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Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:25 am
by jaytee
I guess EJ Potters Chevy and the Drag Waye VW would be the most famous car engined bikes,but there were quite a few in the 70s.The Imp engine seemed a popular choice,all alloy ohc 4 cylinder and the scrapyards must have been full of them.Here's a few starting with Moonraker from 66 which featured an English built flat 4 AJB engine.

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:14 pm
by jaytee
Anyone know anything about the first bike taken at the 1971 Internationals
the other bike from 1969 427 Ford powered, early shakedown runs 9.7+165

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:26 pm
by kal
In answer to your question, the Minor powered bike was run by Dave Branch, who went on to run low 9s using a transverse MGB.
The Ford V8 machine from America was a demo bike raced by a guy called Dan Bowker.

John Charlton's VW was arguably the most successful car engined bike in this country. It definitely had an unusual frame, and ran down in the mid 8s. Quickest though was Ag Macphail, who I was chatting to the other night for info to go in my upcoming book on drag bikes.

Regards,
Keith

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:49 pm
by martyn b
As you say, Hillman imp power, seen here in the Magnum 900 street legal machine, parked behind Warlord in the bike pits at SPR (I think 1970)
warlord+magnum.jpg
warlord+magnum.jpg (755.28 KiB) Viewed 9306 times

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:21 pm
by wayne
jules boag ran an 4 cyl alfa romeo fuel bike in the 80s,not sure how quick it went though.

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:06 am
by jaytee
Thanks for the info Keith,any idea when the book'll be available,would you have any info on the Sq4 of M J Gallagher shown here in the Dragfest feature
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1895

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:13 am
by kal
jaytee wrote:Thanks for the info Keith,any idea when the book'll be available,would you have any info on the Sq4 of M J Gallagher shown here in the Dragfest feature
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1895
I am afraid I cannot add much detail about the square 4. It really is hard to believe that engine can fit into such a small machine.
It was not competitive, as it ran 15s/76mph at the 65 Dragfest. I would not like to have ridden such a dodgy looking bike!
Dennis Norman's was the best bike using that Ariel engine, running in the 10s when it held together in blown form. I will ask him about the Gallagher bike when I next speak to him.

As for the book, it is coming together well, and is due for publication in September.
Published by Veloce, I have attached a link showing it on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drag-Bike-Racin ... 388&sr=1-1

Re: Car engined bikes

PostPosted:Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:00 pm
by jaytee
Thanks again Keith looking forward to reading the book