NSU QUICKLY Literature

This blog is intended to list all of the official literature concerning the NSU Quickly that was published in English. This will consist of manufacturers advertising and promotion brochures and fliers as well as those documents supplied to buyers with their newly purchased Quickly, or intended only for official dealers. I am also aware that some dealers used this information to publish their own advertising leaflets or booklets. I will include this material but there is obviously rather more of that and so that part of the catalogue isn't intended to be exhaustive. Finally, NSU published a lot of material related to the company rather than one particular model of product. Much of this may never have been translated into English, but where I've found such information I've included it. Its not been my general practice to collect  material published in magazine articles/advertisements, issued to markets overseas or published in German. However, some of this stuff may have snuck in here and there...

As with all my other blogs, if you have information relevant here, or additional publications so far unlisted, please PM me, preferably with a jpeg of your document, and I'll be very happy to include it here. I am particularly indebted to Donall Keane whose collection of this stuff is rather more extensive than my own.

Dealers Information

Spare parts listing from the second half of 1954. This is believed to be the first such list issued by the factory. At that time the book was multilingual (Photo Toon Borre).

Service information book (A4) Glossy cover 1955

Spare parts listing (A4) Glossy cover 1955

Maintenance Manual, Undated but this includes the S2-23 but not the F23 so presumably dates from 1961. A4 format, matt cover.

Hard cover landscape version of parts catalogue for F23

Landscape soft cover parts manual 1957

This little book was common on eBay years ago but has now become scarce. 24 page booklet on the maintenance abs restoration of the early Quickly. Foreword is dated Nov ‘68.

Owners documentation

Guarantee card (buff)

Owners Instruction manual A6 format portrait Sept 1955

Owners Instruction manual A6 format portrait 1961

Owners Instruction manual A6 format landscape.  March 1962 

Factory Information

What they do at NSU- a walk around the factory 1955

A later version of factory information March 1961.

Publicity Brochures and Fliers

First Quickly brochure. Hard to find and rare in English. Undated but probably early 1954 in English. 

US flyer prepared by distributor there. Bike looks like prototype. Probably1954.

Undated but 1955, made in two colour variations

German language (The moped that won the day). Dated July 1955. Included for completeness but its not clear that this was ever published in English.

Dated July 1955 in English, German version is dated Nov 1954

Flyer dated Nov 1955. A5, 2 page.

Flyer dated Nov 1955. A5, 2 page.

Grubby one with fold is in English. The cleaner one is multi-language including English. Probably late 1954 / 1955 as Superlux mentioned in text.

October 1955 Announcing the introduction of the NSU Contoured  Legshield.

August 1956

Quickly L brochure dated Jan 1957

UK-only flyer. Probably early 1957.

2 page flyer. Undated but probably1957 to coincide with first 3-speed engines being available.

Something a bit different. Dated July 1957.

Quickly L brochure dated Oct 1957.

Quickly N brochure dated Nov 1957.

Spot the differences? Quickly S brochures from Nov ‘57 (right) and Dec ‘58 (left). Export model on earlier issue

Feb 1959

Nov 1959

July 1960

Circa 1961 fold out 6 pager

Circa 1962 fold out 6 pager

October 1962

Both sides of a pricelist printed in England and undated, however it predates the F23

Undated 1 pager but it includes the Quick 50 so presumably between 1963 and 1965

A5 brochure, unfolds to A3. Undated

January 1964

Undated UK only 2 pager

Undated price list but post intro of F model.

Norris ignition points

There are two types of contact breaker points in the Quickly, the later type 2 are described in my section testing the motor, the. Type 1 or Norris points are dealt with here. I'm renovating the magneto back plate and it will need a new ignition coil. I've removed the old one here to make access to the points easier.

Norris points feature an eccentric screw post allowing adjustment. They are retained on The back plate by a removable brass pivot post and a retaining screw.

Norris points in position (ign coil removed) Note eccentric adjuster screw located in adjustment notch in contact breaker base plate (centre). to left of the brass mounting pins and C clip. Yellow fixed point wire attaches to the base plate with the wire down-most so it can slip neatly beneath the  lighting coil to connect with the condensor.

Moving point connections, note the small bolt enters from closest to the points towards the lighting coil

Remove the C clip and washer from the brass mounting post. Just push the open end backwards using a broad screwdriver blade.

Remove the C clip by levering backwards. Note the order of attachment to fixed point, the leaf spring of the moving point is  outside the lhs insulation washer and not as shown below!

Loosen the small bolt passing through the fixed plate using  2 x 5.5mm spanners but don't remove the bolt yet. This should let you pull the moving point upwards and off the brass pivot post, slipping the leaf spring from behind the 5.5mm bolt head as you do so.
Unscrew the fixed point retaining screw.

Loosen the brass pivot post using a 7mm spanner.

Remove the brass mounting post and lift out the fixed plate. You can then remove the small 5.5mm bolt completely keeping careful note of the order in which the various washers and yellow wire tab contact are fitted. Note that although the bolt passes through the fixed point and the wire is attached here, it makes no electrical contact with the fixed point plate due to insulation sleeves and washers which must be refitted in the correct order. The yellow wire is connected electrically only to the moving point.  From the left to right (ie from contacts towards lighting coil) the order is bolt head, small washer (moving point leaf spring), insulating washer with spigot. (Fixed point plate), insulation washer, yellow wire contact, washer, spring washer, nut. I did take a photo but got it in the wrong order!! Note the leaf spring should be the other side of the insulation washer towards the bolt head.

Components of moving point connection- Note leaf spring should be to the left of the left insulation washer so it makes no contact with the fixed point base plate.

Pivot post and fixed point base plate removed

Old points removed The cut out into which the eccentric adjuster fits is typical of points ULZ115/1Z

When you lift out the fixed plate take care that the eccentric adjuster which fits behind doesn't come off too.

Eccentric adjuster plate and the circular recess into which it fits.

This is simply a round flat plate with a screw post eccentrically mounted. The plate fits into a circular recess in the back plate and the post engages with the fork cut into the fixed plate. Moving the post screw rotates the plate beneath opening or closing the points. Clean the circular adjustment plate and also the magneto back plate where the fixed point plate and adjuster plates fit. Apply a smear of hmp grease in both areas, use grease to hold the adjuster in place.

Its not time to start reassembly. Genuine points Norris numbers ULZ115/1Z and ULZ 185/1Z are now quite expensive at almost £20 inc postage so its appropriate to look for substitutes. This means that it is essential to compare the old points with the new and make sure they will fit. I first bought a set from France Dudoco no 664 but despite the labelling these didn't fit, because the base plate was different. I think I will hang on to these as I might be able to modify them later.

Fixed points compared Same size overall but more metal on the replacements (upper) compared with the original (lower) and in particular the adjuster slot on the original (ULZ115/1Z) has become a hole on the Duduco points. Careful trimming of the base plate should allow these to fit. However I didn't use them.

I found a cheaper set from Italy numbered 4731 and these are a good replacement. The base plate on the Italian 4731 points was the same except that it had a nylon insulation plug already fitted. This dispenses with the two cumbersome insulating washers used to fit the old points  and makes fitting easier.

Italian points base plate. Note insulation plug

Old points fixed point base plate- note no insulation plug.

Before starting check that the point contact surfaces are clean. Many are covered with a preservative to stop them rusting. Wash this off with clean alcohol. Its easier to install the fixed point if you loosely assemble the 5.5mm bolt and its connections before fixing the plate into position. Fit the pivot post loosely so the fixed point can be swivelled round allowing easier access to the fiddly 5.5mm bolt and its connections.

New fixed point in position but swivelled round to allow easier access to the 5.5mm bolt and its connections

 Fit the 5.5mm bolt washers and yellow wire tab but don't tighten the bolts yet.

5.5mm bolt and connections in place

Swivel the fixed point plate back into position such that the eccentric adjuster screw post locates in the fork of the fixed point plate and secure with the adjusting screw and by tightening the brass pivot post. Check that the shoulder at the bottom of the post passes through the fixed plate so that it will be free to move during adjustment. Check that the yellow wire and tab do not make contact with the magneto anywhere except the 5.5mm bolt.

Apply a little grease to the brass post and fit the moving point by slipping it over the brass post, compress the spring leaf with a finger and slip the hooked end over the shaft beneath the head of the 5.5mm bolt and between the bolt head and the insulating washer (if present) and NOT between the insulating washer and fixed plate! My new points have an integrated insulation plug making incorrect assembly impossible. The cut out in the leaf spring will slip over the bolt shaft and you can then tighten the 5.5 mm bolt.

Moving point installed

Make sure that the moving point is seated on the pivot pin and secure it with its circlip.

Compressing the circlip to secure the moving point on the pivot post.

Check that the points meet squarely and make good contact

New points meet squarely at the same height

In my case I still need to refit the ignition coil and solder all the wires I've detached. If you've not stripped the magneto base plate obviously you would just refit it to the motor, fit the flywheel and adjust contact gap and ignition timing.