36 replies to this topic

[ghinzani]

Anyone got any pics they can share? In particular I am looking for ones of the MANY & VARIOUS karts, and his first S2000 with the plywood body (I have seen pics of the second one on here). Also any insight into the engineering, especially the wood and glassfibre monocoques. Thanks

[Stephen W]

Above: Dud Moseley in his Motus at Prescott in 1974

You see all you have to do on TNF is arsk!

[ghinzani]

Great stuff - any technical details?

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Great stuff - any technical details?

It's a go-kart! What more do you want?

[ghinzani]

GO-KART!!!??! Have at you Sir! Go-Karts are found at the fair I think you will find...

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by ghinzani
GO-KART!!!??! Have at you Sir! Go-Karts are found at the fair I think you will find...

[David Beard]

The Motus kart in Steve’s photo is the fiberglass monocoque type with which Dud Moseley won the long circuit 210N championship (74 & 75 I think). It had rubber suspension, I believe, which would have been illegal in later years. In hill climb form the driver’s legs are covered, and a rollover bar added. The Motus of this period also ran in 250 International with a Bultaco or Montesa single, but couldn’t accommodate the Suzuki and Yamaha twins that appeared later in the 70s. There were quite a number of the fiberglass Motii(?) to be seen at long circuit kart events at this time.



This description of the earlier wooden version is by Keith Moseley (Dud’s father or brother?) in karting magazine October 1971 I have no idea what the versions preceding the Mk4 were like.





Copyright infringement, I‘m sure. But perhaps the people from Karting magazine won’t mind, if they are still around.

[ghinzani]

Great stuff David - I tried to reply to your message but your inbox was full. Many thanks for these pics, and taking the trouble to scan them.

[speedman13]

Dud wrote the MK1 Motus (Plywood version) off on a gate post on the first lap of the Billown 50 at Castletown IOM in I think 1973 or 74, The marshalls literally swept it up.

[David Beard]

"Speedman"

I'm surprised you didn't mention finishing 4th in that 210N long circuit championship Moseley won at Cadwell, beating Mansell into 5th. Do I have the right man, Charles? (sounded like some top racing in the report)

[speedman13]

Well done David, on the nail.
I was lucky enough to beat Nige on a number of occasions.
On the Motus topic, I was racing at Mondello in 1970 something and we had a free test day on the Friday, I went out in the morning and was finished by lunchtime and retired to the circuit bar. About 4pm Dud Mosely came in and offered me a drive in the Motus which I jumped at, he was not aware that by this time I had consumed quite a lot of the black stuff, my mates also took to the track to give me some grief and several hair raising laps ensued. Happy memories.

[Doc-L]

I was at Loughborough doing Auto Engineering in 1973 - a group of us got to know Keith and Dud (father and son, Dave!) at a time when they were getting together the following season's Motus ... my recollection was that this was designated Mk 6 or even Mk 7... but could be mistaken.

As we were looking for a project for our course in early 1974 we talked Keith into agreeing to do some wind tunnel work on the new kart. We produced a 1/4 or possibly 1/5 scale model and did a fairly extensive set of trials on tail length, nose configuration and the best position/size/shape for the rear wing. So - a small hand in the Motus' successes in 1974!

Our findings certainly informed the final details of that year's Motus - but I can't remember much about the detail. I had some great shots of the scale model in the wind tunnel (complete with smoke streaming), but even some time spent this last week has failed to track them down amongst my debris!

As a reward Keith lent us an early chassis to try out and one of us (not me) entered a meeting somewhere locally (may have been Fulbeck long circuit?). At the time, "us" included Neil Oatley - who would no doubt remember the detail much better than me!

Great times!!

[alansart]

Slightly OT, but Dud Moseley is also an accomplished Artist/Illustrator and ran (or maybe still runs) a Graphic Design business.

Is there no end to the mans talent

[Doc-L]

In fact his dad, Keith was also a talented artist and they had a studio near Loughborough where commercial art and innovative kart design rubbed comfortably alongside each other!

[David Beard]

Originally posted by Doc-L
In fact his dad, Keith was also a talented artist and they had a studio near Loughborough where commercial art and innovative kart design rubbed comfortably alongside each other!

Welcome "Doc-L"....can't think where I know you from ;)

I think I recall a series of greetings cards by Dud, featuring round faced little gangsters with machine guns.

Wasn't there also a clubmans sportscar Motus, as well as the karts and the S2000 car? (and of course Tony Marsh's Lotus 12 based special, to really confuse matters)

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by David Beard


Welcome "Doc-L"....can't think where I know you from ;)

I think I recall a series of greetings cards by Dud, featuring round faced little gangsters with machine guns.

Wasn't there also a clubmans sportscar Motus, as well as the karts and the S2000 car? (and of course Tony Marsh's Lotus 12 based special, to really confuse matters)

The Sports 2000 variant powers through Cascades at Oulton Park

Mind you the new one looks awesome

www.motus.co.uk

Kind regards

Phil

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
The Sports 2000 variant powers through Cascades at Oulton Park

Kind regards

Phil

Phil, what year was the photo taken?

Below is the Motus Mk 9B taken at Donington Park in 1979

[ghinzani]

Which was the first, les succesful, S2000? Id really like to see the bodywork of that one.

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Stephen W


Phil, what year was the photo taken?

Below is the Motus Mk 9B taken at Donington Park in 1979

Steve


Almost certain it was 1985 .......when I was but a lad ;)

Kind regards

Phil

[David Beard]

This seems to be the latest Motus S2000...(from the Sports 2000 site)

Why does the Motus car generally seem to be LHD?

[ghinzani]

Jeez thats mean looking. Anyone got a snap of the first S2000 at all?

[David Beard]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Jeez thats mean looking.

Agreed. But I've just noticed...why does it have lights?

[ghinzani]

Night racing? Something to do with the dark anyway, I'l wager.

[Doc-L]

I don't know how to do that clever "putting a bit of the last post in a white box thing" ... but - in answer to DABGP's question - "Why are Motus usually left hand drive?" - my naive input is ..... it's all to do with riding a bike....

Most circuits are run clockwise (I'll leave it to those much more knowledgeable than I to confirm the anomalies here ) - so with an inevitable preponderance of right hand bends, the driver is best positioned to view the road as far ahead as possible from the left hand side of the car ... anyone who practices advanced motorcycle riding techniques will recognise this as the only way to ride effectively!

Now, I am old(ish) and with poor memory (although not quite as old as my learned friend) but I could swear that the drive that the car is pictured on is the one up to the Mosely home/studio/race base in Leicestershire ... but I could be wrong!

[brakedisc]

Good theory for a motor bike, but !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a car and the weight of the driver is on the outside of the right hand bend and I would suggest that it would be better to have the weight on the inside closer to the arc centre of rotation. Centrifugal force and all that.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by brakedisc
Good theory for a motor bike, but !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a car and the weight of the driver is on the outside of the right hand bend and I would suggest that it would be better to have the weight on the inside closer to the arc centre of rotation. Centrifugal force and all that.

But then if you slightly off-set the engine to compensate you get the best of both worlds! Also with left hookers you have a bit more clearance to fit the gearchange. It's swings and round-abouts!

[D-Type]

Originally posted by Doc-L
I don't know how to do that clever "putting a bit of the last post in a white box thing" ~

Just use the button marked "Quote" at the top of the posting you want to quote and your reply box opens up with the quote all formatted. As you can see it's possible to cobble it to suit. When you've written your bit, use the "Preview Reply" button at the bottom to make sure it looks OK. If it doesn't, scroll down and make any changes and hit "Preview Reply" again. If you are happy hit "Submit Reply". I can do it so it must be easy.

I'm not sure about the visibility idea. After all, way back when, the likes of Bugatti and Maserati made their racers right hand drive so the driver could see the apex and presumably his front wheel.

Indianapolis "Roadsters" for anticlockwise racing were right hand drive. This allowed the engine and transmission to be offset to the left - and they weigh more than the driver...

I like Steve W's suggestion that in a tight cockpit it leaves more room for a (right hand) gear change.

But the odds are it's for a completely different reason.

Lights? Because sports car regulations require them as part of the pretence that the cars are road cars.

[David Beard]

LHD?

I would have thought on a clockwise circuit that RHD generally helps in placing the car on the apex, and that in the event of the scenery on the outside of the track getting closer than it should be, RHD would again be the preferred option!

[Phil Rainford]

On display at the NEC today.....





Kind regards

Phil

[Krazylady]

I know this topic is a little outdated now but I am amazed to see people talking about the karts and cars my grandad built and my dad racing them hehe!!! I even liked the theories regarding LHD etc..

cant remember everything everybody put, but the picture of the new car is taken on the drive of the house in leicestershire although my parents have recently moved from there. My grandad is still doing what he does best building cars and paper engineering for the family company. 83 he is now... ( or 84 lol ) and my 96 year old gran is still helping with making bodywork moulds... Grandad likes to get her sanding them down LOL.... nothing will ever change in my family

One of the Karts sold on ebay this year, which is a weird thing to see, I have to say...




Anyway I guess I just wanted to say hello, and I know that my dad would love to hear from anyone he used to race with or knowd from days of old!!

take care

Christine

[ghinzani]

Hello Christine, just seen your PM, apart from the thread on here and the similar ones on Karting.co.uk I cant offer more, I was just an interested spectator of the S2000 cars but also very intrigued by the karts also. Very much a family dynasty you have!

[DogEarred]

I know this topic is a little outdated now but I am amazed to see people talking about the karts and cars my grandad built and my dad racing them hehe!!! I even liked the theories regarding LHD etc..

cant remember everything everybody put, but the picture of the new car is taken on the drive of the house in leicestershire although my parents have recently moved from there. My grandad is still doing what he does best building cars and paper engineering for the family company. 83 he is now... ( or 84 lol ) and my 96 year old gran is still helping with making bodywork moulds... Grandad likes to get her sanding them down LOL.... nothing will ever change in my family

One of the Karts sold on ebay this year, which is a weird thing to see, I have to say...




Anyway I guess I just wanted to say hello, and I know that my dad would love to hear from anyone he used to race with or knowd from days of old!!

take care

Christine

I personally never had any dealings with Dud other than to nod hello to, but I do recall an incident during a 250cc kart race at Brands Hatch in about 1972/3.

There were 2 or 3 Motus karts in the race and one of them (not Dud) went sideways at the bottom of Paddock bend, slid over the kerbs, took off about 2 feet and flew directly into the wooden sleepers which were only about 10 yards from the track at that time. He slammed completely side on with a mighty thud. He was taken away & I for one feared the worse. It transpired that although knocked unconcious he was happily basically ok.

I think the extra structure around the sides prevented worse injuries that might have been incurred in one of the conventional karts which had no bodywork & were completely open.
I also wonder whether the smoother underside might have contibuted to the launch in the first place.

I probably still have the programme if you want the names.

[David Beard]

I personally never had any dealings with Dud other than to nod hello to, but I do recall an incident during a 250cc kart race at Brands Hatch in about 1972/3.

There were 2 or 3 Motus karts in the race and one of them (not Dud) went sideways at the bottom of Paddock bend, slid over the kerbs, took off about 2 feet and flew directly into the wooden sleepers which were only about 10 yards from the track at that time. He slammed completely side on with a mighty thud. He was taken away & I for one feared the worse. It transpired that although knocked unconcious he was happily basically ok.

I think the extra structure around the sides prevented worse injuries that might have been incurred in one of the conventional karts which had no bodywork & were completely open.
I also wonder whether the smoother underside might have contibuted to the launch in the first place.

I probably still have the programme if you want the names.

The name Egan springs to mind?
Sure this wasn't 74/75?

[DogEarred]

The name Egan springs to mind?
Sure this wasn't 74/75?

You are almost certainly correct. I cannot access the programme at the moment & worked from (fuzzy) memory.

[racingreen]

I know this topic is a little outdated now but I am amazed to see people talking about the karts and cars my grandad built and my dad racing them hehe!!! I even liked the theories regarding LHD etc..

cant remember everything everybody put, but the picture of the new car is taken on the drive of the house in leicestershire although my parents have recently moved from there. My grandad is still doing what he does best building cars and paper engineering for the family company. 83 he is now... ( or 84 lol ) and my 96 year old gran is still helping with making bodywork moulds... Grandad likes to get her sanding them down LOL.... nothing will ever change in my family

One of the Karts sold on ebay this year, which is a weird thing to see, I have to say...




Anyway I guess I just wanted to say hello, and I know that my dad would love to hear from anyone he used to race with or knowd from days of old!!

take care

Christine

Hi Christine,
I just acquired one of the MOTUS Kart/cars. Pics attached.
Could Dud identify which one this is, know any history or recognise this particular chassis? It is in orange gell coat and the name Dave Morgan on the bodywork.
Best,
David.

http://img841.images...5/photo11dt.jpg
http://img34.imagesh...2/photo22wz.jpg
http://img851.images...03/photo31i.jpg

[racingreen]

I know this topic is a little outdated now but I am amazed to see people talking about the karts and cars my grandad built and my dad racing them hehe!!! I even liked the theories regarding LHD etc..

cant remember everything everybody put, but the picture of the new car is taken on the drive of the house in leicestershire although my parents have recently moved from there. My grandad is still doing what he does best building cars and paper engineering for the family company. 83 he is now... ( or 84 lol ) and my 96 year old gran is still helping with making bodywork moulds... Grandad likes to get her sanding them down LOL.... nothing will ever change in my family

One of the Karts sold on ebay this year, which is a weird thing to see, I have to say...




Anyway I guess I just wanted to say hello, and I know that my dad would love to hear from anyone he used to race with or knowd from days of old!!

take care

Christine

Hi Christine,
I just acquired one of the MOTUS Kart/cars. Pics attached.
Could Dud identify which one this is, know any history or recognise this particular chassis? It is in orange gell coat and the name Dave Morgan on the bodywork.
Best,
David.

http://img841.images...5/photo11dt.jpg
http://img34.imagesh...2/photo22wz.jpg
http://img851.images...03/photo31i.jpg

[racingreen]

Hi Christine,
I just acquired one of the MOTUS Kart/cars. Pics attached.
Could Dud identify which one this is, know any history or recognise this particular chassis? It is in orange gell coat and the name Dave Morgan on the bodywork.
Best,
David.

http://img841.images...5/photo11dt.jpg
http://img34.imagesh...2/photo22wz.jpg
http://img851.images...03/photo31i.jpg

By racingreen at 2011-05-28


By racingreen at 2011-05-28


By racingreen at 2011-05-28


By racingreen at 2011-05-28


By racingreen at 2011-05-28


By racingreen at 2011-05-28