Thursday, 30 September 2010
PAULY
Look at all the trouble you've caused. Anyway im going to buy one of these 'cos Mikey once commented on one of my bike photos on Facebook and it really was him i checked..
HEALEY SILVERSTONE
I bought this little hand made copper badge recently. Donald Healey made 105 Silverstones between 1949 and 1951, they had an alloy body with Riley 2.5 mechanicals. My old man bought HSC 444 in the late 60s, it had been on fire and then a tractor had reversed into it, it wasnt pretty. He fully restored it and as with all his cars brush painted it. His coach painting was pretty legendary in those days, it took him days to paint a car but they had a finish like glass. He kept it for a while then sold it to fund new projects, familiar ?.
I believe it is in Italy now and worth as much as my house so i will have to make do with the badge.
I believe it is in Italy now and worth as much as my house so i will have to make do with the badge.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
DEEP FUNNY MONKEY CUSTOM
One of my current favourites from Japan (obviously). When you've got fed up with endless blogs showing the same "vintage" Harley customs take a look...
Funnycustom blogspot
Funnycustom blogspot
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Monday, 27 September 2010
PENETRATION GOES HOME
Four or five years ago i bought a drag bike chassis from a guy in Hexham just above Newcastle. Neither i nor the seller knew anything about the bike, he had bought it from the widow of the former owner who didnt even know her husband had it until he died and she found it in the garage. I took a few photos and put them up on 200mph.org drag racing forum to see if anyone knew who had raced it and when.
Someone on there said it was possibly Ray Feltell's "Penetration" Triumph and pointed me in the direction of the excellent UK dragrace nostalgia website, i posted on there and within a day i had confirmation of the bikes history direct from Ian, Rays' son. He dug out what history and photos he had and sent them to me and over the years i collected a few programmes and magazine articles about the bike. Ray had crashed heavily at Santa Pod in 1976 and subsequently bought a car to compete with which he used for several years before he died from an asthma attack in 1983.
Ian was only 5 when his dad crashed the bike but remembers being looked after by fellow racers in the van whilst Ray was taken to hospital.
The chassis was built by Pete Davies of Puma engineering and is a real work of art with beautiful brazing. Ray had used a blown Puma Triumph nitro fuelled motor with a Laycock overdrive unit as transmission, but as i dont have the experience or skills necessary to re-create the bike it has hung in my shed ever since looking pretty.
A couple of years ago Rays' brother Keith, who now lives in Australia, called in to see the bike and reminisced about the old days when they started racing in the 60s' taking the back and passenger seats out of their A40 and transporting the bikes in it. Last month Ian contacted me to ask if he could come up to see the frame and take some photos, he came with his young family and spent quite a while with us, as he left his wife said "if you ever fancy selling it let us know", she should have known better! It didnt take much working out to see that the bike meant far more to them than it ever could to me so i did the decent thing and offered it to him.
He called and picked it up yesterday and it is now back in Birmingham where it began life.
Ian has made contact with many of the old racers of the 70s, John Hobbs, Norman Hyde, Mick Butler etc and has also contacted Pete Davies (now retired) who is excited at the prospect of seeing his work again. Maybe Penetration will run again. There is a thread on UKDRN it may be worth dropping in on now and then..
Someone on there said it was possibly Ray Feltell's "Penetration" Triumph and pointed me in the direction of the excellent UK dragrace nostalgia website, i posted on there and within a day i had confirmation of the bikes history direct from Ian, Rays' son. He dug out what history and photos he had and sent them to me and over the years i collected a few programmes and magazine articles about the bike. Ray had crashed heavily at Santa Pod in 1976 and subsequently bought a car to compete with which he used for several years before he died from an asthma attack in 1983.
Ian was only 5 when his dad crashed the bike but remembers being looked after by fellow racers in the van whilst Ray was taken to hospital.
The chassis was built by Pete Davies of Puma engineering and is a real work of art with beautiful brazing. Ray had used a blown Puma Triumph nitro fuelled motor with a Laycock overdrive unit as transmission, but as i dont have the experience or skills necessary to re-create the bike it has hung in my shed ever since looking pretty.
A couple of years ago Rays' brother Keith, who now lives in Australia, called in to see the bike and reminisced about the old days when they started racing in the 60s' taking the back and passenger seats out of their A40 and transporting the bikes in it. Last month Ian contacted me to ask if he could come up to see the frame and take some photos, he came with his young family and spent quite a while with us, as he left his wife said "if you ever fancy selling it let us know", she should have known better! It didnt take much working out to see that the bike meant far more to them than it ever could to me so i did the decent thing and offered it to him.
He called and picked it up yesterday and it is now back in Birmingham where it began life.
Ian has made contact with many of the old racers of the 70s, John Hobbs, Norman Hyde, Mick Butler etc and has also contacted Pete Davies (now retired) who is excited at the prospect of seeing his work again. Maybe Penetration will run again. There is a thread on UKDRN it may be worth dropping in on now and then..
Sunday, 26 September 2010
AUTO JUMBLE QIIZ
At Newark this morning, the note on the seat says "Not for sale but does anyone know what it is ?".....well ?........
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Friday, 24 September 2010
LUCKY SHOT
Sids Jag slingshot at the Drags last weekend. Wasnt running too good but looked beautiful as ever.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ALERT
Li'l Rob is on his way..
You should be able to follow his Australian adventure on his blog
Skateboards bikes and beer if they let him in..
You should be able to follow his Australian adventure on his blog
Skateboards bikes and beer if they let him in..
Thursday, 23 September 2010
LIKES SUMS
After almost 10 years of studying and taking exams our little Becca got the news this morning that she is finally a qualified accountant xxx
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN
My day,
Went for dentists appointment at 9.00am, yes all looks OK, X ray, mint up, £96.50 please. Got home opened post, letter from accountant you owe the taxman...lots, also please find enclosed my bill..nearly half as much again!. Guy rang, "fancy a ride out for lunch?", sunny day good idea, check tyre pressures on BSA, 6 miles out handlings a bit loose, flat rear tyre. Kind lady lent me a cig lighter pump thing and pumped it up to try and get home. Managed to get back to the first car park in town left bike and walked to work for my van. When loading the bike up i noticed a lady in a car writing down my reg numbers possibly thinking she was witnessing a theft. I went over to explain but she wound up her window and refused to look at me. Called in to pick up some packaging in town and fell out with a man who objected to my parking, then turning the last corner bike fell over in the van breaking the back light and speedo bracket. I am just taking Ell's car for an MOT now, do you recon it will pass ?
Update 5.39pm, they had forgot to book it in, bring it back tomorrow ...........
Went for dentists appointment at 9.00am, yes all looks OK, X ray, mint up, £96.50 please. Got home opened post, letter from accountant you owe the taxman...lots, also please find enclosed my bill..nearly half as much again!. Guy rang, "fancy a ride out for lunch?", sunny day good idea, check tyre pressures on BSA, 6 miles out handlings a bit loose, flat rear tyre. Kind lady lent me a cig lighter pump thing and pumped it up to try and get home. Managed to get back to the first car park in town left bike and walked to work for my van. When loading the bike up i noticed a lady in a car writing down my reg numbers possibly thinking she was witnessing a theft. I went over to explain but she wound up her window and refused to look at me. Called in to pick up some packaging in town and fell out with a man who objected to my parking, then turning the last corner bike fell over in the van breaking the back light and speedo bracket. I am just taking Ell's car for an MOT now, do you recon it will pass ?
Update 5.39pm, they had forgot to book it in, bring it back tomorrow ...........
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
THE TUESDAY TRITON
The Chanel Triton, built last year, beautiful but i dont imagine you will see Karl Lagerfeld blatting round Paris on it.
Monday, 20 September 2010
STREETFIGHTING AT THE BAY
Just listed some Gixxer1100 oil cooled must haves on Ebay. Look right > Scroll down > Good Things > My Ebay sales > Click > Peruse > Bid....
Friday, 17 September 2010
Thursday, 16 September 2010
CLASS OF '77
Two grand puts you straight into a Dave Mann centrespread. I can help with delivery to anywhere. Contact me at tri650@live.co.uk.
SOLD