Oddball engines and prototypes

[WilDun]

I guess this thread is running out, but it did manage to bring up some forgotten but interesting and excellent designs from the past, they will only be of passing interest to most people (as you would expect) and there is only a certain number of them to check out!
Once they have been brought to the younger peoples attention, only those with a passionate interest in engines will bother to have a closer look, although some may be able to find something useful in them, maybe for an experimental project or even a replica.
Point is, these things need to be revisited now and then (lest we forget) so that when someone comes up with a great new "breakthrough" eg. as Suzuki did in USA in the seventies "the worlds first 500cc Dual Stroke" - I admit that I could be wrong about there being a 500cc Scott though! - but it would seem that there is nothing new under the sun"
https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/a...6&d=1520371769

Even then, I could have told them that it had been done over 60(rcorrected!) years before, by Scott - and watercooled to boot!) but I think that I mentioned all this before somewhere! -

Let's hope some more interesting stuff, old or new will turn up!

[EssexNick]

I don't think this thread is done and dusted just yet. Now that CAD and the internet have become so widespread, there are plenty of people coming up with "new" ideas. Some of them are innovative and many are just variations of old ideas. This is really the place to discuss them without needing to get overly technical or involved in a row.
As for Scott, I also thought they had built a 500cc machine early in their history. It may not have been offered to the public, or maybe an engine was modified by someone else for racing. I'm quite happy to be proved wrong, never the less, a memory of something read years ago persists.

[Michael Moore]

I ran across this DIY (engine and chassis) 4T single racer from the late 1980s 3 or 4 years ago, possibly on FB, and I hope someone knows more about it and/or the builder. I put the photos I found here:

http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/s...nRacingSingle/



cheers,
Michael

[Grumph]

I don't remember seeing it at the North island meetings I got to - but someone here should know it or the people involved as it's definitely Kiwi origin.

Probably built for our F3 of the period which allowed unlimited singles and methanol.
Skimpy finning and fixed ignition by chainsaw mag certainly suggest a meth burner.
Gearbox is yamaha 5 speed - DS7/R5 ? Clutch is very familiar - I have an RD/R5 one on my Villiers....

[WilDun]

I don't remember seeing it at the North island meetings I got to - but someone here should know it or the people involved as it's definitely Kiwi origin.

Probably built for our F3 of the period which allowed unlimited singles and methanol.
Skimpy finning and fixed ignition by chainsaw mag certainly suggest a meth burner.
Gearbox is yamaha 5 speed - DS7/R5 ? Clutch is very familiar - I have an RD/R5 one on my Villiers....

Husa is bound to know that one!

[Michael Moore]

a person on my chassis list found this website which appears to belong to the builder

http://www.cdd.co.nz/cdd_grt.htm

[WilDun]

Wonder what became of that company? - it would be a pity if they had disappeared without trace! - Again, Husa will probably be the one who knows the answer to that one, I believe he lives somewhere around the Grey River on the west Coast of the South Island.



SORRY, - Found that Greytown is actually in the North Island north of Wellington!! - well, we all make mistakes - Husa will still know though!

[Grumph]

Husa's too young. I didn't get to Manfield club meetings - only the Nationals and the WSB rounds. I'm assuming it didn't appear at those as I would have remembered it as being in the class my Kawasaki's were dominating at that level (modest cough)

There are a few guys on here from that area who were Manfield regulars in that era and should know more.
I'll PM a couple and see.

[Crasherfromwayback]

There are a few guys on here from that area who were Manfield regulars in that era and should know more.
I'll PM a couple and see.

I'm no good to ya sorry mate. I was late to the road race scene, and didn't stay long.

[Michael Moore]

A guy on the chassis list says "I remember talking to the builder/rider of that bike at a BEARS meeting at Ruapuna (In the South Island) some time in the 80s. He was from Greytown, a small town in the lower North Island. As I recall he made the patterns himself and had them cast at the local foundry."

That's a pretty impressive project, especially since he completed it and raced it. The website says it was run on both methanol and petrol and he made his own EFI for it.

There is a Greytown Racing Team FB page with those photos on it

https://www.facebook.com/greytownracingteam/

[pete376403]

That looks like Doug Fairbrother sitting on the GRT bike - he used to race at Te marua speedway back when I was riding there.

Someone in Greytown has some bike smarts - There was a backwards Harley (engine backwards in frame) to get the drive onto the other side, so a modern gearbox (IIRC it was a 6 speed kawaski 900 cluster) could be used, there was a feature about the bike in Streetbike magazine years ago.

[T.W.R]

Isn't it the same Peter Thompson that is/was wrapped up with the Cliffhanger event??

[jellywrestler]

Even then, I could have told them that it had been done over 60(rcorrected!) years before, by Scott - and watercooled to boot!) but I think that I mentioned all this before somewhere! -

and the lengendary flat four watercooled shaft drive gold wing that was a groundbreaker in 1975was new and amazing, holden made a flat four watercooled shaft drive bike in 1897

[jellywrestler]

I ran across this DIY (engine and chassis) 4T single racer from the late 1980s 3 or 4 years ago, possibly on FB, and I hope someone knows more about it and/or the builder. I put the photos I found here:

http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/s...nRacingSingle/



cheers,
Michael

doug fairbrother from greytown, fuel injected too

[jellywrestler]

That looks like Doug Fairbrother sitting on the GRT bike - he used to race at Te marua speedway back when I was riding there.

Someone in Greytown has some bike smarts - There was a backwards Harley (engine backwards in frame) to get the drive onto the other side, so a modern gearbox (IIRC it was a 6 speed kawaski 900 cluster) could be used, there was a feature about the bike in Streetbike magazine years ago.

that was pete mcphees bike