Quiz Sept. 2*

[jrt]

I haven't seen a quiz in a while, so I'll have a go. Here's one I've never seen before, so it hopefully will be a decent challenge. If you were in Davenport this Labor Day weekend, you are disqualified.

I need the maker, the year, the displacement. I believe the paint is original.

[DeBenGuzzi]

was it this ugly when it was new?

 

I have no idea in fact I think this is a one off worthy of that crazy kiwi

[callison]

International Harvester???

[Guest Nogbad]

It looks like a special bike built for a tractor pulling contest!

[Guzzirider]

Is it another mock up of the new rumoured Guzzi sports bike?

[g.forrest]

its a buell ! not sure if first or last model. it has belt drive.possible new anti vibe system on rear pulley. nothing to do with burt.

[jrt]

Umm, nope. I'll give a hint on Monday (my Monday, not you Aussies)

[macguzzi]

Jap powered threshing mill

[Frenchbob]

It's a racing bicycle pacing machine from the era, pre-war, of racing cycle record-setting, but I have no idea what make: a lot of these machines were specials, anyway. It could date from before WW1 to the late twenties, or even later. The cyclist would ride up behind the contraption at the rear [which would have been fitted with a sort of open-ended shed], in the slip-stream of this monster, and set unheard-of speed records. The huge pulley is qccounted for by the lack of a gearbox. Imagine commuting on that! [someone may have done: notice the modern levers]

 

If no-one gets closer than this, I claim my point! I thank you. It's about time I had another.

[jrt]

It's a racing bicycle pacing machine from the era, pre-war, of racing cycle record-setting, but I have no idea what make: a lot of these machines were specials, anyway. It could date from before WW1 to the late twenties, or even later. The cyclist would ride up behind the contraption at the rear [which would have been fitted with a sort of open-ended shed], in the slip-stream of this monster, and set unheard-of speed records. The huge pulley is qccounted for by the lack of a gearbox. Imagine commuting on that! [someone may have done: notice the modern levers]

 

If no-one gets closer than this, I claim my point! I thank you. It's about time I had another.

 

Aw, c'mon, without answering any of the criteria?

[Frenchbob]

Aw, c'mon, without answering any of the criteria?

 

Yup: ever the optimist!

[mike wilson]

Bob's absolutely on the money with the type of machine. Also, as he says, these were often one-offs, made with gigantic (for the time) engines. There is record of one with a V-8 Curtiss-Wright aircraft engine.

 

My guess would be a Cyclone. The date is even more difficult, as bits were replaced willy-nilly with whatever was handy. This machine may have been built originally before WWI but has engine and wheels from much later. Even the frame seems to have been replaced - welded frames were introduced quite recently. So it could even be a machine built in the 1950s from the remnants of a much earlier machine. As another guess, 1920.

 

WRT capacity, I am making another guess at 2litres based soely on an approximation of the cylinder size. It's an interesting engine; webbed case, OHV. Obviously had sporting pretensions when young.

[jrt]

Even the frame seems to have been replaced - welded frames were introduced quite recently. So it could even be a machine built in the 1950s from the remnants of a much earlier machine. As another guess, 1920.

 

I believe it is the original frame/engine/bars. Not sure about wheels, but they look original as well.

[mike wilson]

Front and back wheel are two different technologies. Front is normal (as used today) well rim, rear is beaded edge. I can't think any manufacturer would have built a machine like this, _unless_ it was a really small outfit that had a large stock of beaded edge tyres to use up. Later owners would have changed the front wheel (no brake, simple hub, very cheap) for the more modern well rim to get access to tyres instead of ones that were probably getting hard to buy. The rear wheel is more complex and would have been kept as it would require custom building and that was probably an expense that the owner wished to avoid.

 

Beaded edge went out of fashion (with bloody good reason) in the mid 1920s.

 

The frame just looks far too solid to be original. If you can find pictures of the Curtiss machine, its frame tubes are no bigger than bicycle ones though it is likely to be older than this machine. Even by the 1920s, the rear subframe would be much thinner than that pictured on a standard roadgoing machine - this one is designed for smooth board tracks so would likely be even lighter.

 

The forks look like 1930s Webbs, as fitted to Velocettes.

 

I assume my guesses are nowhere near correct?

[jrt]

I was going to say that if there is one thing that makes me envious, in so many of the photos that the Americans post, it is the grand spaciousness of their garages. They often look like second houses, for motorbikes and cars.

I won't argue one way or another, but I will say that other pictures I've seen have the same setup.

 

The frame just looks far too solid to be original.

 

I believe it is original.