Sold for £20,700
(including buyers premium)
Registration No: Unregistered
Frame No: MK2/7
MOT: Exempt
In 1966 the well-known sidecar racer Colin Seeley began manufacturing his own range of race bikes using AJS 7R and Matchless G50 engines housed in a lightweight frame of his own design. Initially, a deal was made with AMC to supply motors but they then announced they were stopping production of the power plants. This presented the fledgling Seeley operation with a serious supply problem. Colin's decision to purchase the contents of the AMC racing department and manufacture the engines himself was a bold move at a time when the British motorcycle industry was collapsing around him. With the supply of engines now secured the Seeley concern entered a golden period with their machines becoming the privateer's first choice.
This absolutely stunning Seeley G50 has been part of the Brian Ditchfield collection for the last ten years or so. A retired engineer and lifelong motorcycle enthusiast who has in the past run a very successful Sidecar GP team, finishing in the top six for the 2003 World Championship, he bought the bike from a private collection in Germany. Reputedly sold new by Colin Seeley to a Mr Lishman in Northern Ireland, the bike was supplied in kit form; most competition bikes were sold as kits to avoid purchase tax at the time. Once assembled it was raced by Abe Alexander on the Irish roads until being sold to a rider from the RAFMCC, possibly John Goodall who was the only member of the club who seemed to have raced a G50 at the time. It then appears to have been owned by Vin Duckett in 1979 until it was passed into the hands of Mick Taberer who kept it for the next 31 years. During that time, it is thought to have been ridden to victory in the 1987 Classic 500 Manx Grand Prix by Dave Pither before being restored back to 1960s specification by Pete Swallow of White Rose Racing. The frame is a genuine Seeley numbered Mk2/7 with a Seeley front brake and Manx rear, wheels are 18in with Manx-type front forks. The engine with its distinctive gold timing cover has a 1½-in Amal T3GP2 carb, Lucas 2MTT mag, Manx clutch and a Shaffleitner 5-speed gearbox. Only used sparingly on classic parades in recent years, it is a perfect example of the last days of the great British single-cylinder race bike that once dominated road racing. Not run for a while, it will need the normal checks before use.
For more information, please contact:
Ian Cunningham
ian.cunningham@handh.co.uk
07415871189
Auction: National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands, 30th Oct, 2024
VIEW MOTORCYCLE ENTRIES VIEW VINTAGE SCOOTER ENTRIES
An auction of classic motorcycles & vintage scooters taking place at the National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull, West Midlands. Venue Details
Viewing
Tues 29th October from 1pm
Wed 30th October from 9am
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