Descrição
This is Lot 446 in the Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale on April 20 & 21, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Built by the late engineer owner
McIntosh Manx frame
Molnar Precision engine
Requires finishing
"With a history stretching back almost to the very dawn of motorcycling itself, the Norton single is without doubt the greatest of all the over-the-counter production racers." - Mick Walker, Manx Norton.
Dubbed 'Manx Grand Prix' in 1939, what would become the best-known racing motorcycle of all time had become simply 'Manx' when production resumed in 1946. Norton's over-the-counter Manx racers were much the same as their pre-war counterparts, with single-overhead-camshaft engine, 'square' cylinder head finning, upright gearbox and plunger-suspended 'garden gate' frames. Only the presence of the Roadholder telescopic front fork readily distinguished them from the '39 machines. 1949 brought the first significant change in engine specification, the Manx gaining a double-overhead-camshaft 'head like that enjoyed by the works bikes for many years, but the major development was the arrival of the Featherbed frame for 1951. The works' adoption of the McCandless-designed duplex-loop swinging-arm chassis the previous year had given the Nortons a new lease of life in Grand Prix racing, and Geoff Duke duly took both the 350 and 500cc world titles in 1951. The cycle parts remained essentially unchanged from then on apart from the adoption of a double-sided, twin-leading-shoe front brake for 1962. Manx engine development, though, continued steadily, latterly under Doug Hele's direction, until production ceased at the end of '62, among the most significant design changes being the adoption of 'square' bore and stroke dimensions for 1954 and coarser-pitch bevel teeth in 1957. Loved and admired by all that have ridden one, the Manx Norton in its many forms is a mainstay of today's classic racing scene.
This Norton Manx was conceived as a personal project by the lady vendor's late engineer husband, who sadly died leaving it uncompleted. Starting circa 2008, the Manx has been built using only the best components from recognised specialists, including a 1961-specification Manx frame and swinging-arm from McIntosh Racing in New Zealand and an 86-bore engine from Molnar Precision in the UK. Other specification highlights include a Quaife five-speed gearbox, Bob Newby clutch, and BTH Components self-generating ignition. The Manx was intended for road use and has been equipped with lights and indicators. It is not known what further works would be required to finish the machine, which as a result is sold strictly as viewed. Accompanying documentation includes an extensive file of information on the build, including McIntosh's invoice and a spreadsheet listing components and their suppliers.
