Colin Seeley: Racer... Residue Inwards Peace
Colin Seeley, i of the greats of British motorbike racing, has died. He was 84 in addition to had been unwell for only about time.
Colin Seeley (born Colin Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Seeley, 2 Jan 1936, inwards Crayford, Kent, England) is an English linguistic communication onetime motorbike retailer who afterwards became a successful motorbike sidecar racer, motorbike designer, constructor in addition to retailer of accessories. In 1992 he was involved inwards running the Norton Rotary race team.
Leaving schoolhouse at fourteen, Seeley started riding on his handyman-father Percy's Vincent Rapide when he obtained his licence at sixteen, showtime his working motorbike career every bit an apprentice for Harcourt Motorcycles, becoming acquainted alongside Bernie Ecclestone at his nearby used motorbike salesroom, followed past times Halfords motorists' shop, both inwards Bexleyheath, Kent, in addition to thence every bit a mechanic for a driving schoolhouse where Seeley also learned to drive a car. Another movement was to the Schwieso Brothers bike concern inwards Dartford, Kent where he gained sense working alongside many dissimilar marques, also repairing in addition to maintaining bikes inwards his spare fourth dimension working inwards a wooden shed at his parents' home, using his sleeping accommodation to store parts.
In 1954, after existence rejected for National Service every bit unfit, Seeley had aspirations to ain his ain motorbike business, securing rented premises inwards the Old Forge, a machine garage at Stapley Road inwards Belvedere, Kent. Whilst his virile someone parent Percy had progressed from Series A Rapide through Series C Shadow to a Black Lightning, Colin was using a Matchless V-twin sidevalve alongside a large box sidecar to carry motorcycles signwritten alongside advertising for his business.
In 1956 Seeley established his firstly retail store inwards nearby Nuxley Road, where, alongside his virile someone parent Percy, they traded every bit C.J.Seeley (Sales) Ltd., Motorcycle Specialist, keeping the Old Forge site for service in addition to repairs.
As agencies were hard to obtain, Seeley started alongside sub-agencies (under the main-dealer umbrella) from Zündapp, NSU in addition to Moto Rumi, also selling bicycles, vesture in addition to accessories, afterwards existence appointed every bit primary agents for AJS, Ariel, BMW, Francis-Barnett, Greeves in addition to Matchless. Further expansion inwards 1958 saw a nearby novel showroom, i time to a greater extent than inwards Nuxley Road, dedicated to selling in addition to plumbing fixtures sidecars.
Racing background
When Seeley was 14 he would cycle to the nearest local race track, Brands Hatch, which had thence converted from grass runway to hard surface, where he was impressed past times Vincent Motorcycles employee Ted Davis racing his Vincent sidecar outfit.
Seeley entered his firstly race inwards 1954 at Brands Hatch, a one-hour endurance event, riding a solo 500 cc BSA Star Twin borrowed from a friend, where he completed 42 laps during the hour. Pressure of piece of occupation prevented whatever farther contest until 1957 when Seeley entered his firstly scramble on a part-exchanged Triumph twin, followed past times grass track, colina climb in addition to Ramsgate sprint using the same machine.
By 1958 Seeley had acquired an AJS way in addition to purchased an ex-works 500 cc scrambler which he was uneasy with; also belongings a Greeves agency, Seeley approached the mill for back upwardly in addition to rode scramblers for them inwards 1958 in addition to 1959.
In 1960, Seeley alongside his friend – mechanic in addition to employee Wally Rawlings – bought their firstly sidecar outfit, in addition to ex-Eric Oliver machine based on a Manx Norton, entering their firstly race at Snetterton inwards Apr 1960. With alone i other entry accepted during 1960 – at Charterhall inwards Scotland, 400 miles from his base of operations inwards Kent – Seeley was disillusioned alongside the race-regulating bodies.
In belatedly 1960, every bit a rider-agent, Seeley managed to convince the AMC mill to sell him a novel Matchless G50 solo race bike to last modified in addition to used alongside a Canterbury racing sidecar, for which Seeley was an agent. After only about encouraging results on local tracks, Seeley entered his firstly Grand Prix event, the Isle of Mann TT inwards 1961, finishing inwards 6th place.
Seeley raced inwards the British in addition to Blue Planet entitle sidecar competitions betwixt 1961 in addition to 1967. He raced his own-design machines alongside Matchless G50 500cc engines in addition to for the Britain large-capacity shape Matchless 650cc G12 CSR followed past times Norton 650cc Dominator engines prepared past times Paul Dunstall, but for Grands Prix the size bound was 500cc, pregnant the alone reliable, competitive engine was the BMW RS54 Rennsport.
Abandoning the tall-engine configuration of the single-cylinder Matchless G50 outfit, Seeley campaigned the flat-twin BMW installed inwards a lower-line outfit called FCS-BMW(Fath-Camathias Special). His best competitive results were firstly identify at the 1964 Dutch TT in addition to second-place finishes inwards the sidecar competitions at the 1964 Isle of Mann TT in addition to the 1966 French Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand. Seeley was i of the firstly to have on coloured racing leathers, using cherry suits together alongside rider Roy Lindsay during the 1967 season, a tendency started inwards 1966 past times Derek Minter.
Seeley motorcycles
Development
After retiring from competition, Seeley concentrated his efforts on designing in addition to constructing Seeley-framed racing motorcycles, initially powered past times AJS in addition to Matchless motorbike engines.
After experimentation during the wintertime months, the firstly paradigm frame - powered past times a Matchless G50 single-cylinder 500 cc engine - was built from Reynolds '531' tubing inwards early on 1966, in addition to was ix lbs lighter than a criterion G50 frame. The paradigm had Manx Norton forepart forks alongside an eight-inch dual-sided brake past times engineer Edwin 'Eddie' Robinson, which Seeley afterwards retailed separately in addition to Manx Norton raise forks (swinging arm, swingarm) alongside Manx conical raise hub.
Production frames would receive got a swinging arm made past times Seeley, in addition to customers could specify four, 5 or six-speed gearboxes.
Derek Minter tested the bike at a race circuit local to both himself in addition to Colin Seeley – Brands Hatch – describing it every bit "the best steering solo he'd e'er tried" in addition to the forepart brake every bit meliorate than the Oldani usually used on his Manx Nortons.
When the AMC motorbike theater unopen their in-house race shops inwards 1963 due to fiscal problems, although spares were even thence available, the actual engines were thence obsolete.
There were no manufacturers producing novel 350 cc in addition to 500 cc race machines for purchase, excepting a 350 cc Aermacchi, prompting fears over sustainability of the existing AMC race engines in addition to leading only about tuners to plough to developing route engines, such every bit Triumph Tiger 100 used inwards the lightweight composite-framed 'Monard' past times Geoff Monty in addition to Allen Dudley-Ward, Allen Dudley-Ward's ain 'DWS 500' (a Triumph Norton) in addition to Brian Bennett's twin-carb all-Triumph). Although these were non expected to last fully competitive against the OHC AMC race engines, they were a cheaper clubman's starter option.
Seeley inwards belatedly 1966 purchased all the engine tooling in addition to spares for their racing AJS, Matchless in addition to Norton motorbike brands. The availability of AJS 7R in addition to Matchless G50 engines was ensured, in addition to Seeley did non receive got to reckon manufacturing the AJS in addition to Matchless cycle parts. The Manx Norton spares human face was sold-on to onetime sidecar racer John Tickle inwards 1969, changing hands twice i time to a greater extent than past times 1994.
Production began inwards July 1966, alongside the firstly available G50 500 cc bike existence purchased past times Swiss racer Ernst Weiss. David Dixon track-tested the 350cc AJS 7R-engined version for Motor Cycle albeit hampered past times the chassis existence fitted for smaller Derek Minter in addition to running-in a novel engine, he reported the bike – alongside a six-speed Schafleitner gearbox – to last the smoothest 7R he'd ridden. Dixon also reported that at that topographic point was ii gearbox options - four-speed or six-speed at extra cost.
Motor Cycle staff author David Dixon reported inwards Nov 1966 that Seeley was "hoping to step-up the output of his Seeley 349 cc AJSs in addition to 549 cc Matchlesses for 1967. These will, every bit inwards the past, last sold every bit consummate machines laid upwardly to race." Seeley was also appointed every bit a Reynolds 531 frame tubing stockist.
Seeley shortly was devising frames for other engines. The 1967 URS 500cc GP 4 cylinder was ridden past times John Blanchard, but the Seeley-frame human face of the projection (provided past times Colin Seeley Race Developments) ran into problems alongside personalities in addition to past times the precipitous piece of occupation of a non-Seeley front-brake from competition Rickman, resulting inwards Seeley confiscating his rolling chassis less the brake, caused the Fath (URS) squad to piece of occupation a Rickman Metisse frame for 1968 onwards. Colin Seeley sold the frame privately, which Blanchard afterwards bought, in addition to using a Fath/URS engine was able to practise a successful Grand Prix machine campaigned past times High German Karl Hoppe
In 1968 Seeley developed road-race frames for the 250 cc QUB two-stroke twin-cylinder, followed past times the 500 cc QUB two-stroke single-cylinder engines, both conceived past times Dr. Gordon Blair at Queen's University Belfast.
Other engines were Yamaha, creating the Yamsel thence effectively raced past times John Cooper in addition to afterwards Norton twins. Seeley went on to prepare inwards 1971 a roadster based on the Matchless G50 engine called the Seeley Condor.
During the belatedly 1960s in addition to early on 1970s when virtually all the major motorbike manufacturers had pulled out of Grand Prix racing, the Seeley-designed chassis became the race bike of choice for privateer racers of the era. John Cooper won the 500cc shape at the 1968 North West 200, spell Brian Ball finished instant to Giacomo Agostini inwards the Senior TT at the 1968 Isle of Mann TT, both riders on a Seeley-Matchless. At the 1969 North West 200, John Blanchard in addition to Brian Steenson placed firstly in addition to instant inwards the 500 shape aboard Seeley-designed motorcycles. In the 1969 Isle of Mann TT, Seeley placed 4 of his machines inwards the top x inwards the Senior TT race alongside third, fourth, 6th in addition to seventh-place finishes. His best final result every bit a constructor came inwards 1970 when Tommy Robb rode i of his machines to a fourth-place destination inwards the 500cc Blue Planet championship. Seeley afterwards used other Japanese engines inwards his chassis, most notably using a Hi-Tac Suzuki T500 engine for Barry Sheene inwards 1971. Sheene used the bike to win the British national entitle in addition to declared it the best-handling motorbike he had e'er ridden.
His designs proved thence successful inwards contest that he earned a reputation every bit i of the best motorbike frame designers inwards the industry. In the 1970s, Seeley moved to automobile racing when Bernie Ecclestone hired him every bit articulation Managing Director of Motor Racing Developments to piece of occupation on Brabham racing machine production, in addition to inwards 1986 alongside the Brabham Formula One team.
Additionally, the frame in addition to swinging-arm was available separately every bit a kit for self-builders having the Honda 750 engine in addition to ancillaries. Seeley was the UK-importer for American-made Lester aluminium motorbike wheels.
In 1977 Seeley produced for Honda a limited-production of 150 'Phil Read Replica' TT Formula 1 race-styled roadsters based on the CB750F2 alongside accessories past times Seeley inwards Honda Britain colours of bluish in addition to red, followed past times a 1979 updated version called CB750SS inwards white alongside cherry or bluish flashes.
Again inwards 1979 he produced a Seeley Honda TL200 trials bike, a smaller version of the 360cc industrial plant bike ridden past times Rob Shepherd, based on the XL185 engine alongside a Reynolds 531 tubing frame, Marzocchi forks in addition to Girling raise daze absorbers. All machines were hand-built, and, alongside express production volumes, receive got acquire collectors' items.
Other production lines were developed. Seeley fairings were immediately recognisable past times the styling in addition to twin headlights, every bit were megaphone-shape replacement silencers alongside long reverse-cones which he dubbed Easy-Fit.
As vintage racing increased inwards popularity, Seeley's motorcycles experienced a resurgence alongside a victory at the 1988 Manx Grand Prix. Since then, Seeley machines receive got won twelve times inwards vintage shape racing at the Manx Grand Prix.
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