Grasstrack sidecar

Exmoor beast

Exmoor beast

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Location
Minehead,Somerset, ENGLAND OF COURSE
Just surfaced pic of Dave & Brian Taylor , I believe this is the first grassbike to use a Laverda triple ( Cougar chassis)as it predates Phil Todd, Lenny Diggins outfit. Only raced a couple of times apparently, I imagine mid 70’s judging by the fact it’s racing against a pre unit Triumph.
 

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talking of outfits
does anyone know where the remains any of the few Laverda triple (UK) road race outfits ended up, I am struggling to remember the name of the norfolk postman which was one of only about three around at the time. Would be interesting to see if any still exist
CLEM
 
Hi Clem.
The remains of one appeared local to me a couple of years ago. The engine and a few other parts were advertised for sale, so I went for a look-see and made what I considered to be a reasonable offer. It was declined (in fact the seller didn't reply...)
I think I shared details here at the time.

Alan:)
 
i think the question came up on Steve English website a while back. Ask on there - the sidecar fraternity forget nothing and seem quite helpful.
 
Grass Track racing. Now that is for real men!
I know a couple of old guys who used to race solos very competitively in both long and short track events in the UK
Retired after injury as did/do most riders. One lost the use of his right arm and one lost his right leg below the knee. I went to an event once in the 80s and the amount or seriously injured spectators was al-arming (forgive the pun)
A bit like water ski racers, if you fall at high speed (and these guys go well over 100mph on fucking water skis) if they fall wrong and put their arm up in a normal reaction it gets ripped backward as they hit the water and rips all the tendons and ligaments out completely fucking the chance of repair, one less useful arm from then on. Both those sports are for people with enormous balls and absolutely no imagination, Just like riding in the TT.
J
 
Not so sure about lack of imagination, I always imagined I had more talent than I actually had with often painful results. I joined a search party around a grass track in Cornwall after it had finished, when I asked what we were looking for thinking maybe a chain or a footrest I was told " we're all looking for Gordon Mathews's right thumb. He only noticed it was missing when he took his glove off after the race". True story and no, we never found his thumb. He's now in his eighties and happily living in France. Happy Christmas everyone far and wide.
 
I don't remember the story that you talk of Alan, was it a road racer?
can you remember or find any of the details,

I wouldn't want the engine unit anyway, far too many mods to make them run on alcohol/dope, I had one of the Toddy engines from Gerry Adams/Chris Atkinson and it had an ex works space frame head (lugs for engine mounts in the sides of the fins) but was trashed by machining down until the exhaust studs were on show, pistons showing welded additions, cylinders equally machined under petrol running comp ratios, totally trashed second and third gears, and the crank, no I wont talk about the crank, but what I must make clear here is that most if not all of the mods I speak of above were done by Chris Atkinson, after Toddy had stopped his involvement, that one was a bit of a bad purchase, and should I be able to find a road race chassis and components I can easily build the motor for it that I desire, would be nice to see my sons give it a go, although it might even be my grandsons if I take twelve years to do it, that will see the two boys at 17 and 16.
CLEM
 
BobSol said:
Not so sure about lack of imagination, I always imagined I had more talent than I actually had with often painful results. I joined a search party around a grass track in Cornwall after it had finished, when I asked what we were looking for thinking maybe a chain or a footrest I was told " we're all looking for Gordon Mathews's right thumb. He only noticed it was missing when he took his glove off after the race". True story and no, we never found his thumb. He's now in his eighties and happily living in France. Happy Christmas everyone far and wide.
Click to expand...
Left thumb caused by pulling up gear lever with no front sprocket cover 😱same happened to Mark Wells and my mate Rob Heath-
 
CLEMTOG said:
I don't remember the story that you talk of Alan, was it a road racer?
can you remember or find any of the details,

I wouldn't want the engine unit anyway, far too many mods to make them run on alcohol/dope, I had one of the Toddy engines from Gerry Adams/Chris Atkinson and it had an ex works space frame head (lugs for engine mounts in the sides of the fins) but was trashed by machining down until the exhaust studs were on show, pistons showing welded additions, cylinders equally machined under petrol running comp ratios, totally trashed second and third gears, and the crank, no I wont talk about the crank, but what I must make clear here is that most if not all of the mods I speak of above were done by Chris Atkinson, after Toddy had stopped his involvement, that one was a bit of a bad purchase, and should I be able to find a road race chassis and components I can easily build the motor for it that I desire, would be nice to see my sons give it a go, although it might even be my grandsons if I take twelve years to do it, that will see the two boys at 17 and 16.
CLEM
Click to expand...
Don’t know if that was the same bike that Rob Wilson then Neville Penfold owned? Trying to work out if there were two or three Laverda grass outfits.
 
there were at least two Laverda grass track sidecars because Gerry Adamsand Chris Atkinson were both riding at the same time and out of the same stable, not even one mile from my home, I strongly supect that there was another, but memory is vague.
CLEM
 
No imagination was not meant as an insult
But simply put, if you could imagine what could and probably “would” happen if you crashed, you would probably be too slow.
Bloody heroes. Maxes me think of Mad Max.
J
 
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