Dundrod.- The Ulster Grand Prix
Leaving the Sachsenring early the
following morning after what we felt for us, was a good meeting, not
with standing my early 350 race retirement and non start in the 250
event. We headed for the UK as quickly as possible as Vic and I were
both looking forward to getting home and having a good rest before
setting off to Dundrod in Northern Ireland, for the next World
Championship meeting on our schedule.
I was also keen to meet up with Ron
Kenwood to see what solutions, if any, he had come up with or might
be proposing in response to my request for help in dealing with our
need for more power from the 125 and gearbox issues, all as I had
listed and mailed to him from Shleiz.
Having reached the Port of Calais and
loaded the Thames onto the ferry for Dover, we felt almost home and
were relaxing over a good meal and a glass of wine on the ferry not
realising there would be yet one more hurdle to overcome before
finishing our journey!
We arrived at Dover on a Spring tide
to find the tide was out and thus the ferry off loading ramps so
steep that only cars were being permitted to disembark until the
tide turned. The Thames was parked in the ships hold at the front of
a long line of cars unable to move with us in front of them. Being
also anxious to get off the ferry, we agreed with the crew to try to
see if we could get our fully loaded Thames up the ramp. Well, after
a lot of clutch slipping and smoke we succeeded in getting up the
ramp only to discover, as we tried to climb the hill out of Dover 10
minutes later, that the Thames clutch had completely gone! This was
within less than a 60 miles of home, having covered nearly 7000
miles traveling across Europe over the past 4 months, with only an
oil pump gaiter and seal failing on the Thames, in all this time!
Fortunately we were able to get off
the hill by backing down into a garage forecourt, unfortunately
however, being late in the evening, the garage was closed.
Determined to get home and Vic to see his girl friend, we locked up
the Thames with the bikes, spares and tools, put a notice on the
windscreen informing the garage owner of what had happened, with a
promise to contact him first thing the following morning. We then
took a train home to Woking via Waterloo, hitting our beds just
after midnight.
Leaving Vic on the following day to
pacify the owner of the garage in Dover and to arrange to have the
Thames clutch replaced, my long time friend and fellow racer John
Bacon gave me a lift over to Ron Kenwood’s in Puttenham on the
South side of the Hogs Back. I was very surprised and pleased to
find Ron had already done a lot of work, manufacturing new
components to the specifications we had originally planned, for the
125 short stroke engine.
Over the winter of 1963, I had many
discussions with Ron, when we developed at length the ideas for
modifications I was considering making to each of the bikes, on our
arrival at the Parilla factory in Milan. These plans included the
building of the short stroke 125 engine and the possibility of
manufacturing a 6 or 7 speed gear cluster for this engine only,
based on a 5 or 6 speed gear cluster I had modified and installed
for Peter Lucas’s in his 50 cc racer in 1961/2.
The Lucas racer gear cluster was also
constant mesh with internal gear selection but unlike my G50 gear
cluster design, the sliding drive gears were locked to the main
input shaft, on selection, by the internal main shaft selector
piston moving side ways pushing ball bearings up into the inner cups
of the selected gear.
We would not have attempted to use this gear cluster design in any
engine over 125 cc and there was still a big question mark in our
minds, at the time, as to the torque capacity and long term
durability of this design, even for a 125 engine with less than 16
horse power !!
On receiving my plea for help from
Shleiz, Ron had immediately taken the bull by the horns and set to
modifying a standard crankshaft in a 175 high cam Parilla engine I
had left with him before leaving for Italy, to give us the square
stroke/bore engine configuration we had initially intended to build
in Milan but abandoned when we ran out of time to machine all the
necessary new components
With the help of E.H.Macey of
Chertsey and other local engineering workshops Ron had also
completed, with the exception of the indexing mechanism, the
manufacture of the constant mesh cluster developed from the Lucas 50
racer design as described above, for the short stroke 125 engine. I
was completely bowled over seeing all of the work Ron had done in
such a short space of time and by the superb quality of all the
components he had made and assembled including the Morini racing
piston and pattern con rod which, as required, was longer than the
standard 175 Parilla con rod.
All though much work had already been
done by Ron in preparation for us to build the short stroke 125
engine, it was clear that the engine and gear cluster could not be
finished and tested in time for the Ulster G.P in only 2 weeks.
However I had high hopes the work might be completed before the
start of the end of season Spanish Series. The first of the 5 race
meetings commencing in Bilbao, at the end of August.
Visiting Croydon the following day, I
reported to Cyril Ashford the Managing Director of Capriola/Parilla
Imports, all of the high lights and problems, encountered over the
previous 4 months of our racing program, the outcome of our
discussions whilst staying with Parilla in March and subsequent
visits to the factory. I also informed him of the progress Ron
Kenwood was making on the engine and 6 speed gearbox cluster for the
125 Parilla.
Cyril Ashford was concerned as to
Moto Parilla’s future as a motorcycle manufacturer and supplier,
but seemed very pleased with our results to date and assured me that
I would continue to have his full support.
Ashford also expressed concern that
Moto Parilla may think the gearbox cluster now being developed with
Ron Kenwood’s help, was of the same design as the cluster we had
originally offered to jointly develop with Parilla for fitment into
their Wildcat scramblers. His concern was Parilla (or their
Bankers) may feel, at some time in the future, that they had some
claim to the design. This was clearly not the case but to avoid any
future misunderstandings it was agreed that we would keep the
development of the 125 engine gearbox cluster under cover for the
time being.
This decision was to present us with some future additional problems
when trying to install the gear/piston selector indexing mechanism,
out of sight, under the 125 outer crankcase cover!!
Arriving in Dundrod the day before
the first free practice sessions were to begin, we parked and
prepared to camp down in the circuit paddock for the duration of our
stay. This was perhaps a bad decision as it was raining as we drove
into the paddock and did not stop until 5 days latter when we were
packing up to return to the UK. Most of the other competitors had
wisely arranged accommodation away from the circuit!
Not with standing the rain, I was
very encouraged as we drove around the circuit on the evening of our
arrival. Dundrod was another real road racing circuit which reminded
me a lot of the back roads between Ripley, East Horsley and the
Triangle café at Send, in Surrey, where I used to ride and some
times race with my pals, at speeds of up to 65 MPH, on my very fist
motorcycle, a 197 Francis Barnett.
Reported to be still recovering from
the injuries he sustained when he crashed out on the MZ at the
Sachsenring, Mike Hailwood did not ride at the Ulster G.P in 1964.
I felt very much at home on the
circuit from the moment practice started. Most of my fellow
competitors were, wisely perhaps, taking things very easy in view of
the wet conditions, but I was still surprised at the number of
riders I was overtaking, including some of the Works Suzuki and
Honda riders!
Knowing that it was only in the rain
that I had any chance of getting higher up the practice leader
board, I pushed on as fast as I could and was delighted to find,
after the first timed practice sessions, I was listed in 6th place
on the 125 and also just in the top 12 in both the 250 and 350 class
early sessions.
Impressed I think by my lap times and
my determination, not withstanding the adverse conditions, to get in
as many laps as possible, the organisers seeing that we and the
bikes were getting drenched in the paddock, took pity on us by
allowing our Parillas to be parked, out of the rain, at the back of
the scrutineering tent, for the duration of the meeting, this was
very much appreciated
Irish Press
Report
Before the start of the 125 race, the
rain had eased a little but the track was still very wet with
standing water in many places. Having been pushed down in the final
practice session from my initial 6th place, I was still high enough
up the list to be on the 4th row with, for the first time ever, a
number of Works riders still behind me!
With perhaps my best ever start on
the 125, I was right behind the 1st and 2nd row pack of riders which
included Hugh Anderson, Perris, and Schneider on their Suzukis and
the Hondas of Bryans, Taveri and Redman, as we left the starting
grid and started the rush down the half mile straight towards
Leathemstown corner.
The plume of spray from the leading riders reduced visibility to
well below 50 yards and because of all this spray, I kept hard over
to the right hand side of the track where it was not so dense, I
also did this to reduce the risk of running into the back of any
seizing two strokes! On this occasion, I did not try to gain from
any tows down the straights, as it would have been far too dangerous
in the prevailing conditions.
During practice I had seen just how
much spray the bikes were kicking up and had observed how most of
the riders were keeping to the left hand side of the track, as you
would normally expect riders to do, when approaching Leathemstown
Bridge.
Many riders passed me down the
straight, but some of them were getting into all sorts of
difficulties with spluttering engines and even aquaplaning when
hitting standing water which gave me a chance to get back one or two
places. Although way down on power, I felt I had some advantages in
these conditions, including riding a four stroke and having the very
latest narrow section Dunlop triangular tyres which cut clean
through most of the standing water and thus gave me added
confidence.
Fortunately I had decided for the
first lap, to stay on the right hand side of the track when
approaching Leathemstown Bridge, as the now leading group of 12 or
so riders all seemed, to me, to be breaking very early as they lined
up on the left hand side of the track to take the sharp right hander.
By staying on the right hand side of the track, I had a much clearer
view of the riders and the bend in front of me and by leaving my
breaking point to around 100 yards latter than the riders in front,
I was able to pass a number of them on the inside line into the
bend.
The conditions were already bad when
it started to rain heavily once again and I saw more than one Works
rider falling or sliding off the track during the opening laps. Time
and again, particularly in the early laps, I would overtake riders
at the sharp right hairpin after Tornagrough and on the slower and
twistier sections of the track, by out breaking, or riding faster
through these sections, than some more cautious riders, only to have
the same riders overtake me yet again as we came onto the straights.
Although at times frustrating being
over taken by so many more powerful bikes down the straights, this
was one of the most enjoyable races I had ever taken part in.
Taking 10th place at the finish, my best placing in a World
Championship race, on what was to turn out to be, my last race on
the long stroke 125 Parilla. The ‘Steam Engine’ had served me
well.
The 11 lap race was won by Hugh
Anderson on his Suzuki in 53 minutes 28 seconds, at an av speed of
147 km/h, followed by Taveri, Bryans, Perris, Schneider and Ramon
Torras. There were only 11 finishers.
The 350 race was next up when at the
start the weather lightened up a little, however the circuit was
still wet in many places and I planned to keep to the same lines I
had adopted both in practice and in the 125 race.
350 Race
start, RM on 256 Parilla (20) on right side of grid next to Tannoy
pole
Picture reproduced
by kind permission of Esler Crawford
© Esler Crawford
This time further back on the grid
than in the 125 race and on the outer end of the line, I
nevertheless had a good start and with the improving visibility
managed to get some useful tows down the straights behind AJS and
Manx Norton riders.
Jim Redman, Mike Duff and the other Works riders shot off from the
start as expected and were out of sight by the time I and most of
the other privateers had completed half a lap!
RM on 256
Parilla at Leathemstown in heavy rain!
Picture reproduced
by kind permission of Esler Crawford
© Esler Crawford
At approximately two thirds distance
into the race, all seemed to be going well when just after seeing my
pit signal showing I was running in 17th place I began to get sever
cramp in my right leg. I tried to relieve the pain by taking my leg
off the foot rest and moving it forward against the engine and
gearbox casing. I also tried trailing my leg but I just could not
get rid of the pain. Much to my regret, as I could no longer change
gear, I had to retire from the race on completion of the lap. Only
once back in the paddock did I realized just how wet and cold I was,
when discovering I could not even get off the bike without
assistance.
The 17 lap race was won by Jim Redman
on his Honda in 1h, 20’ 38 seconds, at an av speed of 151km/h,
followed by Mike Duff, Havel (Jawa) Beale (Honda) C Conn (Norton)
and F Stevens (AJS) – 29 riders finished the race.
This was also my last race on the 256
cc Parilla, as there were to be no 350 or 500 races in the end of
season Spanish Series. Again the bike had served me well and the
special Ina big end bearing, Parilla had fitted to the engine, as an
experiment, back in April, was still running as good as new.
43 years later, in 2007, Mike McGarry
and I were to find the same bike, frame No 250599, fitted with a
stock Parilla Wild Cat engine and some other modifications, on
display in Sammy Millers Museum in New Milton, Hampshire. I later
sent a photo of the bike from 1964, to Sammy, for his collection.
The next race up was the 250 when
after a hot meal and putting my pyjamas on under my leathers for
extra warmth, I sat in the Thames with the engine and heater
running, right up to the time we were called to the starting grid.
Again starting on the 4th row, this
time on. the inside track end position. There were a host of Works
riders in front of me including Phil Read. Jim Redman, Tommy Robb
Ralph Bryans and others and directly behind was Alan Shepard on the
Works MZ.
I was a little surprised and amused when Alan came up to inform me
of his intention to overtake me on the right hand side and requested
that I should hold my line when starting and not move over onto the
line he was indicating he planned to take. My amusement came from
knowing, as I discovered at the earlier Shleiz and Bautzen meetings
in East Germany, that when I made a good start, my Parilla was
initially and only initially, faster off the line than the Works MZs.
It was now raining heavily again but
with the drop of the starters flag we were off. Getting another good
start, I was soon in the thick of things as we all rushed down the
straight when, yet again, the faster Works riders began to pass me
but Alan Shepard on his MZ had to wait until the end of the ‘Flying
Kilometre’ to get pass a Parilla!
First lap of
250 race, Ralph Bryans (3) Works Honda followed by Alan Sheperd (7)
Works MZ with RM (35)on his Parilla 5th inline at Rock Bends.
Picture reproduced
by kind permission of Esler Crawford
© Esler Crawford
Again diving up the inside of riders
who were in front of me as we approached the hairpin and the
twistier parts of the circuit and then being overtaken time and
again, on the straights, I followed the same plan as I had developed
in the earlier races.
At halfway distance, I got my first
pit signal indicating that I was running in 19th position. As the
race progressed with some riders crashing out, or retiring after
breaking down, my position started climbing on each lap, even though
I was not aware of having overtaken any riders on the previous lap.
RM pressing on
at Leathemstown on his 250 Parilla.
Picture reproduced
by kind permission of Esler Crawford
© Esler Crawford
Knowing that I was now running out of
laps as we approached full race distance, I pushed harder and harder
and very nearly over did things drifting off line at Quarry Bends on
what turned out to be the last lap. After this wake up call, I was
somewhat relieved to finish the race and take the flag in13th
position.
The 14 lap race was won by Phil Read
on the Yamaha in 1 h, 12’ 30 seconds, at an average speed of 138 km/h
followed by Redman, Bryans, Alan Shepard, Beale and Schneider.- 17
riders finished the race, and it was still raining!
Immediately after the last race of
the meeting, Vic and I were informed by one of the scrutineers who
was apparently also a member of a committee appointed to adjudicate
on nominations for the “Best Newcomers Overall Performance Award”
by a privateer at the meeting, that I had been nominated and was
one of the favourites in his opinion to get this prestigious award
which, of equal interest to me, included a handsome cash payment!
Later in the day after packing up in
the paddock and getting ready to leave Dundrod to catch the ferry
home, we went to the organizers office to collect my start money and
we hoped, an additional cheque with the Newcomers Award, only to be
told that a member of the adjudicating committee had objected to me
being considered for the award as he thought I was a professional
Works rider!!! There seemed to be no point in our objecting to this
injustice, as a local Irish rider, had already been given the award.
Reading an account of the meeting 44
years later on:
www.irishroadracing.co.uk/ugphistory/1964.html
I discovered I had won the 250
Private Entrants Handicap award. Bob Fitton (Norton) took the 350
and Phil Read (Norton) the 500 awards
The cheque for the three starts was
most welcome and needed for us to prepare and to complete our racing
program for the year in Spain. I also received from the organizers 3
finishers’ awards, even though I had not completed the 350 race.
Finishers Award
I would have loved to have had the
chance to race at Dundrod in the dry, even though it is very
doubtful if I could have repeated the same relative performance on
my Parillas in dry conditions
Leaving Dundrod to catch the ferry,
it was still raining!
On
to the next chapter...
