Beachcomber's Tales from the day

BC, your mention of the Ace being a bit of a dump back in the day reminds me of some time I spent in that area back in 73. I was renting a closet that passed as a bedroom from an elderly woman and her son in Willisden Green. The Lady suffered from Parkinsons, my first time seeing anyone with that disease and it kind of set me back a bit. The son, who was few years older than me, took care of his Mum. In their nice back garden shed he kept his bike, a Norton Atlas I think it was, and it was his baby. On the occasional nice day we would sit in the garden exchanging stories, and he would mention the Ace and the characters that would gather. among them. When I had time one day I took off down there, and yeah, nothing like it is today, trucks and cars everywhere, no bikes. I can't remember his name, but the bike I can still see in my mind, funny how that works isn't it. Knowing I was a bike nut he suggested a trip to the Isle to see the TT, sure why not, I had just quite my job and due to start a new job in 2 weeks. A buddy and I loaded up the old VW van and headed north to Liverpool, well after a few false starts we did. After a few wrong turns and leaving London late we arrived in Liverpool just to find out the ferry left from Birkenhead on the south side of the river. By now it was dark, and we decided to stop for the night, and this looks as good a spot as any. We could tell we were near the water, but not sure exactly where, so we went to sleep in back of the van. Next thing there is a loud knocking on the side of the van and voices waking us up from a deep sleep. Slide open the door and see the cops, what the hell is going on here. We were told to get out and stand aways from the van while they had a quick peek through the back. It must have been daybreak, very dark and dreary as only England can be, and I saw where we had parked for the night. In front of the access road the rescue boats use to get out into the bay, and that was Wales across the other side of the bay. Seems the rescue boats are parked in a shed then towed out into the water, or mud as it was then, when required. We had blocked the ramp, a no no. Off to the station then, and after a few hours sitting around while they did a check on us and a fine was paid for the parking infraction we were off, or so we thought.We didn't have enough time to make the morning ferry and the cops had relieved us of a lot of money, to us, so another plan was hatched. Head north. We had done Lands end, so John O groats was the plan. Up the west coast, over to Skye, all the way up, then back down to London on the East coast. Had a great time, 2 weeks just driving. The Vw had a 8 track cassette player, but we only had a few cassettes, Led Zep, Tull, CSN&Y , Deep Purple, Stones, so we were able to pretty much sing along to every song, we new them that well. As we got back near London it was dark, got on the North Circular road, the old VW just humming along as fast as she can go, then boom, she just dies, limp of onto a side street and park. Best I can tell it has dropped a valve, and maybe hold a piston. Flagged down a taxi, take us as far as you can for all the money we had left, about a quarter mile from the flat we were renting from the Old Lady in Willisden Green , walked the rest. Next day I went to get the van, and have it towed back to the flat were I could work on it, but it was gone. Checked with the cops and no nothing, but we will let you know if it shows up. Never did, gone. Oh well, shit happens get on with it. My buddy ended up going back to NZ, his experience in Britain was not too good I would say. I stayed with the Woman and her Son for 3 more months, in the closet that I had before. I got a new job as a mechanic for a Lotus dealership in Chelsea and another interesting chapter starts. Its funny how certain people and events are easily remembered and others forgotten. I never did make it to the IOM races, but at least I tried, some what. All the best guys, Merry Christmas to all. John.
 
John,

Sad to say I never got to the Island either [ for bike racing anyway] - we set off 3 times back in the early 60's, but each time we were thwarted [ that's a good old word - thwarted ]. None really worth the telling - oh maybe except one ..........................

The only time I ever visited the Island was to play their "National" American Football team - The Manx Comets. That was about 15 years ago when I was still fit and young ['ish].

Missing the racing first hand in the 60's was a big regret and I have to satisfy myself with endless Videos and DVD's - somehow not ever like being there.
 
oh man, thats a great one beach! sounds like the owners of the robin werent THAT upset :D

john, thats a sadder tale! still great to hear though... i would have been bummed out for years on end if i had a car taken from me...

merry christmas all,
David
 
BC, Kiwi, Sorry to hear you never made it to the Island for the TT. You did miss some great racing and you're right a DVD doesn't quite convey the feeling of being there. We always stayed at the New Victoria on Broadway in Douglas. Except for one year I was broke and suddenly made a few quid and on a couple of days notice headed for the Island. We stayed in Ramsey as there was nothing available in Douglas. No "adventures" getting there or back. It was all pretty straight forward. We had a lot of fun there though. Hailwood's comeback year was amazing. The tourist board was pleading with people to open up their houses to help accomodate visitors.

Mad Sunday that year was a lunatic assylum. I did a lap very early in the morning and we went to Crg ne Ba to watch the fun in the after noon. The Creg was a great place to watch all the Hailwood wannabees. You could see all the way down from Kate's Cottage. Its a pretty steep drop. I had the Mini over one year and as we passed Kate's at about 25 I knocked it into neutral. By the time I had to hit the brakes the Mini had coasted up to 95 (speedo reading).

As I said we were at the Creg watching the fun. A "clump" of about a dozen riders swept around Kate's and started the long drop to the Creg. We were all watching them to see who would sit up first and brake. They all sat up together and in the middle of the "clump" was an IoM motorcycle cop! He was very stylish as he swept though the Creg and headed off towards Douglas. I'd love to have seen what sort of lap time he put in!
 
Hoof,
my problem [ Island wise ] was that in later years [ late 60's on ] the TT normally clashed with the Le Mans 24 Hour Race - and by that time my business was fast / racing cars and that took priority. As many Lemon tales as bike tales - don't worry I won't get started ! There was the time when we ended up with 20 Frenchies on and in my Citroen CX Estate....................

Footnote to the Robin tale.

When the dust settled [ literally ] it turned out that the Robin driver had no road tax or insurance and had no appetite to involve the Old Bill.
 
beachcomber said:
First off here’s a brief reminder about the vehicle at the centre of this tale – the Reliant Robin Van.

imagesCAA7J03M.jpg

Hate to be an ass (well, no actually I don't ;D)
That's not a Robin, that's a Regal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliant_Regal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliant_Robin
I know most people won't know or care but I like things to be 'right' :D
 
BC, I think that was my problem. I enjoyed racing too much and jobs were nothing more than a means to an end. I retired a little over a week ago. The house is paid for and I think the financial ducks are all lined up. I had to scratch the idea of a villa in the south of France though. Would I do it all over with no changes? In the blink of an eye!!! This thread is letting me re-live it and thats about as close as I'll get to doing all over.

I will admit though that I never for a minute thought I'd be still racing (albiet Bonneville and El Mirage only) and bringing home a couple of these. But as long as the good Lord lets me I will.

img1842g.jpg

By weslake at 2010-12-10
 
Crazy,

I bow to your / Wikepedia's superior knowledge - I hope my terminal inexactitude didn't spoil the tale. :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[

Robin, Regal, Kitten ....... I think the results would have been the same ;)

Hey Hoof ......just think how high you can hoist the record next year now you have ALL that extra time !!! ;)
 
Only reason I know difference is a friend had one, front suspension arm rusted through and wheel keeled over about 30 degrees (and, he had just joined South Wales Constabulary ;D)
 
The ONLY dealings I had with the 3 wheelers was when my ex. Brother in Law upgraded [ ?? ] from a Messerschmitt bubble car to a Reliant Van. As he had never driven a "car" before he asked me if I'd drive it back from the dealers.
That was probably the scariest ride I've ever undertaken!
 
My long time friend in Ireland had a Reliant like the one pictured above. About in the same condition too! I saw one of these Bond Bugs up close in the early 70s. For some perverse reason they tickled my fancy.

bondbug00.jpg
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I had a "Bond Bug" in the early '70's when I was heavilly involved with Race Cars and Drag Racing in particular.

As you can see, my Bug was a little different inasmuch as it had FOUR wheels and a Blown Chrysler Hemi up front!.

Actually this pic was taken just before I took ownership and it came without the Chrysler as it had thrown a rod out of the side at the 1000 foot mark, but still managed a sub 8 second run! I replaced the motor with a 4.2 litre Daimler Hemi - the big brother to the 2.5 ltr Daimler Dart motor

metronome2.jpg
 
beachcomber said:
I had a "Bond Bug" in the early '70's when I was heavilly involved with Race Cars and Drag Racing in particular.

As you can see, my Bug was a little different inasmuch as it had FOUR wheels and a Blown Chrysler Hemi up front!.

Actually this pic was taken just before I took ownership and it came without the Chrysler as it had thrown a rod out of the side at the 1000 foot mark, but still managed a sub 8 second run! I replaced the motor with a 4.2 litre Daimler Hemi - the big brother to the 2.5 ltr Daimler Dart motor

Bejesus! That is some plastic pig TJ

I'm hoping to see my mate who has the Dart engine this week, I'll take my camera and get some shots.
 
Thats some Bug BC!! I would love to have seen that run. Short wheelbase altereds always had "unique" handling. That wheelbase can't be much longer than my sidecar.
 
yes, "interesting" is one word for it !

I was impressed as a youff by pictures of Wild Willie Borsch - sideways through the lights with one hand on the wheel , the other bracing himself against the rollbar !

Our Comp Altered was in the same vein - the Lawce Bros sold it to us - because it was on the edge of being lunatic - the next car they built had a wheelbase some 20" longer, just before they went to Funny Car.

So when I built my 27T naturally it had to have sub 100" wheelbase! It went 8.zeros all day long, but as soon as you tipped the extra gas - 7.9 was a whole new ball game and the 1340 became more like 1500 !

However, it's the draw of the extra difficulty afforded by the non conventional - the challenge you set yourself - you know that well Hoof.
 
beachcomber said:
The ONLY dealings I had with the 3 wheelers was when my ex. Brother in Law upgraded [ ?? ] from a Messerschmitt bubble car to a Reliant Van. As he had never driven a "car" before he asked me if I'd drive it back from the dealers.
That was probably the scariest ride I've ever undertaken!


Different friend had a Messerchmitt and a BMW Isetta.
He was son of local Vicar so got a lot of 'strange' stuff ;D

Saw in one of your other posts you were around Romford.
I spent a lot of time in Harlow in early/ mid 80's, well after your time though?
Went to Behind the Vine Rally in Great Bardfield and got to know a bunch of locals so would ride up Friday evenings for weekend parties. (236miles to Lower Shearing, 1hr 48mins on GSX750 ;) )
Mentioning North Circular reminded me of another 'Fat Mike' story
Coming home one Sunday, Fat Mike, Beaker (yes, he really did look like a Muppet) and 'Dylan the Bear'
were on Mikes bike.
Couple of cops in a Rover SDI saw them and pulled directly across in front of them.
Mike just about stopped with front tyre touching rear passenger door.
The saw Dylan really was a stuffed bear and drove off laughing, front tyre on door got pulled sideways and Mike, Beaker, Dylan and bike almost hit the ground (bungy throught jacket sleeves and around Beaker so it looked like 3 on a bike)
Here's Dylan the Bear, he got a pair of Derrie boots few weeks later ;D
FoolsRally19803.jpg
 
As promised, some pictures of a Damlier Dart V8 2.5l hemi lump that my mate has squirreled away for the future. ;D

P1030219.jpg


P1030218.jpg


Sorry the second is a bit blurry.
 
Thanx for the pix Erskine.

brings back some memories - in 1968 I built a rear engined Dragster using one of those motors which ran through a modified Overdrive from a 3.8 Jag giving me a clutchless change two speed - ahead of my time or what !!

Crazy - yep ONLY in the day .........

I seem to recall a period when "pillion bears" were all the rage.

I guess you heard about the looney who rode round the M25 [ orbital ring road - London ] last year blitzing through 5 speed cameras [ mounted every 1 mile or so ] - stark bollock naked with an inflated love doll on the back ! Needless to say his number plate was covered..........
 
Originally I didn't think this was worth the telling - but it IS bike related [ sort of ] and several folk have responded positively, so I've dragged it over from another non-related thread.

Mini story coming up - should be in BC's Tales - but hey ho it's only a little one [ as the actress said to the Archbishop ].

In the late 70's I operated a successful Muscle car / American Speed Shop in Birmingham. My toy at the time was a production race prepared Laverda Jota - complete with 3 into 1 and mini megga - completely sans baffles !

Anyway, out for a Sunday run with the then Mrs. B [ 2nd ] and we stopped at a rather snooty country pub for some lunch.

As we walked through the door you could almost hear the gasps of the patrons and the maitre d came rushing over to inform us that the pub "didn't serve motorcyclists" - that was before we even had chance to take our crash helmets off.

10 years earlier and I'd have been asking him to pick a window, but I decided on the "don't get mad, get even" approach. So off home - after creating a godawful noise at the pub revving the Jota to 7K as we left and spraying gravel from the drive all up his windows.

An hour later - showered and changed into Jacques Desch' best and Mrs. B looking absolutely stunning - back to the pub in our 1970 Boss Mustang. The maitre D rushed out into the car park to greet us and ushered us in to one of his best tables.

We then ordered a Chateaubriand and no starter and said we were quite prepared to wait. We had a few drinks while we were waiting and the M'd came out a few times fawning on us and telling us the meal wouldn't be long. When we felt enough time had elapsed we got up and I placed £10 on the bar to cover our drinks and walked out with the words - "Oh sorry, I just remembered you don't serve motorcyclists here"........................
 
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