AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2023 6:10 pm**

Groily wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 1:30 pm Think you are right J-B, as ever.
T' interweb says variously they're at Histon Road, also Chesterton Road (as originally) but also says on Flickr 'Dead and Gorn'. Maybe the daughter said Allins, or possibly Haywards, both of whom I think exist

In 2016 I collected my new 'Mutchless' (Chinese Herald 250 Classic) from Haywards in Cambridge. The grandfather was a despatch rider in WW2 and started the business when demobbed. His son and grandson were running it in 2016 and both are AMC fans riding trials on 350 Ajays. Loads of old Brit bikes in a shed round the back. The grandfather in his late 90's went there most days. Time-warp 'old school' workshops.

Haywards.png

Here's the grandfather on a 230cc Sterling at £9,200 which they were importing from a 'one man band' maker in Italy, (but soon gave it up). They are currently an official Enfield distributor.

Sterling 230cc Haywards.jpg

The 'Mutchless'

Mutchless Resized.JPG

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2023 8:11 pm**

I remember hallens very well! Bought my first two bikes there a honda ss50 at 16 then a cb250 g5! My late father signed the forms for the old higher purchase agreement for me !
How fast was that ss50 ! Went faster when I pedalled it!

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2023 8:25 pm**

Also PH Allins were a separate company based on hills Road Cambridge. Also bought a lovely Suzuki t350 from Andy Lee motorcycles on mill road in Cambridge in the 70’s
His son Michael became world speedway champion.

Posted: **Sat May 27, 2023 9:17 pm**

Groily wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:21 pm This showed up in another place, and I thought it might be appreciated on here too. I wonder if anyone recognises any of the people in the pix, or the shop for that matter?
CS x 3.jpg

Yes it includes my Fathers 1958 ISDT bike VLF403 that Bruce Main Smith and RGV wrongly identified as associated with Bob Mann’s VLC646 the other 350 the 500 VLF402 was Dave Curtis bike - the others are journalists and rep from AMC along with shop Owner Arnold - any one got copy of the press write ups in Motor cycle and other mags etc BMS book man and machines - there maybe inclusions in other books associated with Matchless and AMC. Sadly both Dads 56 and 58 bikes 500AJS and 350 Matchless have suffered poor misinformed reporting sadly historically

Posted: **Sat May 27, 2023 9:27 pm**

g80csp11 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:04 pm pre 61 as Norman went bust then , looks like short stoke singles so after 56 at a guesss

1958 ISDT Matchless team Mann’s Curtis Wicken VLC646 350 VLF402 500 and Sid Wicken VLF403 350 ISDT Garmisch All Golds

Posted: **Sat May 27, 2023 10:17 pm**

Joker_Bones wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:18 pm I knew I had seen that picture before, but couldn't think where and it bugged me till I found it...

isdt.JPG

It's in Bacon's postwar singles book, but the caption reads... Works Matchless singles used in the 1958 ISDT... with the pressmen from Motor Cycling

Is it any more informative iewrite on press day test by BCM and the others from MC it’s my Dads bike VLF403 Sid Wicken 226 Garmisch ISDT Bob Mann’s VLC646 Dave Curtis 500 VLF402

Posted: **Sat May 27, 2023 11:56 pm**

Great to hear from you Stephen...
I looked through what photos I could find on the Internet of the 1958 ISDT.
There were a few captioned 'Sid Wickens'... So that was VLF403!
The registration number exists still exists on the DVLA website, is the bike still in your family?

Posted: **Sun May 28, 2023 12:26 am**

Joker_Bones wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 11:56 pm Great to hear from you Stephen...
I looked through what photos I could find on the Internet of the 1958 ISDT.
There were a few captioned 'Sid Wickens'... So that was VLF403!
The registration number exists still exists on the DVLA website, is the bike still in your family?

Posted: **Sun May 28, 2023 12:36 am**

Joker_Bones wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:34 pm viney2.JPG
VLF403... the bike on the right in the 'Angus' photo?

VLF403 is Sid Wicken bike Bob Mann’s was VLC646 Dave Curtis 500 VLF402

Dad always regretted not exchanging £100 with AMC to keep it - he always said and claimed it was the very best of all his Works AMC bikes - it’s still around somewhere as still registered. Bob Mann’s was also sales manager and famously Commerfords wanted to order 100 short stroke Matchless AJS but factory was not interested Ohhh AMC demise
Any one know it’s current whereabouts and the other two 402 was a 500 Dave Curtis VLC646 was Bobs see also Welsh test picture 39

Posted: **Sun May 28, 2023 12:49 am**

Normans was another sad demise due to TI Raleigh 1961 - it might be of equal interest that Dad Sid Wicken rode for Norman in 54 and 55 Scottish SSDT beating one SHMiller to BestNewcomer Award Chamberlain Trophy in 1954 Sam collected R/up Ben Nevis Trophy. Sid Wicken completed in SSDT from 54 to 59 2ce Norman 3x Matchless 1x FB Special Ist on every occasion Jack Wicken won Newcomer in 53 and Welsh the only two brothers to consecutively win the Chamberlain Trophy Sid did the ISDT twice 56 and 58 as did Jack On Triumph, in 56 Sid on TGF706 AJS 500 sadly also misinformed reporting historically, even by Bonhamsagain recently

AJS & Matchless Owners Club

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