Magazine of the Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club Pambula

The Spoke Winter 2021

1929 Plymouth “Lizzy” - see story p6

Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club Inc 15 Greigs Flat Rd Greigs Flat, NSW 2549 Australia www.schvc.com.au

PO Box 219, Pambula, NSW, 2549 Club Ofﬁce Bearers

PATRONS Geoff & Evonne Grenenger FROM THE PRESIDENT: PRESIDENT Geoff Dunstan 0433 434 283 [email protected]

Senior Vice President Max Sinclair 0427 170 843 [email protected] As well as our popular Monday Breakfast and Lunch runs (thanks Ian for organising), we've had a couple of new and very successful Sunday events. Junior Vice President Fred Silk 0421 516 501 [email protected] The last Sunday in March saw a Ton/MPG CHALLENGE with 17 club vehicles setting off from Merimbula, through Pambula and up the Princes Hwy for a lunch break at the Narooma Secretary Dinah Silk 0431 457 078 [email protected] Golf Club, great views and a great lunch. Stage 2 was back to Merimbula via Bermagui, fill the tanks then retire to the Merimbula RSL for drinks, results and dinner. With the Ton MPG formula Treasurer Philip Boyd 0404 595 850 [email protected] vehicle efficiency, preparation and driver skills are rewarded. Congratulations to John and Ann Larkins who drove their XKR Jag to first place with 54.08 tonMPG! Hot on their heals was an Responsible Person & Registrar John Turbet 0431 431 141 [email protected] MGB, Ford Falcon Station Wagon, Austin Healey Sprite and FC Holden Sedan proving you can compete and do well in any type of vehicle. The two big guns, Rolls Royce and Jenson Assistant Registrar Henry Petterson 0437 713 573 Interceptor had a photo finish with Roger's Jenson just prevailing. Ian, you'd better not invite Bob along for the ride next year.... How about even more vehicles next year please! Committee Members Ian Baker 0429 044 011 Sunday May 16 was the National Motoring Heritage Day and to celebrate we organised a multi club event to Bombala. This event was planned for last year after the horrific bushfires, Ken Coates 0425 206 778 [email protected] we wanted to acknowledge and raise some money for the Bombala Rural Fire Brigade but Covid put an end to that. Gary Harvey 0421 159 321 Much planning and organising was required to make this day such a success. Rogan Corbett from the Cooma Car Club and Geraldine Dyer from the Rotary Club of Bombala stepped up to Jim Hepburn 0400 763 607 help make it happen. Shannons Insurance regional rep David Ritchie was able to arrange sponsorship for the event. There were also a lot of others who helped on the day: SCHVC, John McNair 0412 199 099 [email protected] Cooma C.C., Bombala Rotary and Bombala Brigade members, thank you all. We counted 75 Neil Thiedeman 0488 020 031 [email protected] vehicles on display and around 160 people in attendance. With five clubs involved, SCHVC, Cooma CC, Bega CC, South Coast Classic CC and the Merimbula Rodders we had a varied Public Officer Michael Quinlan and very interesting range of vehicles to show off. After lunch, catered for by Bombala Rotary, we had some presentations. First up was the Entrants Prize Draw, a Car Care Products Pack Membership Geoff Dunstan 0433 434 283 [email protected] donated by John McNair. Then the award for the most vehicles at the event went to the Cooma Car Club, it was a close contest, Cooma 34, SCHVC 28! Workshop Co-ordinator John Turbet 0431 431 141 [email protected] Then we got to the main and most important presentation, David Ritchie from Shannons presented our cheque for $1502.00 to the Captain of the BRFS Brigade. Well done everyone! Events Co-ordinator Ian Baker 0429 044 011 This event will be even BIGGER & BETTER NEXT YEAR – Don't miss it.... The Railton’s restoration is now underway, full steam ahead! Fred Silk and his helpers Acceptance Officers John Turbet, Henry Petterson have installed the motor, fitted a starter motor, got the motor running, fabricated and fitted a fuel tank, trialling brake systems and much more. Retired club member and master body builder Vehicle Inspection Officers John Turbet, Henry Petterson, Neil Thiedeman, Harry Keys Colin Woodhouse has started on the aluminium body work and already has formed up the two rear guards and part of the rear section. Great work and thank you to the Railton Team. Mentors Bob Raward, John Turbet, Harry Keys, Dennis Kimber, Gary Harvey Lots more going on at and with the club, keep an eye on our excellent weekly Newsletter. Site Manager Gary Harvey 0421 159 321 Regards Club Merchandise Roger Budd 0425 326 040 Geoff

Hospitality Committee Marion Crowther, Ailsa Sinclair

Library & Motoring History Alex McQueen 0419 527 757

Media Manager John McNair 0412 199 099 [email protected]

Bus Tour Co-ordinator Ian Showman 0419 635 757 [email protected] The Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club NSW HMA Delegate John Turbet 0431 431 141 [email protected]

Magazine Editor Ken Coates 0425 206 778 [email protected] A Founding Member of the NSW Historic Motoring Association Inc https://historicmotoring.com.au Club Ofﬁce Bearers

PATRONS Geoff & Evonne Grenenger FROM THE PRESIDENT: PRESIDENT Geoff Dunstan 0433 434 283 [email protected]

Hospitality Committee Marion Crowther, Ailsa Sinclair

Library & Motoring History Alex McQueen 0419 527 757

Media Manager John McNair 0412 199 099 [email protected]

Bus Tour Co-ordinator Ian Showman 0419 635 757 [email protected] The Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club NSW HMA Delegate John Turbet 0431 431 141 [email protected]

Magazine Editor Ken Coates 0425 206 778 [email protected] A Founding Member of the NSW Historic Motoring Association Inc https://historicmotoring.com.au Club Meetings & Information Club Runs and Events CALENDAR

Club meetings are held on the ﬁrst Thursday of each month (except January), at the SCHVC clubrooms, JUNE commencing at 7:30pm. The SCHVC complex is located at 15 Greigs Flat Rd, South Pambula, with entry oﬀ the Princes Hwy via Settlers Rd. 3 THURSDAY GENERAL MEETING 7:30PM AT SCHVC CLUBROOMS The workshop is open daily from 10:00am to 3:00pm for Members to work on their vehicle. Members must check with the Workshop Coordinator beforehand to ensure access is available. 5 SATURDAY WORKING BEE 9:00AM AT CLUB - followed by sausage sizzle Members wishing to advertise cars or parts for sale/wanted are encouraged to use the website; please MONDAY LUNCH RUN TO BOYDTOWN TIME TBA contact the website manager John McNair for further information: 0412 199 099 14 27 SUNDAY BLAST UP (AND DOWN) THE BROWN SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OF ROADWORKS Club Postal Address: PO Box 219, Pambula. NSW. 2549 Website: www.schvc.com.au JULY

1 THURSDAY GENERAL MEETING 7:30PM AT SCHVC CLUBROOMS

3 SATURDAY WORKING BEE 9:00AM AT CLUB - followed by sausage sizzle

19 MONDAY LUNCH RUN TO BEMBOKA TIME & VENUE TBA IN NEWSLETTER

25 SUNDAY WINTER RUN FOR OPEN TO A HEARTY HOT LUNCH VENUE! CARS:TOURERS, ROADSTERS, DETAILS TBA IN NEWSLETTER TfNSW Rules for Changing Primary Club. CONVERTIBLES & M’BIKES

Small but signiﬁcant changes have recently been made to the process of changing your Primary Club for AUGUST both HVS and CVS registrations. 5 THURSDAY GENERAL MEETING 7:30PM AT SCHVC CLUBROOMS In the past you were required to complete a form 1021 to advise the change of details and provide proof 7 SATURDAY WORKING BEE 9:AM AT CLUB - followed by sausage sizzle of your membership of the new Primary Club. 16 MONDAY LUNCH RUN TO BERMAGUI TIME & VENUE TBA IN NEWSLETTER Now the HVS rules include the requirement that the new Primary Club complete a Declaration form 1259 as well. 22 SUNDAY OVERNIGHT UP THE NORTH COAST TO SUGGESTIONS PLEASE! ATTRACTIONS OF INTEREST Similarly the CVS rules now require the new Primary Club to provide a completed 1835 Declaration form.

If the Primary Club is changed at the time of renewal of HVS or CVS registration, all the necessary Please note some activities may be effected by Covid-19 restrictions records will be updated in the process. The inaugural combined clubs “National Motoring Heritage Day Rally” was held at Bombala on Sunday May 16, with 75 If the change happens mid-term then several additional steps are required: cars from the region participating in the fund raising event. Congratulations to our President Geoff for initiating this highly successful fund raising activity which raised a total of $1502.00 to aid the Bombala Rural Fire Service. SCHVC had 28 cars 1. The Conditions of Approved Operations document shows your primary club and will have to be attend the rally and we were just pipped by Cooma Car Club for the honour of most vehicles. re-issued by the SNSW oﬃce. Bigger & Better next year!!

2. Your log book also records your Primary Club and will require amendment.

3. For CVS registrations, ACMC Ltd needs to know about the change to update their CVS records. Please send a brief note advising the change with owner’s name, vehicle registration number and new club name. Email to [email protected] The new primary club must be a member of an ACMC aﬃliate to continue your access to CVS via ACMC Ltd.

4. Your previous club should be advised to update their records.

This information has been provided by the NSW Historic Motoring Association.

1 THURSDAY GENERAL MEETING 7:30PM AT SCHVC CLUBROOMS

3 SATURDAY WORKING BEE 9:00AM AT CLUB - followed by sausage sizzle

19 MONDAY LUNCH RUN TO BEMBOKA TIME & VENUE TBA IN NEWSLETTER

25 SUNDAY WINTER RUN FOR OPEN TO A HEARTY HOT LUNCH VENUE! CARS:TOURERS, ROADSTERS, DETAILS TBA IN NEWSLETTER TfNSW Rules for Changing Primary Club. CONVERTIBLES & M’BIKES

2. Your log book also records your Primary Club and will require amendment.

4. Your previous club should be advised to update their records.

This information has been provided by the NSW Historic Motoring Association.

The Club is always looking for volunteer helpers! A working bee is held at the club the Saturday morning following each monthly General Meeting This is a great way to meet fellow members plus assist your Club. Pics courtesy of Kim Armstrong Member’s Tales CLUB HAPPENINGS Road Test mishap for the Some Members enjoying coffee in Candelo before Model T departing on the “Forest Run” through Myrtle Mountain Cover Picture: Fred’s Lizzy Story - photo by Kim Armstrong and Nethercote, followed by dinner at Eden Fisho’s. The club’s Model T was taken on her Another great Club Run in perfect weather! first road test with Henry at the wheel Hi this is Lizzy, my 29 model U Plymouth chassis tag says Chrysler , I got Lizzy about 6 years back from Don and Bob alongside as “observer”, but Learmont in Canberra who had owned it since early seventies he acquired it from a uni. student living in north unfortunately things didn’t go to plan Canberra around Dickson area. and Henry soon discovered a lack of Don restored the body and upholstery and repainted chassis and wheels motor and gearbox was painted but left as braking power - in fact nil! The Model T they were considered to be in working order. The car was registered on vintage rego in 1996 and broke down while found a friendly tree to snuggle up to picking his grand-son up from school, he was disappointed and left it till I purchased it in 2016 . The roof was with both he and Bob escaping injury, missing, distributor lost, flat tyres, brakes and clutch seized, and the original brass fuel line fractured ( which was and the cavalry were then called in for why it failed on the school run. All fixed shortly after purchase and no further problems. the rescue job. Repairs have now been Holden Body number 5741 completed and the T is ready for her next adventure! Engine number u7617 Fred Silk

I am A 1960 FK Falcon Utility: My Story

My life began in 1960. Details of my early life are sketchy, however somehow I ended up in Delegate. I was traded in some 60 years ago. Along came this kind Participants gathering prior to setting off gentleman, Elvon Jamieson, he looked me over, took on the “Ton/MPG Economy Challenge to me for a short drive, purchased me and took me to his Narooma and return. See r for results of home where I lived for the next 25 years. a fun day.

My main job was to carry Elvon’s tools to and from his work as he was a builder. I also did pleasure trips as I was the family car as well. When Elvon retired, I retired also and was replaced with a Holden Gemini which took over my garage, leaving me to rest in the great outdoors. My ﬁnal journey was into the bush which was to be my ﬁnal resting place. At this time I was stripped of my motor and my wheels, leaving me to rest on the ground. There I lay for another 25 years.

A couple who rented Elvon’s house were given possession of my rusty body. They, in turn, gave me to Elvon’s daughter Dorothy and son-in-law, Jim, who kindly took me into their abode where I lay in a machinery shed for 5 years.

The day had arrived at last when I was fitted with make-shift axles and wheels and taken to their workshop for a major rebuild. Over the next eighteen months I was given a new floor and various other parts. Over the years my paint had become really hard. It took days of work to get me back to being shiny metal. With a new paint job by their grandson Scott, a motor, gearbox and diff plus other numerous Some pics from the Eden Easter Fun Day new parts, I was looking a million dollars. Next was a nail biting wait for the upholstery to be completed on my seat. Finally, the day had arrived! The beginning of 2021 saw my new owners, Jim & Dorothy, drive me out of the workshop and to Delegate where I was passed for registration. What a surprise! This time not only do I have shelter but a garage as well.

These days I lead an easy life resting in the garage, now certain that I am protected from the frost and snow that I experienced in the bush at Lower Bendoc. My main outing now, with my new family, is attending runs with Pambula Car Club.

Oh boy! What an amazing feeling to be back on the road again. I feel very proud of my new number plates, “Elvon”

Dorothy Hepburn. Member’s Tales CLUB HAPPENINGS Road Test mishap for the Some Members enjoying coffee in Candelo before Model T departing on the “Forest Run” through Myrtle Mountain Cover Picture: Fred’s Lizzy Story - photo by Kim Armstrong and Nethercote, followed by dinner at Eden Fisho’s. The club’s Model T was taken on her Another great Club Run in perfect weather! first road test with Henry at the wheel Hi this is Lizzy, my 29 model U Plymouth chassis tag says Chrysler , I got Lizzy about 6 years back from Don and Bob alongside as “observer”, but Learmont in Canberra who had owned it since early seventies he acquired it from a uni. student living in north unfortunately things didn’t go to plan Canberra around Dickson area. and Henry soon discovered a lack of Don restored the body and upholstery and repainted chassis and wheels motor and gearbox was painted but left as braking power - in fact nil! The Model T they were considered to be in working order. The car was registered on vintage rego in 1996 and broke down while found a friendly tree to snuggle up to picking his grand-son up from school, he was disappointed and left it till I purchased it in 2016 . The roof was with both he and Bob escaping injury, missing, distributor lost, flat tyres, brakes and clutch seized, and the original brass fuel line fractured ( which was and the cavalry were then called in for why it failed on the school run. All fixed shortly after purchase and no further problems. the rescue job. Repairs have now been Holden Body number 5741 completed and the T is ready for her next adventure! Engine number u7617 Fred Silk

I am A 1960 FK Falcon Utility: My Story

Oh boy! What an amazing feeling to be back on the road again. I feel very proud of my new number plates, “Elvon”

Dorothy Hepburn. The Dodge Brothers Story The Dodge brothers were John Francis and Horace, born in 1864 and 1868 respectively to Daniel Rugg Dodge and Maria Duval Casto in Michigan. They had one older sister, Della, and their father had two children from a previous marriage. Daniel Dodge had taken over his father's business of repairing boat engines, and John and Horace grew up working in the Niles, Michigan, shop by his side. The family moved around a bit, with stops in Battle Creek and Port Huron, but they settled in Detroit in 1886. John and Horace took jobs in machine shops like Murphy's Boiler Works and Windsor's Dominion Typography Company. The Dodge brothers teamed up with Frederick Evans in 1896 to start creating Evans & Dodge bicycles. What made the bikes so special were the ball bearings that Horace Dodge invented and patented. The ball bearings were resistant to dirt, so they did not clog up or stop working. Before long, the Dodge brothers went back to their machinist roots. They sold their interest in the company only four years later for $3,700 and opened their own machine shop the following year. They started out creating parts for stoves, but they quickly shifted their interest to automotive parts since the new industry was growing quickly. Even as parts makers, they had a reputation as the best. They picked up huge contracts with the Olds Motor Vehicle Company and the Ford Motor Company to create engines, transmissions, and frames with axles.

Producing the First Dodge Vehicles The Dodge brothers soon became major stakeholders in the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford had gifted them stock when he couldn't make a cash payment, and they became 10-percent owners of the company. They were then contracted to produce Model Ts because Ford couldn't keep up with the demand, and they even redesigned some of the car's parts. John Dodge even became Ford's vice president. However, the Dodge brothers soon decided to cut ties with Ford and start their own company. They used some of the profits from Ford stock to open the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company in 1913. They expanded their plant and built the first on-site test track. No other automaker had such a testing facility. Dodge produced its first vehicle in 1914, the Dodge Model 30, which was designed as a competitor for Ford's Model T. The car immediately set itself apart with its all-steel construction, 12-volt electrical system, sliding-gear transmission, and a whopping 35 horsepower. Dodge dealers quickly began springing up around the country. The first was Cumberland Motors in Nashville, Tennessee, which remained in business until the late 1960s. The Dodge brothers actually received 22,000 applications for new Dodge dealers before they had even finished production of the Model 30 -- thanks in large part to their reputation for success with their automotive parts and the work they did with Ford. Dodge produced a roadster in 1915, and the following year, it introduced winter cars (with hard tops and side windows) and a center-door sedan. Dodge started an advertising campaign with the slogan "It speaks for itself," and the company invented the word "dependability," which was soon added to the dictionary. Dodge sold 150 cars to the U.S. Army in 1916, and it developed a truck that would be used as a military ambulance the following year. That truck design led to the creation of a commercial truck, as well.

Death of the Dodge Brothers Dodge continued to expand in the following years, adding new vehicles and spread out in markets such as Canada. The Dodge brothers made millions from the sale of Ford stock and dividends, as well as from sales of their own vehicles. The brothers died unexpectedly in 1920. Horace Dodge fell ill with pneumonia during the 1920 New York Auto Show in January. John Dodge sat by his bedside and caught pneumonia, as well. He died only 10 days later. He was 55. Horace Dodge continued to ﬁght his illness for many more months. He died in December of 1920 from cirrhosis of the liver. He was 52. At the time of their death, Dodge was the second-best-selling automobile in the country. The company was sold to Chrysler in 1928. The Dodge Brothers Story The Dodge brothers were John Francis and Horace, born in 1864 and 1868 respectively to Daniel Rugg Dodge and Maria Duval Casto in Michigan. They had one older sister, Della, and their father had two children from a previous marriage. Daniel Dodge had taken over his father's business of repairing boat engines, and John and Horace grew up working in the Niles, Michigan, shop by his side. The family moved around a bit, with stops in Battle Creek and Port Huron, but they settled in Detroit in 1886. John and Horace took jobs in machine shops like Murphy's Boiler Works and Windsor's Dominion Typography Company. The Dodge brothers teamed up with Frederick Evans in 1896 to start creating Evans & Dodge bicycles. What made the bikes so special were the ball bearings that Horace Dodge invented and patented. The ball bearings were resistant to dirt, so they did not clog up or stop working. Before long, the Dodge brothers went back to their machinist roots. They sold their interest in the company only four years later for $3,700 and opened their own machine shop the following year. They started out creating parts for stoves, but they quickly shifted their interest to automotive parts since the new industry was growing quickly. Even as parts makers, they had a reputation as the best. They picked up huge contracts with the Olds Motor Vehicle Company and the Ford Motor Company to create engines, transmissions, and frames with axles.

CARS AND BIKES I HAVE OWNED : dominated international large bike sales. the world were felt in Triumph’s staid boardrooms. Honda Gods destroy, they first make crazy’. And that is how the TRIUMPH TRIDENT T160 Their names were synonymous with was working on a revolutionary ‘super-bike’; four cylinders, early Seventies were for Triumph. The company declined speed and quality. Over the years they four carburettors, four exhausts, an electric start and above and reformed, ending up as NVT (Norton Villiers Triumph). Hi all, incrementally developed their large 360’, all, squeaky clean reliability. Time to dust off the blueprints Lunatic schemes and solutions were instituted, most notably We all contribute to the car club as best we parallel twin cylinder motorcycle range that Hele and Hopwood had worked on some years Umberslade Hall Development Department (7) . Workers can. With the tyranny of distance and into ever higher performance machines. previously, to be developed by both Triumph and the BSA. were laid off, followed by the inevitable Union strike action work commitments, I rarely make it to the In comparison to the commuter market, that dogged British manufacturing in the 1970s. The various meetings and club runs. large sports bikes were not common, In 1968, ahead of Honda, Triumph and BSA rolled out their company attempted to rationalise production by closing Understanding this, I thought I might mostly bought by racers, rockers, respective Trident and Rocket Three bikes to a rapturous down the old Meriden factory but the workers set up picket write a series of short articles on various disreputable ‘greasers’ and gang reception from both the industry and the press. Although lines preventing production machinery from being moved. bikes and cars I have owned over the members, not the type of person a nice mechanically very similar, brand rivalry ensured there were Manufacture ground to a halt for a full twelve months. When years to help fill up the club magazine as my contribution. girl would take home to meet mother. A degree of technical few interchangeable parts between the ‘Beesa’ and the the machinery did eventually arrive at BSA’s famous Small What I write will primarily be my impressions and opinions skill was expected of the owner and oil leaks, the need for ‘Trumpy’, an example of manufacturing madness. Heath Factory(8), such was the idiosyncrasies of the ageing that I have formed over years of ownership, it is not intended fettling and a penchant for parts to vibrate off were accepted Indeed the bikes were stunning. Under test conditions a top lathes, that the new workers couldn’t operate them. to be definitive or perhaps even accurate. So feel free to as par for the course. speed was clocked at a blistering 127 mph (remember, these Disaster followed disaster. In the mean time Kawasaki disagree, point out my errors or just simply ignore it. The keen observer may have noted storm clouds on the were a bare bikes, without the aerodynamic advantage of a launched their mighty Z900. Tridents were no longer top horizon as Japan perfected their small commuter bikes. They fairing that most sports bikes now come with) (5). dog. A Trident just might still handle better and maybe a well In 1977, at the tender age of 17, out of school, out of home were reliable, oil tight and modern. Many were equipped The acceleration was stunning but better still they had a huge fettled Combat Commando could beat one in a straight line and just starting a relationship with my life long partner, with an electric start(3). They even made forays into spread of power across the rev range that both racers and but only if the race ended before the Norton chopped it’s Patricia, I stared longingly at an immaculate, almost brand international racing, entering bazaar and complex six daily riders like so much. It handled well, stopped well and main bearing out! Triumph were now playing ‘catch up’ on new 750cc Triumph Trident motorcycle, selling for the cylinder machines, initially to the amusement and then above all, didn’t vibrate (much). It’s futuristic styling by Ogle an empty tank. staggering sum of $2000, reduced from the new price of consternation of the Big Three’s racing departments. Design was unlike anything the industry had seen before. By 1974, with BSA gone and Norton in cardiac arrest, $2700 (try converting that to today’s money). Nevertheless, things were rosy in the board rooms of Soon the racetracks around the world reverberated to the Triumph had one last throw of the dice and came up with the Now it is not unusual for pimply teenagers to covet fast and Triumph and their stuffy directors saw absolutely no need to electrifying howl of triples at full noise, drowning out the Trident T160. Yes, it was still a Trident that could trace it’s expensive machines but what was extraordinary was that my invest in retooling to build new designs when the old bikes swish of the chequered flag (6) but the customers stayed engine design way back to a 500cc Daytona but almost every peccadilloes ran towards this bike. Over the previous half were selling very well. In fact, the machines were still being away in droves. The futuristically modern appearance was aspect had been improved, relying particularly on their race decade British motorcycles had effectively disappeared from built on capstan lathes, some dating back to before the Great not to the biking public’s liking. The Yanks particularly track experience. Discs were fitted front and back, an efficient the bike scene. The astonishing demise of the Pommie bike, War. This necessitated the retention of the vertically split craved the traditional light, lean, classic British look, not the electric start was added, five gears and a conventional (for that up until 1970 had dominated both the race track and the crankcase design, whereas the Japanese forged ahead with space age ‘breadbox’ fuel tank and ‘ray-gun’ mufflers. In Americans) left hand change. The frame was lowered and the showroom, is a fascinating (and depressing) part of post war the superior (and far more oil tight) horizontal case. desperation, an emergency ‘beauty kit’ of tank, seat and side engine tilted forward improving the centre of gravity. Above history. It is a microcosm of the decline of Britain as a world Shareholders received generous annual dividends and Nero covers of a traditional design was rushed to dealers to be all, they perfected the styling. Yes it paid deference to power(1), that in itself is a result of the economic ruination (in the guide of Edward Turner, the autocratic director ) retro-fitted to the unsold bikes cluttering up the showrooms, Triumphs of old but the long lean stance and sculptured tank brought on by victory in two world wars! fiddled as Rome burned(4). further trapping Triumph in a retro time warp. screamed that it was something new. Looking at my bike, Whereas in the 60s names like Triumph, BSA and Norton One problem was inescapable, the 360’ (both pistons moving one is left with the overwhelming impression that everyone, were bywords for speed and power, by the mid seventies up and down together) twin engine was reaching the limit of In 1969 a bombshell arrived in the form of the long awaited from management down to the lowest assembly worker, they had mostly gone the way of the dinosaurs, only the it’s development. The original 500cc displacement had Honda 750 four cylinder road bike. Perhaps it wasn’t quite as knew this was their last chance to save the industry and their legendary but archaic twin cylinder Triumph Bonneville already been increased to 650 for Triumph and BSA and 750 quick as a Trident and didn’t handle as well but it jobs. They did their absolute best to staggered on (but more of that in another article), produced for Norton. Every extra horsepower (and there was plenty of was clearly a generation ahead. Motorcycling had make it as well as possible with a by a worker’s cooperative offshoot, in the original Triumph them) coaxed from the motors also increased vibration and just taken a quantum leap. What really sold the beautiful finish. factory at Meriden. decreased reliability. But hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Honda was it’s looks and it’s marketing. The bike The bikes of choice for my generation were the Honda 750/4, Triumph was a victim of it’s own success, the parsimony of fused together a classic appearance with the Of course it was too little, too late. By the mighty Kawasaki 900 and the new kid on the block, the it’s directors and greed of it’s shareholders. testosterone of four exhaust pipes and a front 1976 most of the hardened bikies balanced Suzuki GS 850, along with a few screaming two disc brake. from the 1960s, who still had brand strokes that accelerated their temporary Australian riders, in The brilliant Triumph design engineers, Doug Hele and Burt The era of Flower-power, hippies, leisure time loyalty, had grown old and kamikaze fashion, towards an early and violent demise. Hopwood saw the writing on the wall and from the early and disposable income had arrived. Suddenly a respectable, bought a ‘semi detached’, Asking a kid born in the 1960s about a Commando, a Bonnie sixties, in their own time and with minimal company whole new breed of people, who never would had kids and were driving a Vauxhall or a Black Shadow was to be met with blank stares. In 1977 support, began work on a three cylinder machine to take the have contemplated riding an oily old ‘Trumpy’, Viva. The younger generation cared few would have realised I was looking at the fastest company forward. Starved of funds they were forced to were seduced by this fast, fashionable and reliable bike. High nothing for past greatness and were besotted by the ever production bike in the world(2). But as a contemporary quote modify and adapt existing designs but by 1965 they had performance motorcycling was available to the masses and increasing array of superb Japanese bikes on the market. said, ‘Whilst Triumph Tridents set race records, the Honda developed a world beating machine. they weren’t going to have oil stains down their flared There was nothing for it, NVT was bankrupt and another 750 set sales records’. Presented with the prototype, Edward Turner did what trouser legs. A marketing genius coined the slogan, ‘You famous British motoring icon faded into oblivion. A LITTLE HISTORY autocrats do best, he ignored it and continued on with the Meet the Nicest People on a Honda’ and so it was! Triumph Though gone, they are not forgotten by the dedicated few. The mid sixties were a happy time for British motorcycle twins that he knew so well. In fact he had personally was left floundering and all the race track victories in the Norman Hyde Co. still keep coming out with improved manufacturing. After various corporate ructions and the designed the Speedtwin, ancestor of the current range back world wasn’t about to change that. performance and racing parts. Race bikes are still assembled demise of some smaller manufacturers like AJS, Ariel, in 1938. In his youth he was a visionary, in his dotage, an with Rob North and Rickman frames and the bikes Vincent and Matchless, the big three, Triumph, Norton and impediment. QUOS DEUS VULT PERDERE, PRIUS DEMENTAT. themselves still feature prominently in historic racing. BSA, under the umbrella of Amalgamated Motor Cycles, By 67 the first tremors of a seismic shift from the other side of No, not a spell from Harry Potter but Latin, ‘For who the Article submitted by Member Alan Lindsay

Pambula. NSW. 2549 NSW. Pambula.

PO Box 219 Box PO Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club Vehicle Historic Coast Sapphire