Not sure about the Surtees bike Max, I know you built a Rep' But he had a bad tankslapper and it threw him off !! It was all shown on a you/tube clip.
Reg Bolton Racer
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I didn't know that Bill, the replica I built was never raced in anger but it did seem quite nimble and never a hint of a tank slapper, I had the weight down to 376 lbs dry. Jay Leno sit on it at a car show in LA and ask Larry Feece , does it have a crank shaft in it?
I wonder if the gyro of the big (I think maybe a Grameco sp?) helped or hindered handling?
Max,
I think it is a 250 mm Fontana, which at least is easier to spell. I never found a big difference with a big brake, but the tracks were relatively smooth. The rules did not allow us to use 2LS or 4LS brakes.
David
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Sorry for the video quality, it was shot with a small digital still camera that had video capability. This was shot when Larry Feece was still sorting out the carbs, and one was sticking, but it does have a crank in it. I think this has 1-7/16ths carbs.
Video of Max's Surtees replica.
Here is a picture that shows the suspension setup. Looks like this may have a concentric mount at the top of the front spring boxes. And note where the rear suspension mounts, on the same bolt that holds the rear cylinder to the UFM.
Ok back to it.....Yes it is a Fontana 4 l/s front brake which Reg removed as his driveway is quite steep, and when cold and descending down the drive it would lock up , so he refitted the original size brakes/wheel assembly. The front end has got concentric bushes rather than eccentric, and the back was raised with longer rear springs and the UFM extension. So the longer rear lifts the bike for more ground clearance, a problem most racers have issues with at some stage or other. These alterations changed the trail, something Reg said he felt could have been even less......this completely contradicts what others have said. If you look at the second and fourth pictures you can see the lower link in a downward position, which we now know to be not all that good.....However when Reg was seated on the bike, the front springs compressed to where the link was about level. Reg fitted some of Laney Thornton's front springs of the lightest ones he was experimenting with back then and also longer than standard. My guess is they are around 90 lb each, so perhaps similar to the red springs Davidd made except longer. I watched Reg push up and down on the bars, and the forks seemed to compress to about half travel or more quite easily. As an aside Max queried the handling of John Surtees Lightning, and I have looked carefully at his bike, and most pictures I have seen, it shows the bike with it's original type steering damper......also it seems to me that his springs front and rear, were probably still way too stiff. The tank on Reg's bike was given to him by Chas Guy, and I'm sure some of you would have known of him. Reg said that he was a terrific chap, but sadly lost his life on the same day John Surtees crashed, when his head hit a tree.........Greg.
When I built the Copy Cat , I made the spring packs both front and rear pre load with adjustable screw nuts. Johns bike front preload was done by step pins , I don't think his rear's were pre loadable, could be wrong. The springs on the Copy Cat were just about right at least for my liking. The steering
damper was of a standard friction type but with two additional friction plates.------Max
damper was of a standard friction type but with two additional friction plates.------Max
Hello Max, I think Greg is trying to say, We all need to fit an Hydrulic steering Damper, A lot of us would not be without them, After fitting them and seeing how good they are. Cheers Bill.