18 replies to this topic

[RC162]

Thought some of you may like to see a couple of pics of a Tony Foale framed Aermacchi that was at the Trophees Gerard Jumeaux recently. Not too many about I would think. Hope you like it and if any of you know anything about it please tell us.

[picblanc]

Very nice indeed!!

[exclubracer]

Damn it, that looks nice, even to a stinkwheel fanatic like me!!

Anyone have any history on these specials? Sadly, my memory is bereft of knowledge of these bikes...

HW, where are you Andy, surely you must know...

[Ray Oldam]

It's certainly nicely turned out! I think there must have been two Tony Foale Aermacchi frame versions. The ones I remember were monoshocks -there's a photo of the Brew Brothers' one with Roger Hurst on board, on the 'Aermacchis' thread. There were quite a few Yamaha ones made, until the TZ 'D' series appeared in 1976. I have never seen one like this - my guess is it must be an early prototype, before the monoshock versions. Interesting construction - it has the single spine, but uses steel tubes for the upper engine mounts, where the Aermacchi frame used two triangular alloy plates bolted to the spine tube and engine. The extra tubes probably stiffened up the frame and limited the 'flexing' of the factory version's handling. I wonder if anyoe out there knows the history.

Ray

[Herr Wankel]

[quote name='exclubracer' date='Jul 12 2011, 22:41' post='5168783']
Damn it, that looks nice, even to a stinkwheel fanatic like me!!

Anyone have any history on these specials? Sadly, my memory is bereft of knowledge of these bikes...

HW, where are you Andy, surely you must know...

Never saw this version before,Mick. Thought the 'Brewmacchi' was the only survivor.Nice,different !!

HW

[jonnoj]

Could ask Tony Foale himself

http://www.tonyfoale.com/

These pictures are of my own Aermacchi, and date between 1972 and 1975.

I originally bought the bike in Australia in 1971 before I returned to England. As bought it had a Drixel frame. In 1972 I built my own triangulated frame which was both stiffer and lighter than the original. This frame appeared in 3 variants. The 1st used a box section swingarm with twin suspension units and retained the original Borrani front forks. When the DeCarbon monoshock units became available the rear end was converted to a triangulated swingarm with a single DeCarbon unit mounted over the gearbox. This second version ( 1974 ) retained the front forks. The third ( 1975 ) had light weight leading link forks and a different fairing, this was partly to accomodate two side radiators for the 4 valve watercooled engine fitted at that time.

Edited by jonnoj, 13 July 2011 - 01:00.

[RC162]

Sent the pics to Tony Foale and sadly he says it's not one of his and he does not recognise the frame type either. Oh dear !

[RC162]

A few more four strokes from France. I've looked after the stroker boys on another topic.







The next one is a Honda SS50 with a 150cc monkey bike race motor fitted. Goes really well.

[Russell Burrows]

Tony's Macchi was raced in GP's in '69 by Aussie Phil O'Brien who brought it back to Sydney at that season's end. It was a beautiful thing, and in Phil's hands still pretty competitive. Tony was actually racing it in Australia in 1970.

Edited by Russell Burrows, 13 July 2011 - 18:04.

[Russell Burrows]

Sent the pics to Tony Foale and sadly he says it's not one of his and he does not recognise the frame type either. Oh dear !

Whoever built it seems to have gone to a lot of trouble - why not put their own name to it. Unless it handles like a bag of shite?

[jonnoj]

Whoever built it seems to have gone to a lot of trouble - why not put their own name to it. Unless it handles like a bag of shite?

Perhaps the current owner isn't aware he's been sold a pup?

There may be a market in iffy bikes on the continent.

[bsracer]

Here's a pic of what I think is a Tony Foale Aermacchi owned by Mike Bungay and ridden by Dave Roper from time to time.

paul

http://img714.images...0/ws2006065.jpg

[tonyed]

Whoever built it seems to have gone to a lot of trouble - why not put their own name to it. Unless it handles like a bag of shite?

There is a saying 'If it looks right it is right'.

Tony Foale (excellent products) or not that frame looks right.

[tonyfoale]

Here's a pic of what I think is a Tony Foale Aermacchi owned by Mike Bungay and ridden by Dave Roper from time to time.

paul

http://img714.images...0/ws2006065.jpg

I know that this is a late reply but I have only seen this thread.
Firstly the initial bike shown at the beginning was not made by me. It is way different from anything that I would build. That is not to criticize it, just that it is not my style.
Until 2009 I had only ever built one frame for an Aermacchi - my own bike.
Secondly the Mike Bungay bike was not built by me either but Rocky the guy who did build it said that he was inspired when he saw a picture of mine. It is not a copy though. In late 2005 Mike Bungay got in touch with me and asked if I wanted to ride the bike at Daytona. I had not even been on a race track for 30 years so it was a crazy idea. I accepted immediately. I also rode the same bike at Mid Ohio and Barber the same year 2006. That rekindled my passion for racing and I have been doing it ever since. In 2008 I went to live in the USA for 3 years and in 2009 I built a replica of the Aermacchi that I rode in the 1970s and won the AMA national 500cc championship with it. There are pictures of its construction in the Aermacchi folders on my Picasa pages at

picasa pages
There are some riding pix in the Playtime folders.

Original bike.


Regards

Tony Foale
Visit My Website
email

[exclubracer]

Welcome to the forum Tony

There's a great depth of knowledge and stories here, please join in!!

[GD66]

Yes, a warm welcome Tony, and thanks for sharing your gallery with us, there are some beauties in the race chassis archive ! And I was unaware of the little 250 Suzuki-based watercooled twin built in cohorts with our own forum buddy, Terry Shepherd, who was much-loved on here. Hopefully things aren't too hectic for you these days, and you can spend some time with us. Very interesting !

[tonyfoale]

Yes, a warm welcome Tony, and thanks for sharing your gallery with us, there are some beauties in the race chassis archive ! And I was unaware of the little 250 Suzuki-based watercooled twin built in cohorts with our own forum buddy, Terry Shepherd, who was much-loved on here. Hopefully things aren't too hectic for you these days, and you can spend some time with us. Very interesting !

The bike with the Terry Shepherd engine was built for Les Kenny to race in the island. I forget the exact year but 1974-1976. The frame was almost the same as those that we built for the TZ250/350 except for whatever changes were necessary to mount the engine. I recall that the bike was not very successful, I think that Les only rode it in practice but was disappointed in the engine and used a Yamaha in the race, but my memory is not great so I could be wrong. The engine was Terry's and went back to him and I think that the frame was the one that eventually ended up at Waddon's and was the one that they copied and then claimed as their own design when announced at a London show.

BTW. Although I had built 5 chassis previously for my own bikes it was Les Kenny who got me into making frames as a business. Funnily enough, we had raced against each other back in Oz. but did not know one another back then. In 1973 I started a business doing cast wheels, in the UK, but Les knew that I had made frames and came to me to make a couple for his Yamahas, I considered it a one off job and did not expect to do more. He was successful with them from the beginning and I started to get orders for more, so I got into the frame business by accident.

Regards

Tony Foale



info@tonyfoale.com
http://www.tonyfoale.com
http://picasaweb.google.com/tonyfoale
https://www.facebook.com/tony.foale.5
https://www.youtube....ser/MotoChassis

[Russell Burrows]

The bike with the Terry Shepherd engine was built for Les Kenny to race in the island. I forget the exact year but 1974-1976. The frame was almost the same as those that we built for the TZ250/350 except for whatever changes were necessary to mount the engine. I recall that the bike was not very successful, I think that Les only rode it in practice but was disappointed in the engine and used a Yamaha in the race, but my memory is not great so I could be wrong. The engine was Terry's and went back to him and I think that the frame was the one that eventually ended up at Waddon's and was the one that they copied and then claimed as their own design when announced at a London show.

BTW. Although I had built 5 chassis previously for my own bikes it was Les Kenny who got me into making frames as a business. Funnily enough, we had raced against each other back in Oz. but did not know one another back then. In 1973 I started a business doing cast wheels, in the UK, but Les knew that I had made frames and came to me to make a couple for his Yamahas, I considered it a one off job and did not expect to do more. He was successful with them from the beginning and I started to get orders for more, so I got into the frame business by accident.

Regards

Tony Foale

I remember watching Les whip through White Gates, Ramsey, probably as quick as anyone up until then ever had, and then frightening the bejesus out of everyone as by a knats todger he missed a ride ride through the middle of the hedge coming out.

Edited by Russell Burrows, 19 May 2013 - 09:43.

[Russell Burrows]

Phil O'Brien on the Drixton later raced by Tony in Australia and England. Phil, who worked with Drixyl building the frames, says the cracking experienced by owners of the early examples was cured by changing from a 501 type tubing to what was effectively mild steel. Couldn't have done much to help on the weight front though.

Edited by Russell Burrows, 22 May 2013 - 00:04.