Part 1 of the Fasteners Section lists:

- Stainless Steel Cheesehead Sets to Fit Norton Single engines and gearboxs - CNC manufactured using Norton single specific head patterns

- Many special fasteners (mostly CNC manufactured in stainless steel) to fit Norton single cylinder models - i.e. special engine and gearbox bolts, as well as many chassis and fork bolts fitted from 1920's to late 1950's

(see also Engine Bolt section and specific categories for bolts for specific engine and chassis areas that may not be duplicated in this section)

Email us if you are looking for a fastener to fit a particularl Norton single model and do not see it listed here: sales@racingvincent.co.uk

Complete cheesehead screw set for SOHC engine, in stainless steel with red fibre washers - comprising : 18 screws in total - 4 cambox front bevel screws, 6 rear cambox screws, 7 timing case screws, 1 crankcase screw and high quality fibre washer set (including obligatory spare washer!).

These cheesehead screws are 'bar-turned' in Stainless Steel, to the same dimensions as the original 1930's/50's Norton items - i.e they are machined from solid bar, rather than being mass produced 'pressed thread' items. The primary reason for doing this is that the 'cheesehead' of Norton screws of this item has a distinctive shape and was slightly wider than the proprietary cheeseheads screws available today (many modern cheeseheads are approx 0.370-0.375" head diameter), while ours are larger as per the original Norton profile).

The set consists of 18 CNC manufactured stainless steel screws and 19 high quality red fibre washers (we always include an extra fibre washer - in case you lose one under the bench!).

An original NOS (New Old Stock) Norton cheesehead screw was used as a pattern (see final photograph), these screws copy that profile exactly.

Sorry, not as cheap as some of the mass produced type available - as these screws machined specially for us from oversize bar in small batch's.

Update Jan 2021:  Now back in stock.  We will also shortly be producing similar sets for Norton OHV/SV models and 'Laydown' type Norton gearbox's, email for details at sales@racingvincent.co.uk

This is a complete crankcase and timing chest cheesehead screw set for 1930's to 1947 type OHV and Side Valve Norton single cylinder models - i.e. Model 18, ES2, Mod 19, 16H and Big 4.  It consists of full timing case inner and outer cheeseheads, Inner timing case countersink screws and crankcase sump cheesehead screw - all of these being CNC bar-turned in stainless steel to the original period Norton dimensions and head pattern.  See detail listing for more information.

As you can see from the photographs, this cheeseheaad set is shown fitted in the photographs to a 1938 OHV Model 18 engine, but the timing case and crankcase screws are the same for the corresponding Side Valve (SV) crankcase.  

This particular model of crankcase was used on both OHV and SV models between 1937 and 1947, and we have faithfully replicated all cheesehead and countersink screw dimensions from that type of engine.  However, the earlier design of OHV and SV crankcase (late 1930-37) is also very similar to this type, sharing the same main timing cover cheeshead screws, crankcase screw and countersunk screws - but the earlier design of OHV and SV design only used two cheesehead screws for the outer magneto chain cover, while this design used 3 screws. 

Please email us on sales@racingvincent.co.uk if you require the similar cheesehead set for the earlier 30-37 design, we may be able to make that set up as well.

This set consists for following:

7 x Main timing chest cover screws

2 x Countersunk screws that fit into the magneto chain cavity (also available seperately as Item 1004)

3 x Outer magneto chain cover screws: 2 x long ones (into main cover) 1 x short (top left)

1 x Very long crankcase sump screw

12 x High quality red fibre washers to fit behind cheesehead screws (11 screws + 1 spare washer1)

All screws are bar turned stainless steel which we CNC manufacture in-house.  For every screw, dimensions are faithfully replicated from original screws.  We also ensure the cheesehead head pattern is faithfully replicated from the original Norton screw, and these are actually slightly wider diameter heads than most commerically available 1/4" diameter cheesehead and allen screws.

The set also includes 12 high quality red fibre washers (we always include an extra fibre washer - in case you lose one under the bench!).

Sorry, not as cheap as some of the mass produced type available – but these are CNC turned from stainless steel bar with milled head slots to the original dimensions in small batches.

Final assembly points:

All engine timing covers and rockerbox covers of this period were originally fitted with red fibre washers behind them, which often get omitted.  We recommend always fitting these and supply a high quality example (which are much better quality than most commercially available).

This type of OHV and SV engine design also used countersunk screws in the magneto chain cavity - which normally get badly chewed on original examples.  If you look closely at original timing covers, you will find that these screws were normally stopped from coming loose by centre punching the surrounding aluminium cover, alongside the scredriver slot.  We will leave it to customers to decide on the best way to secure these screws - but the original method seems to work well, and in modern times there is also stud lock fluid available.

Final point:  We sell this as a separate set - but for OHV engines, we also sell a corresponding Rockerbox Cheeshead Set (Item 1001).  Those two sets bought together provide a full cheesehead set for OHV models.  (they are sold separately as the crankcase set will fit both Overhead valve and sidevalve models).

This is a complete rockerbox cheesehead screw set for 1938 to 1947 type OHV Norton single cylinder models - i.e. Model 18, ES2, Mod 19, Mod 50.  It consists of the cheeseheads that surround the rockerbox cover, red fibre washers for these, the extra long tappet cover cheesehead screws (fitted only to this Norton single model) and stainless washers to go with these tappet screws - all of these being CNC bar-turned in stainless steel to the original period Norton dimensions and head pattern.  

As you can see from the photographs, this cheeseheaad set is shown fitted in the photographs to a 1938 OHV Model 18 engine, which is not the most common model of Norton single, but used a number of semi long cheesehead screws not found on other models - which I think gave that rockerbox a purposeful attractive look.  

Also, the pressed steel tappet cover for this model - although looking identical to the later (and more common) 1948-56 type OHV model, had different cheehead screw hole spacing than the later tappet cover - and used extra long cheesehead screws, not fitted to any other model 

This set consists for following:

7 x Rockerbox semi-long cheesehead screws

2 x Extra long tappet cover cheesehead screws (also available seperately - see Item 1002)

2 x Stainless steel tappet cover washers

8 x High quality red fibre washers to fit behind cheesehead screws (7 screws + 1 spare washer1)

All screws are bar turned stainless steel which we CNC manufacture in-house.  For every screw, dimensions are faithfully replicated from original screws.  We also ensure the cheesehead head pattern is faithfully replicated from the original Norton screw, and these are actually slightly wider diameter heads than most commerically available 1/4" diameter cheesehead and allen screws.

The set also includes 8 high quality red fibre washers (we always include an extra fibre washer - in case you lose one under the bench!).

Sorry, not as cheap as some of the mass produced type available – but these are CNC turned from stainless steel bar with milled head slots to the original dimensions in small batches.

Final assembly points:

All engine timing covers and rockerbox covers of this period were originally fitted with red fibre washers behind them, which often get omitted.  We recommend always fitting these and supply a high quality example (which are much better quality than most commercially available).

This type of OHV rockerbox tappet cover looked exactly the same as the later 48-55 OHV engine, but actually had different spacing of the holes to the later engine design - and very long cheesehead screws (which as far as we know were longer than any other Norton cheeseheads used on any other models).  We also sell the tappet cover gasket for this model (Item 0918) and are also looking at getting the unusual pushrod rubber seal unique to this rockerbox manufactured - please email for details.

We also sell the engine crankcase and timing cover cheesehead set for the same model - Item 1000, both together will transform the look of your Model 18/ES2 restoration project

Extra Long 'Norton' head pattern cheesehead screws in stainless steel - as used to retain the 1938-1947 OHV Tappet cover, bar turned stainless steel with washers.  Price is for a pair of screws and washers

These cheesehead screws are 'bar-turned' in Stainless Steel, to the same dimensions as the original 1930's/40's Norton items - i.e they are machined from solid bar, rather than being mass produced 'pressed thread' items. These particular cheesehead screws - as used to retain the 1938-47 OHV 'Norton' pressed steel tappet cover, are actually about the longest cheesehead screws I have ever seen fitted to a Norton engine - and as far as I know are specific to this engine type only. 

Like all our Norton single cheesehead screws, these are CNC machined and an original Norton cheesehead pattern was replicated.  In the case of this tappet cover - they also come with stainless flat washers, to stop the pressed steel cover getting indents (as is often the case on these covers, where washers are not fitted).

Sorry these are not cheap - but the length of these cheeseheads mean a more complex machining process than other cheeseheads.

Note: we also sell the cork gasket for this 38-47 type Tappet cover, and owners should note that although it looks the same as the later 1948-55 type cover, the hole spacing is different - see final photograph in this listing.

These are the two countersink screws of the type used on pre-war up to 1947 OHV and Sidevalve Norton single engines, which screwed into the inner timing cover behind the magneto chain. 

Unlike the 1948 onwards OHV/SV engines (which used shallow head bolts in this area), these screws were countersunk to avoid fouling the magneto chain.

It was normal practice to tighten them as much as you could with a screwdriver, and then use a centre punch to punch the soft aluminium of the inner timing cover just next to the slot of the screw - then a little bit of alloy would mush out into the screwdriver slot to stop it coming loose.  I will leave it to you to decide if you wish to do this - or use a modern threadlock.  However it is good practice to use one of the two methods to stop the screw coming loose.

Original Norton screws were used as the template to make these, and they fit nicely in the original timing cover countersinks, as can be seen from the photograph.

As these tended to get over tightened or chewed by previous owners, original versions of this screw are now hard to find and normally have their scredriver slot chewed up.  We have made these screws from stainless steel - which argueably is not necessary, as they are in an oiled area - but we make a complete cheesehead set for these timing covers in stainless - so it is logical to continue that material to these screws, and remembering that our stainless steel is stronger than normal tensile strength plain steel screws, these shoudl be more durable.

Note, we also sell a pair of these screws as part of the entire 38-47 Timing Cover Cheesehead Set (Item 1000), in case you wanted to replace the full set.

These screws are shown fitted to a 1938-47 style engine - but the same part number countersunk screw was also fitted to the pre-38 style OHV/SV type engine style.  I am not sure what date these screws were introduced, but would estimate it was circa early 1930's - email if you need to confirm dimensions if you have an early 30's OHV/SV engine and want to make sure

This is a future order item:  Complete cheehead set for 1948-55 type OHV engines.  Similar to our 38-47 cheesehead sets, we will shortly be making a batch of these - see detail listing for more information 

Update March 2021: We have spent the first part of 2021 making new batch's of our SOHC cheehead screw sets (in bar turned stainless steel), and have also introduced the full sets for the 1938-47 OHV engine, as well as those for varioius gearbox's.  We were intending to also make a batch of cheeseheads for this engine type ..  . but if truthful, other out of stock parts required our CNC machine (and frankly I could not bear to machine another Cheesehead screw!!). Hopefully we will shortly come back to making these (there are actually quite a variety of lengths for this engine type) - if you would like to pre order a set, email us on sales@racingvincent.co.uk and quote this Item number, thx.

Red Fibre Washers: Fibre Washers, as originally fitted behind all Norton SOHC, OHV and sidevalve engine cover cheesehead screws.

These look to have been original fitment behind the cheesehead screws used on crankcase timing covers (all single cylinder models), cambox covers (SOHC) and rockerbox covers (OHV) from the late 1920's -  late 1950's.

They act as a buffer behind the head of the cheesehead screw and the aluminium timing cover and give a better, more even purchase on the cover/casting.  You may find if you are restoring an engine - sometimes the old fibre washer is perished still in place - in which case it can be easily removed with a scriber or similar - or may not have been refitted if originally lost.  Regardless - I would recommend you do fit them, on all timing covers and cambox/rockerbox covers, as they help protect the casting and allow a better purchase.

Interestingly - most Norton gearbox's I have stripped do not seem to have used red fibre washers behind the cheesehead screws - and they are not listed on most Spare Parts catalogs.  Therefore, as standard - all our 'engine' cheesehead screw sets come complete with these red fibre washers in the set, but the gearbox cheesehead sets do not. However, there is no reason you should not fit these to your gearbox screws if you wish - I sometimes do!

These particular washers are premium quality (quite hard) from a top manufacturer, so are durable and long lasting - and explains why the price may seem higher than expected - but they are far more durable than other similar washers you may find available commercially - I would never use any other type.

This listing is for the distinctive coarse thread, curved head filler plug fitted to Norton upright gearbox's on the front cover from the early 1930's to 1950.  These are CNC stainless steel, with polished head and we offer 3 types - Road models, Inter and Manx lockwired type and wasted racing type.  

Price is each

Background and types Information:

The upright Norton gearbox was first introduced in the early 1930's to replace the similar looking Sturmey Archer type gearbox's fitted before then.  This gearbox was filled with oil by means of a coarse threaded plug situated on the lower left part of the front gearbox cover.   As well as its coarse thread (only used on this type of plug), the original nuts had a distinctive shoulder - and this was designed to fit on a similar flat face on the cover (and although many people try to fit Red Fibre washers over the plug to prevent leakage - a washer was not originally fitted).

The original bolt also had a distinctive slightly curved head - of the design distinctive to many Norton bolts of the 1930's - 1950's era.  

Postwar the upright gearbox design was modernised on road going models, first in 1946, with a round clutch worm inspection cover, then again in 1947 with an oval type inspection cover, which remained until the introduction of the 'Laydown' gearbox on most road models, in 1950.  However, the Gardengate Manx models and 500T trial models conitnued to use the pre-war 'Dollshead' type upright gearbox all the way through their life postwar (i.e. until introduction of Featherbed Manx).  All these models were fitted with this type of filler plug.

We CNC machine these nuts, from original patterns, in three different patterns - but rather than the dull plated and slightly rough finished original Norton item, we manufacture them in stainless steel -- and then linish and polish the head, so as well as being practical, they also look very pretty, as they are positioned in a prominent position.

0998_1 is the standard type: fitted to most roadgoing models, and is finished to the same dimensions

0998_2 is the Manx/Inter type:  these are just as the normal type - except they are drilled to be lockwired - an essential requirement for any competition bike, to avoid oil spillage on the track.  Although not strictly necessary on a road bike, it is a useful addition, as lockwiring can prevent accidental loss of the gearbox filler nut if not fully tightened.  It also gives International SOHC models more of the look of its racing heritage.  An original Manx filler plug is shown in the pictures, alongside our version

0998_3 is a 'Wasted' Manx type: This is not an original Norton feature, but was a very common modification of this nut on many racing motorcycles - as this nut can be considerably lightened by drilling its centre.  I have seen this done on many genuine 1930's Inter's and Manx's and normally did it on my own competition bikes - it is in the style of Francis Beart, if you like!  We take the 0998_2 version as the starting point, but then have an additional CNC cycle to bore the bolt and shape the curve of the head, before polishing, to give it a very pretty look.  Personally, I think as well as being practical for competition, it enhances the look of the bike.  (sorry not cheap, but additional CNC op requried to produce these)

Update July 2021:  We will also shortly be adding the drain plugs for Norton gearbox's, which were also produced in more than one variation.  If you have a Sturmey Archer original pattern filler plug - providing you can give dimensions, we may also produce a batch of those in the near future.  Please email sales@racingvincent.co.uk

These are the distinctive Norton gearbox nuts as fitted to the endplate of all upright Pre-War Norton models and pre-Featherbed Manx models.

Seven of these are used to fit the pre-war Norton gearbox covers and are very distinctive, the shoulder fitting into the recess on the cover and the head and a slightly curved head

They are also fitte at the base of Norton laydown style (pre-AMC) gearboxs, under the kickstart boss (3 are fitted here - see photograph).

These nuts are CNC manufactured by us to exactly the same dimensions as the original Norton items, except they are made in Stainless Steel - They look very pretty and will transform the look of your pre-war gearbox (particularly as it is now very difficult to get the originals Dull Nickel plated) - 7 required per gearbox.  These are made to a higher level of finish than the original Norton nuts (which often had visible machining marks and a dimple in the centre of the head - see picture of original nut to see what we mean) - as well as being CNC manufactured to a fine finish - we also lightly linish and semi polish the heads of these nuts, so they really look nice when fitted to an original Norton gearbox . . . and we sell a lot of these!

Note: we also sell the gearbox studs in stainless steel (Item 0100), but most importantly - the correct type spring washer, also in stainless steel (Item 0102).  It is very important to fit one of these spring washers under each nut - otherwise the hex of the nut is likely to catch and scratch the gearbox end cover - look at the amount of old Norton upright gearbox covers you can find that have suffered from this issue!