Frepin Frames

[Stevie1262]

Greetings from Scotland, about 2 years ago I was looking for a Yamaha TZ350 and spotted one for sale in England, it was a Frepin framed TZ350, never heard of Frepin, but it looked really tidy the price was about right, so i took a chance and bought it unseen. On the (long) Drive down the Seller called to advise it was now only running on one cylinder 🤯 he suspected a base gasket, but i wasnt unduly worried as i planned on stripping the Engine, we agreed a reduced price and with gaskets and new pistons i headed home. Roll forward 2 years one relationship break up, house sale and COVID and the Engine is now ready to be rebuilt (it was a 6-port but now back to 4-port D-Spec) ...but ...the bike and Tuner are now 60 miles away and we are locked down and have a travel ban on ....so i am looking for info, I have history and documentation to advise that this was the first Frepin Frame made, it has period TZ350 A crankcases fitted (it did race with a TZ250 motor at TT) and all the controls and fittings are genuine period TZ, i would like to get it painted back as it was in 70’s when built in NZ. It has a Kiwi logo on the seat hump but can anyone help with a photo or info? It will have the McLeans logo put back on the seat and screen but any info photos appreciated or are there any other Frepin owners out there? . Its a really well built Frame so light and feels right ( it was a bugger working out how to drop the engine out tho’ and it has to come out even to lift heads 😬)
Nice piece of Kiwi Motorcycle History cant see it being raced as I have been advised that its all now getting a bit rare to be raced in anger and be dropped/damaged so Parades and Track Day Outings 🙁 ...cheers from an COVID locked down Arctic Scotland

Stevie Adams

[caseye]

Welcome along, always nice to have folk from around the world joining in.
Someone here will! be able to help, I'm sure.
:first:

[malcy25]

My brother had a couple through his hands about 15 years ago. I looked at and my brother bought Fred McLeans Tz750 and one of the Frepin frames came with it. If you are on Facebook I’d also look up Jules Bramwell.

[Grumph]

I don't have the (dubious) benefit of being on facebook - but a couple of years back when Wobbly built his Frepin rerplica I did some asking around ChCh.
Stevie - to see Wobs version look on the ESE Engineering thread in the Bucket section here.

Fred is dead of course. It's generally thought that Peter Pinion went back to the UK - and died there. Which is probably where your bike came from.

The best bet to try and find the original colours for your bike is probably to search pics from the Marlboro Series held here.
There were several photographers active. Brian Hopping has started to put his archive up on line. Do a search for Euan Cameron photographs too.
He was active and is still around too. I'm sure if you can contact him, he'd be helpful.

Personally I have a Frepin tank. Totally fucked. The last owner said he only knew about the dents from when it fell off the trailer and the bike broke in half.....But when I stripped out the several kg of bog it was revealed to have had a very exciting life, LOL.

[husaberg]

https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/86554-ESE-s-works-engine-tuner?p=1130935350#post1130935350

Click on the arrow next to the user name to go to the post to see the photos.

There is a photo of one on the TZ site
https://www.tz350.net/aftermarket_frames.net.htm
and another mentioning some in the UK somewhere else.
which i am picking it is yours?
383-992017
http://www.natsforum.net/viewtopic.php?t=1028
this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCyXpfiGJ3M

348265348266348268348267348269

[husaberg]

78 Malboro series



https://youtu.be/iyx3FnWK2eM


https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclingnz/videos/886883051383583/

https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclingnz/videos/882056881866200/


https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclingnz/videos/882056881866200/


https://www.facebook.com/147576731980889/videos/892440454161176/?__so__=channel_tab&__rv__=all_videos_card

https://www.facebook.com/147576731980889/videos/891077324297489/?__so__=channel_tab&__rv__=all_videos_card

https://www.facebook.com/147576731980889/videos/886883051383583/?__so__=channel_tab&__rv__=all_videos_card

[Stevie1262]

Thanks thats the one I have, i bought it from Kevin Fawcett who buys ans sells TZ’s and parts, as far as I know it was only the Frame that came to the UK and this is where it gets tricky as i think it was built as a 250 and raced here in UK and at TT & MGP, at some point the 350 motor was fitted which is an early (1974) A engine with F spec 6 port Top End. It had Alloy wheels which were found to be badly corroded after being tested and x-rayed, so was it a complete rolling chassis that actually came to the UK? As the Builders and Chap who built it here are all dead and gone its a struggle to find out much more, comparing it to a Standard 350 its so much lighter and Geometry is about the same as a 350 Yamsel and early Spondon when put side by side.
Thanks for all your help its a nice Bike with some great History, i set out looking for a TZ350 to race and ended up with one that i cant really race as its all far to valuable now to chuck up the track.
I hope to get it out when we finally can get out of COVID lockdowns in UK ...😬

Best Regards

Stevie Adams