- Joined
- Jan 20, 2011
- Messages
- 893
We have lots of Racers who contribute regularly on this fantastic Forum.
I have just read the post by J.A.W. re the Henderson Matchless Mk11, from the early 70s.,
where the engine had been improved with a 4 valve head and was finished being rebuilt only a day
or so before being raced, untested.
It reminded me of a similar incident.... 1979. What about you ?
I had raced local Motocross and Short circiut dirt track with a few Interstate meetings for 4 years,
but was looseing interest mainly due to expense. I was an average A grader with a few placeings.
I had sold my competition bikes and decided sun, beer and girls was almost equal fun.
My good friend, local Champ and CCM (Clews Competition Machinery) importer of previous years,
now prematurely retired due to multiple fractures to the leg, rang me one night and said,...
"The Short Circiut and Long track season is about to start, do you want to have a go".
"I spose, what am I going to ride ?"
"I've still got Ross' (ex A grader) old bike out in the shed, that used to go alright"
" Oh I don't know, It's 5 years old Lester".
"You'll be right, come on".
Lester Rowley being a pretty casual sort of a dude, decided that perhaps he had better
look into the reason why Ross' bike had actually siezed, some 2 years ago.
(He had been riding a Pony Express with no Bash plate and a stick removed an oil line.)
That was Friday afternoon, we race Sunday.
The engine came apart, (modified B50 motor) and needed a few bits here and there. Obviously.
Into town on Saturday morning for a rebore, he still had spares in stock.
Engine back together, just on Tea time (6 o clock), set up a fan, fast idle, go inside for tea (dinner).
"Oh, why did it just stop, must be out of fuel" (petrol).
Out to the shed, look in the tank, nope, plenty of fuel, roll back off compression to start, oh oh.
Solid. No movement. SSHIT.
"What do you think," I said.
"You go home, I'll have a look, she'll be right".
He pulled that engine down, and down, untill he found the problem....
The B50/CCM motor has a lock washer/tab on the Big end, in his excitement, he
had omitted to bend the tab over, the flywheels came loose, turned slightly, and jammed
inside the cases. Finished, again, at 1.00 am...Got the phone call, 6.00 am, we're off.
We gave the motor a couple of minutes fast idle, while still on the trailer, just a K or two
from the meeting. Got some funny looks when we arrived with the bike running.
Then 3 laps of the Morgan Mile, practice, at 8,000 revs.
3 meetings that year, Mile on Sundays and Short circuit on Monday. (long weekends)
3 X 500cc Open, Heats and Races, plus 3 X Unlimited Open, Heats and Races, plus 3 X Clubman, Heats and races.
Add in the Easter I/2 Mile meeting.
Results... Short circuit 500cc Open. S.A.Champion, 3 from 3 = 45 points. Blue ribbon.
Short circuit Unlimited Open. second, 3 from 3 = 30 points. 1X disqualification, no points. Red ribbon.
Mile, 500cc CLUBMAN (any non specialised slider frame, Petrol only.), third,.. loose earth wire in the Final. Green ribbon.
1/2 Mile. CLUBMAN, Brocken (new) chain at the start of the Final..... Such is life.
That beautifull 5 y.o. 2 valve, CCM, on petrol. could brain anything, including the lastest model motocrossers, some of whom were known to cheat,
in the Clubmans events, and could match it with Goddens and Jawas in the Open "Sliders" on the Short Circuit Track. (Flat kidney shaped).
We were always consistantly middle of the field against the "real bikes" on the long tracks in the Open events.
Note.. That particular engine always went well and was unmodified from the standard factory spec, as opposed to MY old bike
which was an ex Lester Rowley, Championship bike, with lightened flywheels, different cam, 36mm Mikuni and ported head.
As per Factory race spec, John Banks replica.
Sorry to ramble, let's here yours......
AC.
I have just read the post by J.A.W. re the Henderson Matchless Mk11, from the early 70s.,
where the engine had been improved with a 4 valve head and was finished being rebuilt only a day
or so before being raced, untested.
It reminded me of a similar incident.... 1979. What about you ?
I had raced local Motocross and Short circiut dirt track with a few Interstate meetings for 4 years,
but was looseing interest mainly due to expense. I was an average A grader with a few placeings.
I had sold my competition bikes and decided sun, beer and girls was almost equal fun.
My good friend, local Champ and CCM (Clews Competition Machinery) importer of previous years,
now prematurely retired due to multiple fractures to the leg, rang me one night and said,...
"The Short Circiut and Long track season is about to start, do you want to have a go".
"I spose, what am I going to ride ?"
"I've still got Ross' (ex A grader) old bike out in the shed, that used to go alright"
" Oh I don't know, It's 5 years old Lester".
"You'll be right, come on".
Lester Rowley being a pretty casual sort of a dude, decided that perhaps he had better
look into the reason why Ross' bike had actually siezed, some 2 years ago.
(He had been riding a Pony Express with no Bash plate and a stick removed an oil line.)
That was Friday afternoon, we race Sunday.
The engine came apart, (modified B50 motor) and needed a few bits here and there. Obviously.
Into town on Saturday morning for a rebore, he still had spares in stock.
Engine back together, just on Tea time (6 o clock), set up a fan, fast idle, go inside for tea (dinner).
"Oh, why did it just stop, must be out of fuel" (petrol).
Out to the shed, look in the tank, nope, plenty of fuel, roll back off compression to start, oh oh.
Solid. No movement. SSHIT.
"What do you think," I said.
"You go home, I'll have a look, she'll be right".
He pulled that engine down, and down, untill he found the problem....
The B50/CCM motor has a lock washer/tab on the Big end, in his excitement, he
had omitted to bend the tab over, the flywheels came loose, turned slightly, and jammed
inside the cases. Finished, again, at 1.00 am...Got the phone call, 6.00 am, we're off.
We gave the motor a couple of minutes fast idle, while still on the trailer, just a K or two
from the meeting. Got some funny looks when we arrived with the bike running.
Then 3 laps of the Morgan Mile, practice, at 8,000 revs.
3 meetings that year, Mile on Sundays and Short circuit on Monday. (long weekends)
3 X 500cc Open, Heats and Races, plus 3 X Unlimited Open, Heats and Races, plus 3 X Clubman, Heats and races.
Add in the Easter I/2 Mile meeting.
Results... Short circuit 500cc Open. S.A.Champion, 3 from 3 = 45 points. Blue ribbon.
Short circuit Unlimited Open. second, 3 from 3 = 30 points. 1X disqualification, no points. Red ribbon.
Mile, 500cc CLUBMAN (any non specialised slider frame, Petrol only.), third,.. loose earth wire in the Final. Green ribbon.
1/2 Mile. CLUBMAN, Brocken (new) chain at the start of the Final..... Such is life.
That beautifull 5 y.o. 2 valve, CCM, on petrol. could brain anything, including the lastest model motocrossers, some of whom were known to cheat,
in the Clubmans events, and could match it with Goddens and Jawas in the Open "Sliders" on the Short Circuit Track. (Flat kidney shaped).
We were always consistantly middle of the field against the "real bikes" on the long tracks in the Open events.
Note.. That particular engine always went well and was unmodified from the standard factory spec, as opposed to MY old bike
which was an ex Lester Rowley, Championship bike, with lightened flywheels, different cam, 36mm Mikuni and ported head.
As per Factory race spec, John Banks replica.
Sorry to ramble, let's here yours......
AC.
we still have a laugh about it to this day, he was good friend but he had a habbit of ripping poeple off so I didn't mind getting back at him at the time.