cylinder head which has previously had a guide move in the head, and therefore requires an additional interference fit.  See detail listing for more detail. 

We occasionally get asked by customers if we can supply valve guides with a greater 'Interference fit' than standard . . . because they are concerned that the cylinder head on their engine has had excessive wear and tear, and that the original valve guide has become loose.

These valve guides are identical to our standard SOHC Inlet valve guides (see Item 0301, and see that description for all other information relating to the SOHC Valve guide) - but these guides have an additional 1 Thousandth of an inch added to the outer diameter - to provide a slightly greater interference fit than standard.

Email us on sales@racingvincent.co.uk if you require more information on these guides - including standard vs increased inteference fit tolerances.

Do not purchase these guides unless you are confident your head requires them, and it should be noted it is entirely the customers responsiblity to ensure they are a suitable fit for their cylinder heads.

Note: we only manufacture these 'oversize fit' guides in small quantities, so availability is limited. 

Price is Each

These high quality SOHC Exhaust valve guides are made to the original dimensions of SOHC Norton valve guides - with the exhaust guide on SOHC engines a bigger outer diameter, bored to take a 3/8" exhaust valve (the inlet guide on SOHC heads are to take  11/32" valves - see Item 0301).

The guide includes the important oilway from the cambox feed, which has a small countersunk face to allow for a better tolerence when fitting them. 

The exhaust guide design shown here employs the same style of collare as our iinlet guides - which are designed to take the standard Norton International 30\/30M (and 40\/40M) inlet valve spring hairpin valve spring holder collar, which we also sell - item 0318. This slides over the top face of the guide and provides a mount for Hairpin Valve Springs (which we also offer). 

Background Information: It should be noted that the original Norton Internationsl Exhaust Guide/Spring Holder design was to cast in bronze a single large casting - where the guide also included the top piece to hold the springs.  It is not entirely clear why Norton employed this design (although maybe it was to give slightly better heat dissipation) - but these have not been available since Norton last cast them - and to make this design nowdays would be commercially unviable, hence - using this guide design, and fitting one of our Hairpin valve sping collars (Item 0318) is a more practical solution - particularly as most original SOHC single piece exhaust guide/spring holder castings are completely worn out!.

This type of Valve guide should fit all SOHC models where a 3/8" valve stem valve was employed - with both Cast Iron, Bi-metal (bronze skull and alloy fins), and fully alloy heads.  It should fit both round fin and square fin heads (i.e. early Manx).

These guides are CNC machined with the original dimensions - includig the original interference fit tolerance on the outer diameter.  As per normal practice - cylinder heads should be warmed to allow for easier removal of old guides and fitting of new (and we recommend putting guides in a freezer for at least 10 mins before fitting, to help with this).

Price is per single guide. 

Update April 2023:  A new batch of these now in stock.  Please note - the price of Phospher Bronze has risen hugely in the last 3 years since our last batch - but we have tried to stay close to the previous price.

Please note: The original Norton International exhaust valve guide and top collar was a single piece casting, as shown in the 2nd photgraph. The reason for this is unclear, although it seems most likely that it was to increase heat dissipation from the hot valve guide. The cost for making this type of guide today would make it prohibitively expensive - and frankly, unnescessary. Therefore these guides are made as per the inlet guide, to take a seperate valve spring collar (which I can also supply - Item 0318). Price is per single guide.

This is an exact reproduction of the valve guide bottom collar that held hairpin valve springs on the Norton SOHC International model, as well as original SOHC Manx heads.  These are based on an original International valve collar - even including the patent number, but we have them cast in stainlesss steel so they do not rust, and are CNC machined.  

Price is Each.   

Update May 2023:  New batch now in stock (please note - since we manufactured these last, in 2015, the price of stainless steel castings and CNC machining has risen very considerably.  Therefore, hope you will understand why this hard to find item is not cheap)

This item is cast from a Lost Wax casting, which we had patterns made for - which provides a higher quality finish than normal sand cast type, and even includes the correct cast in Patent numbers. It is CNC machined to a high standard of finish. Note: we also make our exhaust valve guides in the same style as the inlet guides, so this same collar can be used in conjunction with the Exhaust guide, rather than the original single piece exhaust cast bronze guide\collar (which is no longer commercially available) - see the Exhaust Guide description for more information.

Fitting Information: These collars  are a close fit over our valve guides (which helps heat dissipation from the guide - which I think may be why the exhaust guides/spring holders were originally made as a single casting), and are easily tapped on, after fitting the valve guides.

The machined collars on their underside have a countersink that fits neatly over the lip of the valve guide .. . but most importantly they also have an additional hole on either side - which corresponds to a peg which should be in place on all SOHC original heads that employed hairpin valve springs.  This peg was to ensure that the hairpin valve spring holder did not rotate, and that the springs were kept in the correct position.  If you look closely you will see the holes on the underneath of our collars are slightly different sizes - these are to fit the two most common size of pegs I have seen on original heads.  I have found the larger of the two holes should correspond to the most commonly fitted peg - but either hole can be used, providing they fit the original of your head (normally heads only have the peg on one side of the valve guide).  Note:  You may find your head has had the original peg replaced with a bigger version over the years - if so - it is a simple task to open up one of the holes of our collar, to fit your peg.

Note: valve guides and hairpin valve springs are sold seperately, this listing is for the collar casting only

Hairpin valve spring manufactured to exactly the same specification and shape as the orignal type fitted to Norton International Model 30\40 engines.

These are manufactured by our main UK spring manufacturer, who is a reputable maker of hairpin valves springs and has made similar hairpin valve springs for other engine types. A set of original (new old stock) Terry's International valve springs was used to provide the pattern.

Photo shows new springs below and original spring at the top. Price is for a set of 4 springs - which is required for one engine

Note - we also sell the Racing International/SOHC Manx type valve spring manufactured to the same specification and shape as the orignal type fitted to Norton SOHC Manx Model 30M\40M engines - which it Item 0324.  These have a fractionally smaller eye than the type shown here, meaning less reciprocating weight - either type can be fitted.

Hairpin valve spring manufactured to exactly the same specification and shape as the orignal type fitted to Norton SOHC Manx Model 30M\40M engines.

These are manufactured by our main UK spring manufacturer, who is a reputable maker of hairpin valves springs and has made similar hairpin valve springs for other engine types.

This type which were often seen fitted to early Manx engines are exactly the same as the Norton International type (Item 0323), other than they have a slightly smaller eye diameter. However, in all other respects they are identical to the Norton International types.

I am not entirely sure why this second type of spring was used, and have talked to Stu Rogers about it, who cannot shed any light on it either. We can only assume that the slightly smaller eye meant fractionally less metal, and therefore a fractionally less amount of reciprocating weight - although the saving must have been minimal!

I do not see any reason why either type could be used with either engine variation - the choice is up to you! - although I normally fit this 'Racing International/Manx type on my own engines.

Photo shows new springs below and original spring at the top. Price is for a set of 4 which is required for one engine

These are the brass union assemblies that screw into the front bevel gear chamber of the SOHC cambox and feed oil to the valve guides, via the small bore copper pipes. Similarly, they were also fitted to many pre-1938 OHV rockerbox's.

This assembly is for an inlet valve assembly - as the union has a smaller oil feed hole than the exhaust assembly.  Supplied as complete assembly, where pipe can be modelled to fit your engine.  Price is per assembly - i.e. one assembly being for one valve guide.

Original Norton unions and copper pipe ferrules were used as the pattern for these assemblies, and we CNC each part exactly as per the original design - including the oil feed bore hole - where the inlet side has a much smaller hole than the exhaust guide version (see Item 0354).

The small brass ferrule then has a length of small bore copper pipe soldered into it to a length that is suitable for all models.  once the unions are fitted to your cambox (or rockerbox) you can then carefully bend the pipe to give the best routing to the inlet valve guide - you will find that all original SOHC cylinder heads (and those OHV models fitted with this type of valve guide oiling) will have a small hole adjacent the valve guide that the pipe will feed into.  If necessary the copper pipe can be shortened - but sometimes it can be fiddly to get the copper pipe to avoid fouling the hairpin valve springs - hence why we make these pipes fractionally longer than normally needed. 

If you do cut the pipe - I find it easiest to do it with a slitting disc in an angle grinder or Dremell, but always de-burr the end, and feed a piece of wire up the pipe aftewards to ensure it is clear.  Also, when bending the copper pipe to shape, ensure you support the pipe as close to the ferrule as possible, without actually putting any pressure on the ferrule itself - as it has a fine wall, and can crack if not careful.

The assembly consists of:

1 x Brass oil union (this one is sided for an Inlet valve guide)

1 x Brass ferrule/copper pipe

1 x Brass union nut

1 x Red Fibre Washer (whcih goes on ferrule before screwing into cambox.)

Therefore two sets are required per engine - one being this Item 0353 set, and the other being the 0354 set.

As well as being fitted to all SOHC models, the same assemblies were fitted to earlier pre-38 OHV assemblies - and as per the accompanyning diagram, taken from the 1934 Spare Parts list - if you have an OHV model and not sure if it was fitted with these, turn the rockerbox over and look for small union holes underneath the rockerbox.  The second diagram is from the 1948 Spare Parts List and shows how the pipes were typically bent when fitting to the SOHC cambox (although in reality - I have seen pipes with more contorted bends than this!).

As to the effectiveness of this design? - Well Norton's continued to apply it for the full life of the SOHC models, but it is not unusual to find that the small bore pipes clog up with oil and cylinder head 'coke', particularly the exhaust valve pipe - but despite that, I always fit them as designed.

These are the brass union assemblies that screw into the front bevel gear chamber of the SOHC cambox and feed oil to the valve guides, via the small bore copper pipes. Similarly, they were also fitted to many pre-1938 OHV rockerbox's.

This assembly is for an exhaust valve assembly - as the union has a larger oil feed hole than the inlet assembly.  Supplied as complete assembly, where pipe can be modelled to fit your engine.   Price is per assembly - i.e. to fit to one valve guide.

Original Norton unions and copper pipe ferrules were used as the pattern for these assemblies, and we CNC each part exactly as per the original design - including the oil feed bore hole - where the exhaust side has a much larger hole than the inlet version (see Item 0353).

The small brass ferrule then has a length of small bore copper pipe soldered into it to a length that is suitable for all models.  once the unions are fitted to your cambox (or rockerbox) you can then carefully bend the pipe to give the best routing to the exhaust valve guide - you will find that all original SOHC cylinder heads (and those OHV models fitted with this type of valve guide oiling) will have a small hole adjacent the valve guide that the pipe will feed into.  If necessary the copper pipe can be shortened - but sometimes it can be fiddly to get the copper pipe to avoid fouling the hairpin valve springs - hence why we make these pipes fractionally longer than normally needed. 

If you do cut the pipe - I find it easiest to do it with a slitting disc in an angle grinder or Dremell, but always de-burr the end, and feed a piece of wire up the pipe aftewards to ensure it is clear.  Also, when bending the copper pipe to shape, ensure you support the pipe as close to the ferrule as possible, without actually putting any pressure on the ferrule itself - as it has a fine wall, and can crack if not careful.

The assembly consists of:

1 x Brass oil union (this one is sided for an Exhaust valve guide)

1 x Brass ferrule/copper pipe

1 x Brass union nut

1 x Red Fibre Washer (whcih goes on ferrule before screwing into cambox.)

Therefore two sets are required per engine - one being this Item 0354 set, and the other being the 0353 set.

As well as being fitted to all SOHC models, the same assemblies were fitted to earlier pre-38 OHV assemblies - and as per the accompanyning diagram, taken from the 1934 Spare Parts list - if you have an OHV model and not sure if it was fitted with these, turn the rockerbox over and look for small union holes underneath the rockerbox.  The second diagram is from the 1948 Spare Parts List and shows how the pipes were typically bent when fitting to the SOHC cambox (although in reality - I have seen pipes with more contorted bends than this!).

As to the effectiveness of this design? - Well Norton's continued to apply it for the full life of the SOHC models, but it is not unusual to find that the small bore pipes clog up with oil and cylinder head 'coke', particularly the exhaust valve pipe - but despite that, I always fit them as designed.

Hardened Valve Cap to fit 3/8" Stem Diameter valves.  These have been CNC machined using original period 'Terry' valve caps as the pattern.  These are available in two thicknesses - state thickness when ordering. 

Price is per valve cap

These valve caps are CNC machined to the original 'Terry' valve cap design, they are in case hardened EN32B.

We supply them in two thicknesses - the thickness being the amount they will sit proud of the top of the valve once fitted - the two sizes we offer are:

- 1127_1 :  0130"-0.135" Thickness - this will be sent as default if customer does not make a request when ordering

- 1127_2 :  0185"-0.190" Thickness 

The 1127_1 (0.130" thickness) item is one of the thicknesses originally offered by Terry in their Valve Cap boxes (see accompanyning photo of original Terry Valve caps)

Background and Fitment:

First of all - let me say, that I do not normally fit valve caps to my own SOHC engine builds.  Not because there is a problem with doing so - but I suppose I have always had the luxery of being able to machine valves to the length I require.

However, I have been asked various times over the years by SOHC engine builders if I can supply them - so, we have now manufactured a small initial batch (as at time of writing this - October 2022), and will make more in the future if popular.

I have heard various stories in the past, as to if Norton themselves supplied valve caps for SOHC engine builds - I have not seen them listed in the main Norton Spare Parts lists cambox sections - but I know they are considered useful if you are building a SOHC engine and cannot get the cambox rocker arms to sit correctly over the valves.  They are also useful if you have one valve that is longer than the other, in relation to the cambox, for bringing both valves to a similar height (i.e. fitting a valve cap on the shorter valve only).

And finally, with earlier OHV Norton engines, using 3/8" valves and exposed valves (i.e. earlier non enclosed rocker box) - the same applies, I know of some customers who have engines where the gap between valve and rockers would benefit from valve caps.

In all these instances - it the engine builder's responsibility to decide if they wish to use valve caps - but if they do, these are modelled on the original Terry valve cap design.

Useful tip if fitting valve caps:  Remember you have them fitted! .. . i.e. they are normally used on engines with exposed valve tops, and sit on top of the valve, with the rocker pad making direct contact on them - with minimum tappet clearance, which stops them flying off.  But they are very easy to forget about and loose when stripping the engine . . . good idea to keep them safe in a bag as soon as you strip engine!

See also Item 1128 - for 11/32" (i.e. SOHC Inlet Valve standard stem diameter) equivelant valve caps

Hardened Valve Cap to fit 11/32" Stem Diameter valves.  These have been CNC machined using original period 'Terry' valve caps as the pattern.  These are available in two thicknesses - state thickness when ordering. 

Price is per valve cap

These valve caps are CNC machined to the original 'Terry' valve cap design, they are in case hardened EN32B.

We supply them in two thicknesses - the thickness being the amount they will sit proud of the top of the valve once fitted - the two sizes we offer are:

- 1128_1 :  0130"-0.135" Thickness - this will be sent as default if customer does not make a request when ordering

- 1128_2 :  0185"-0.190" Thickness 

The 1128_1 (0.130" thickness) item is one of the thicknesses originally offered by Terry in their Valve Cap boxes (see accompanyning photo of original Terry Valve caps)

Background and Fitment:

First of all - let me say, that I do not normally fit valve caps to my own SOHC engine builds.  Not because there is a problem with doing so - but I suppose I have always had the luxery of being able to machine valves to the length I require.

However, I have been asked various times over the years by SOHC engine builders if I can supply them - so, we have now manufactured a small initial batch (as at time of writing this - October 2022), and will make more in the future if popular.

I have heard various stories in the past, as to if Norton themselves supplied valve caps for SOHC engine builds - I have not seen them listed in the main Norton Spare Parts lists cambox sections - but I know they are considered useful if you are building a SOHC engine and cannot get the cambox rocker arms to sit correctly over the valves.  They are also useful if you have one valve that is longer than the other, in relation to the cambox, for bringing both valves to a similar height (i.e. fitting a valve cap on the shorter valve only).

These valve caps are for 11/32" stem valves - which is the standard and most normal size for SOHC Norton inlet valves.  We also sell 3/8" valve caps, for corresponding SOHC exhaust valves - See Item 1127

In all these instances - it the engine builder's responsibility to decide if they wish to use valve caps - but if they do, these are modelled on the original Terry valve cap design.

Useful tip if fitting valve caps:  Remember you have them fitted! .. . i.e. they are normally used on engines with exposed valve tops, and sit on top of the valve, with the rocker pad making direct contact on them - with minimum tappet clearance, which stops them flying off.  But they are very easy to forget about and loose when stripping the engine . . . good idea to keep them safe in a bag as soon as you strip engine!

See also Item 1127 - for 3/8" (i.e. SOHC Exhaust Valve standard stem diameter) equivelant valve caps