1326 replies to this topic

[fil2.8]

Just read the very sad news that top tiddler rider Cees van Dongen has passed away today.RIP Cees

HW

Yes , very sad news indeed , RIP Cees

[exclubracer]

Very sad news indeed, Cees was an innovative and forward-thinking engineer. R.I.P.

[roadshop]

Very sad news indeed, Cees was an innovative and forward-thinking engineer. R.I.P.

Must have been one of the longest road racing careers ever perfomed by CEES VAN DONGEN RIP

[50cc racer]

One fast Dane back on track:

1967:


2012:




50cc racer

[FG46]

Who, Where, and What?



Hint: T54 may know these guys!



50cc racer

Racer No. 374 was Jeff Parriot the son of Buddy Parriot (Norton Manx 500 racer) and he is riding the Suzuki 50 cc (TS 50). I built. I realy loved working on this engine!
My development on this 5-speed, air cooled engine reached eventually 13.5 HP from the 9-9.5 HP claimed on the Hop-up Kit Suzuki made available to racers.

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 17:59.

[FG46]

Who where and what?





50cc racer

Hi 50cc racer!

It looks like the picture with the three bikes (Jeff Parriot #374 Suzuki, Philippe De Lespinay #224 Ringhini, and Bob Nolan #787 Villa) of my team is no longer visible...any reasons?

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 17:59.

[FG46]

Never mind! There it is:

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:00.

[FG46]

These are the three stages the Ringhini went through (in USA):

As arrived:



First makeup:



Major transformation (Willow Spring 1981):



The Suzuki TS50 in the background was also one of my bikes (only the engine rests in my basement and 4 more).

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:01.

[FG46]

What, when, who and for how much?

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:02.

[FG46]

This was the radical version of my Suzuki TS50 conversion:

Liquid cooled, reverse intake side, reduced crank case volume and crank shaft, 5 speed close-ratio gearbox, dry clutch, electric coolant pump, Kroeber ignition.
Unfortunately I could not complete the development of this conversion.

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:02.

[FG46]

You bet your dry clutch I did!

Welcome to all our new online friends, please share your pictures and stories from your racing days... we enjoy them all!

Here is a pic of Yours Truly at Riverside in 1976, aboard an 8-speed water cooled Villa, a rather rare bike nowadays!



Walter and Francesco Villa were indeed very capable manufacturers as well as very talented racers...

T54

I'm sorry T54 but I have to correct your statemet: the bike you are riding in the picture is the Ringhini I purchased in Italy in 1974, the bike was repainted to Suzuki blue/white and had pumpless liquid cooling system, cast iron sleeve, 6 speed gearbox, dry clutch, Marzocchi front suspension, ignition system converted from dual-breaker point to electronic multi-spark Lucas system, magnesium 4-shoe Fontana front brake.
The bike was updated with Campagnolo wheels, new Marzocchi front suspension, 220 mm Brembo disk brakes, newly redesigned rear suspension, new Ringhini bottom end with Kreidler cylinder and Kroeber ignition.
After the conversion, you clocked me at 105 mph with your radar gun at Ontario in 1980-1981.
With this bike I eventually won the AMF 1981 club title....It is presently hanging in my basement.

This is the same bike after a major revision (Willow Spring - 1980-1981)

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:03.

[FG46]

This Villa is very similar to the one I raced in California in the mid-1970s... it was very fast and remarkably reliable. Thanks German gods for Nikasil, F.A.G. celron-cage bearings and Mahle pistons...

Correction T54: the Villa you used in practice only (courtesy ride) in California, it had a cast iron sleeve with Asso piston and good italian engineering (for those days). The reason I know is because I was there and I still have the bike! (I still own all three: Villa, Ringhini and Suzuki bikes reported racing in the Californian circuits). I'll be very surprised if there are any other Villa 50cc GP racers in this country.

[FG46]

You bet your dry clutch I did!

Welcome to all our new online friends, please share your pictures and stories from your racing days... we enjoy them all!

Here is a pic of Yours Truly at Riverside in 1976, aboard an 8-speed water cooled Villa, a rather rare bike nowadays!



Walter and Francesco Villa were indeed very capable manufacturers as well as very talented racers...

T54

Same error T54: this is my Ringhini, loaned as a curtesy ride to you from yours truly (red shirt behind you).



and with Bob Nolan's number:

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:05.

[FG46]

Well done HW and Poul Erik - California 1976 Ontario: #374 Jeff (?) Suzuki TS50, #225 Philippe deLespinay Ringhini, #787 Bob Nolan Villa.
All bikes owned by team leader Franco Garavoglia, who supplied these special pictures from the US 50cc racing scene.



50cc racer

No. 374 was Jeff Parriot riding a Suzuki TS50 conversion for Road Racing, the grandson of Buddy Parriot, famous Norton Manx 500 racer.

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 18:07.

[exclubracer]

A few photos from Tonfanau on Sunday, the little 'uns were going very well, to my knowledge the only other circuits where the 50s race in the UK are Three Sisters and Aberdare, a pity because they go really well and all the riders are real fanatics for this class.













Some serious engineering work has gone into these little gems!!

[FG46]

What, when, who and for how much?

This bike is the "Garbage Can Special" in the condition as it was sold back to Phelippe DeLespinay. The owner at that time (in the '80s) was Doug Stanton (50 cc racer) who planned to race it in 1983, but unfortunately the club (AMF) killed the 125cc class. Doug Stanton purchased the bike from Bob Nolan at the end of 1982 (for the price Bob Nolan paid when he purchased it from Phelippe DeLespinay). Phelippe DeLespinay's account of  his GCS's re-acquisition differs greatly from my understanding of the facts!

Bob Nolan found the engine very peaky (narrow usable range) and, as a consequence, the original engine was replaced with 6-transfer ports, air-cooled TA125, with a 6-speed transmission (Ringhini-made kit used for European go-kart racing) and dry-clutch (I prepared and dyno-tested this engine and I still have it). Bob Nolan raced the GCS for a year (1982), restored it with Phelippe DeLespinay's water-cooled engine and other parts and sold it at end of the racing season to Doug Stanton. The picture below shows the GCS with my TA125 engine, Bob Nolan, and Roy Aguilo at Ontario, CA in 1982.

 

Edited by FG46, 07 December 2015 - 17:42.

[janadriaan]

Ton Kooyman , passed away r.i.p

[janadriaan]

https://knmvwegraces...p-carousel-2369

[Eldert]

Ton was a reguler contributer on this forum under the HEMEYLA name

 

Ton R.I.P.

 

Eldert

[SMonty]

Aw, so sad. A very knowledgeable contributor who I enjoyed a lot.

 

Godspeed Buddy.

[exclubracer]

Hi chaps.

 

I thought I'd ask the knowledgeable chaps on here, had a query from Zac Grief, dad of 50cc classic club 2015 champion Sam Grief, he's looking for the original green paint code for a '72 Van Veen Kreidler 50.

 

Hope someone here can help. 

Edited by exclubracer, 29 February 2016 - 17:48.

[GTPRacing]

I'll repeat some advice that you gave to me a while back. Try Chris Alty at carbonfibreworks.co.uk                                                                     Chris still has his Van Veen Kreidler, which is also painted in the Kreidler green.                                                                                              It's highly likely that he would know the paint code.           

[Paul Collins]

From what I've seen on some classic car programmes on the box, even without the paint code a lot of paint shops can now analyse a tiny fragment of original paint in a high tech machine and produce the exact colour match.

[exclubracer]

Many thanks for the replies GTP Racing and Paul Collins. Sorted now, thanks to Décio Dores on FB. The colur is LA6S - Science Green metallic.

 

Whatever did we do before the internet? 

[jeep50]

Hi all, I am looking for information to build a page in the Classic 50 History Site. The page is to be on the Pope Special and so any information would be useful. the site is www.classic50racingclub.co.uk 

[T54]

There has not been a new post here, since November 2016. Would some be interested in reviving this subject?
Please let me know.

 

[barrykm]

Well, I just thought I would have a look after a long while...no burning need, just a whiff of nostalgia out of nowhere  !