Next episode;....................
Arrived at Mallory on Friday amidst tropical rainfall. The fear was the whole weekend would be cancelled. The paddock was awash with rivulets running everywhere.
Set up camp and got the bikes out. The Imp, My Triumph Sprinter and my Triumph road bike which is a total bitsa (most of my stuff is). A 1951 tiger 100 rigid with a generater engine.
By 6pm the rain had stopped and the track begun to dry. Off to the beer tent then. The rest of the evening was a bit vague
Saturday dawned. Big breakfast in the paddock cafe (best brekkie ever) and off on scrutineering duties.
Ran the road bike in two sessions on Saturday. That was fun. Don't often get the chance to give it the beans on the road.
Lets move on to Sunday as Saturday night is a bit of a blurr. All I remember is laughing so much it hurt.
Paul, the owner, had told me that Mickie pierce and Vic Phillips, contrary to popular belief, are both alive and kicking, in their mid 70's and living in the south east. Near me. Paul had invited both and got passes to them. Unfortunatly for us, Vic had to go to Thailand with his new bride!!!! but Mickie was really keen to attend. He duly arrived and after introductions were made we checked out the bike. I could see in his face that he had been transported back 40 years. A sight that will stay with me for a very long time.
Mickie came up to me, put his arm over my shoulder and wispered "you done a bloody good job of that boy"!
Compliment indeed. It made the last 7 months so worth while. Paul was on top of the world getting his bike back in tip top shape and having the approval of Mickie was the cherry on the cake.
We ran the bike up in the pit garages as you can see in the earlier link and everones faces lit up. She is loud and revs like a modern jap 4. A whiff of throttle and the revs have peaked. Brilliant.
Paul had the honour of first dibbs (it is his after all) and we took it onto the straight and fired her up. I could see in Pauls face that he was going to give it the biggun even though I has said please take it easy as it hasn't moved under it's own steam for 20 years. I was concerned also as the oil pressure was dropping. You can see me and Paul in the video looking at the oil pressure guage on the lh side. We suspect the bypass valve or the guage but you have to believe what the guage is telling you until you prove otherwise.
Paul got on board and asked me to engage gear as his foot is a bit knackered after too many years grasstracking and speedway riding. I made the snap decision to put the bike in second but unbenown to me he had pushed into second so I had put it into 3rd.
The flag dropped and Paul pulled away. Even though it was in third it started to pick up speed and by the 100 foot the revs were climbing fast. It is not usual to do a shakedown run in front of 20 000 people but hey.
As paul came back into the paddock I got onto my Sprinter and did a couple of runs. I wasn't aware tht he had had a couple of dramas. Apart from the 3rd gear thing he had his left foot near the exhaust outlet which promptly burned through the toe and burned his foot. He said he was really pi**edat this because it wasn't his sock changing month and that it was the only decent foot he has left! Also, there is a plug which blocks an oil take off at the back of the block which we will use to pressure feed the blower in due course. Said plug blew out, I know not why, and covered paul with oil down his right side.
A burned foot and oil soaked leather the test was declared a success.
We rolled the bike into the display tent for the rest of the afternoon where we decided on the plan of action for it's next shakedown meeting. A full quarter at Wroughton.
Watch this space!!!
The photo's are Me and Paul on the main straight at Mallory. I am the one with no hair, and Mickie on Impulse time travelling some 40 years.
