UKDRN

Do you own or know the whereabouts of a piece of UK Drag Racing History or just want info on a particular machine.

Moderators: timetravel, ukdrn

 #32004  by shasta
 
Anyone out there with information on the above Competition Drag Bike? It was a double-engined Z1000 bike called I believe 'Big Momma'. I've found a few photos on the site and elsewhere and think it was built by Tom Quinn and later run by Bob Webster of Slough. Any information on the bike, especially by those who ran it would be eagerly received. I work as a Lecturer at Chichester College teaching Motorcycle Engineering and am currently restoring the bike to a running condition as an inspiration to the students learning there. :?
 #32006  by timetravel
 
here it is at Snetterton 1977...
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 #32009  by torment
 
you cant say that and not show us some pictures...
 #32014  by shasta
 
Bike in College workshop. Different front wheel and brake fitted, original seat unit not in place
Bike in College workshop. Different front wheel and brake fitted, original seat unit not in place
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Here's a picture taken in one of the College workshops showing the bike without the seat unit fitted. Front wheel and brake arrangement have been updated, shown in state of build as got. In process of fitting gearbox unit in this photo.
 #32020  by kal
 
Good news to hear that you are restoring the bike.
There are not too many multi-engined bikes still around.
I remember the bike well when Tom constructed it, and was friends with Bob back in his racing days.
He is not involved with the sport in any way now I am told, but I know he is still around.
Have not heard anything of Tom Quinn though, but I will make enquiries.
Tom built a lot of machines over the years.
Both riders feature in my book - but no picture of the double included, which incidentally clocked the first British 7 second time - a run which was accepted to be a spurious time.
I will try and get hold of Bob for you, to see if he is able to help you.
Perhaps you can let me have your contact details.
 #32034  by shasta
 
Thanks Kal, for your reply.Be interesting to find out more about the bike, such as why the rear end was changed at some point, how the rear brake was operated when Bob rode it and if it's a John Clift frame. I think it might be as it has his trademark fork stops off the headstock. The earliest picture I had seen before was from 1979, so the picture from Snetterton 1977 is a surprise..I rode up to that meeting from Southampton when I first got interested in Drag Racing, but I didn't have a camera then and don't remember seeing the bike there! Where did Tom Quinn hail from? cheers Shasta
 #32050  by muddytalker
 
Here's another couple of shots of the bike at Blackbushe and Santa Pod in 1979 with Bob Webster onboard.
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Photos by Doug McDiarmid

Good to hear that the bike is being restored. I wish you well with the on going project. Maybe we'll get to see it at Shakey in 2013?
 #32052  by NitroWars
 
kal wrote: Both riders feature in my book - but no picture of the double included, which incidentally clocked the first British 7 second time - a run which was accepted to be a spurious time.
I remember speaking with Bob and Jeff Byne on the evening of the spurious time - Bob was adamant that the ET was never a seven.
 #32054  by shasta
 
Although the 7 second run attributed to this bike is generally regarded as having been spurious, what times did this bike run? Did it ever get near the magical 7 second barrier?