Compression and Ignition

Crispin Jobst and Ozlaverda are very interesting. Have lots of clips on Youtube, and they are nice guys with lots of supporters in NSW and Queensland.
 
Came across this rather late.
And spent a while figuring out if it actually showed anything (at all !).

That photo doesn't actually mean much.
The pics of the outfit I saw showed that the bevel drive gubbins were all faked, it and the rennsport rover covers merely bolted on.
Had regular ohv pushrods under the cylinders.
And, possibly, 1000cc cylinders to give it some grunt....



acotrel said:
Rohan, two seconds in history (1962). You can see the camshaft drive, it is not an imitation :

Compression and Ignition
 
Sorry about the quality of the photo,Rohan. I grabbed it from an old movie. It dimly shows the cam drive shaft. The bikes is a genuine Rennsport and it was brought here in the early sixties when it should have been returned to the factory. I never saw it raced except for that one meeting. I was appalled when I learned of its fate - converted to a solo. I think it's a matter of values, and a lot of guys have none.
It certainly didn't have a disguised pushrod motor, and it was extremely fast for its day. I know the bike, and I know what it was used for in Europe, a friend of mine was Orrie Salter's passenger. The trouble is that the guy who finally bought it from Stan Bayliss's wife obviously did not appreciate exactly what it is. You simply would not do that to a Rennsport outfit, it is like making a utility truck out of a Type 35 Bugatti. I feel the same way about converting long stroke manx Nortons for street use - the guys who do that have got nothing up top.
I apologise for talking to you about making racers out of pre-war Guzzi Falcones too - that's something else which should be discouraged.
 
The photo of the racing sidecar with ohv 'rennsport' engine I saw was a lot more recent.
With genuine rennsports these days bringing in excess of $250,000 you probably wouldn't expect to see too many actually racing !
 
Wow 250k!
There is a Japanese guy who keeps a BMW here and comes out once and a while. Not sure if its a Rennsport.

Compression and Ignition
 
72Combat said:
Not sure if its a Rennsport.

It looks like one.
You'd have to photo the engine close up to say for sure.
Bits can be bolted on to make it look like one - without a close look, its tough to pick.

Note that 'not many' racing doesn't necessarily equate to none.
Fortunately, folks will always race or demo their race machinery.
They need a gallop to keep them mobile...
 
Rohan, The 500cc Rennsport sidecar that Orrie Salter brought back to Australia in about 1963 is genuine, and I was dismayed to learn of its fate. At the same time I learned what happened to the 500cc Konig outfit of Nick and Gerry Borett, which was imported in the 70s - ended up in New Zealand. Both of those sidecars were unique and had a history before coming to Australia. The funny thing is that most of the historic racing 'experts' are generally ignorant about them. Our Australian 'historic' racing is not about history, the guys really don't know what that word means. The fellas are having fun, and I suppose that is the main thing, but in the meantime we are losing or genuine machinery in the lust for power through modernisation. I am not a sidecar person, my brother is into that. However if I had the opportunity to obtain a genuine 60s Rennsport outfit, I would have to restore to pristine condition and use it, even if only for demos. I'm sure the fellas did not see it for what it is, and never recognized it's intrinsic value. The monetary price is irrelevant.
 
Rohan, About values - of all the fifties British bikes a 1959 Bonneville is probably the most desirable, however I see that Norton Inter you own as being more valuable. It is rarer and represents something which was far superior to any Triumph. I've heard people say that bikes are only worth what you can get for them when you sell them. I believe they are confusing value with price - they are not the same thing. If you compare TT racing machines with GP cars of the fifties, To buy a fifties car with a racing history, you need your millions, and you also need to have someone let you know when the car might come up for sale, if you are lucky the owner might deign to sell it to you. Fortunately most of the rich idiots cannot ride a fast motorcycle without bending themselves. Or our prices could be much higher.
 
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