Originally Posted by
verktyg
This 1977 ad points out the advantage of having a larger splined bore: The outside and inside bearing are the same size with 90 1/8" balls which balances the forces better, plus the large remover will fit over any axle nut. (From velo-pages.com)
Another thing I liked about the large-bore Normandy freewheels was the snap-in plastic seals to protect the bearings. You could fill the body with oil, snap the seals in place, and it would retain the oil for quite some time. "Rig for silent running!"
But the large bore meant that 14T was the smallest cog that would fit, and the lads in marketing didn't like that.