Norton prepare for the Isle of Man TT Races 1948

www.dukevideo.c...
A short but wonderfully nostalgic visual record of the 1948 Isle of Man TT featuring pre-race activities and action footage. 1948 saw a record number of entries as Norton, Velocette and Moto Guzzis dominated. Stars of the post War era - Freddie Frith, Bob Foster, Artie Bell and other familiar faces were drawn once more to this legendary road racing festival. Probably the first TT film produced after the Second World War, this recently discovered film won an award for its enthusiastic producer Sam Coles. There is no sound other than the informed commentary of Graham Walker but this in no way detracts from the atmosphere and excitement of another chapter in Isle of Man road racing history.
Easy to see why it won an award for its producer...excellent viewing and well worth the asking price' Met On Wheels

[@windyworm]

That brought back memories of stripping down a 350 cc AJS racing engine with hair-clip valve springs. Great film.

[@timcolledge3732]

What a bloody brilliant film!!!👍👍

[@carlnapp8673]

What a refreshing comment that was! Isn't it a pleasure to listen to a reporter who knows what he is talking about. And It's so good to see the old and honourable craftsmanship again. One has to admire what they did without computers but with brains, today it's vice versa sometimes.

[@zennor_man]

Agreed...brilliant commentary& wonderful craftmanship..

[@joeladamcharlesworth2379]

loved watching this my great,great, uncle wont the senior clubmans race on one of these in 1952, Ivor Kenneth Arber (Sgt. I.K Arber) then died defending his title the year after. I'm forever in awe of the guys that race this circuit, from past to present, but its nice to have a claim to fame aswell. Lovely to see how they were assembled way back when

[@turdbucket5424]

Its Awesome to See old clips like this! Can't wait for this years TT!

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Brilliant clip thanks for taking the time to post this :)

[@sicks6six]

Them valve springs are something else. Ive never seen a top end with them. Fitted to stop coil spring bounce I assume. They look like a home made bodge job.

[@SuperAggripa]

Look at that casting on the AJS twin at the end, holy cooling fins !

[@joepkortekaas8813]

The first 500 cc world champion!

[@Steve765]

What a brilliant piece of film. Can't imagine anyone wanting to change valve springs on today's bikes mid race! More please.

[@bronconv]

Very cool! Hope to see more like this from TT history.

[@fredfarnackle5455]

Ahhh, I loved the sight of all those open megaphones! There is nothing like listening to a big bore single roaring down the road 'on the mega'.

[@375GTB]

Our Ducati Diana 250 was glorious at full chat.. 10,200 rpm with tuning. 117 mph on our Eight Mile Dead End... No fairing c.1970 Tampa FLA! Hairpin valve springs Raced on our 1.7 mile 12 turn Dade City Fairgrounds , FLA road course.. Hilly cattle country, tall oak trees and a tiny bit of Manx TT to it all.. Fastest lap was a 185 cc Kawasaki single in a Rickman Metisse frame. 190lbs with 110 pound rider... We raced against Bultaco, Montessa and OSSA 250 dirt bikes with Pirelli Universals on them.. Putting their feet down... on pavement! I tuned and tested.. Cousin had 40 lbs on me... and had GT&E medical insurance! Good Times!

[@thra5herxb12s]

My Neighbours would disagree with you on that one.👍

[@inkitatus1]

Brilliant, love the commentary! Thanks :-)

[@hhoward14]

You may like to know: that is the voice of Graham Walker, Murray Walker's Dad...

[@nitro74cs]

very interesting, it is much easier to understand from the way he speaks. off the topic but I like the slick hair styles from those days.

[@PurityVendetta]

We still true up tls shoes in a lathe in exactly the same way. I was fascinated to notice my own 1960/61 Man front brake has two different compounds on each shoe. One for the leading edge and another for the main area of the shoe.

[@andysolution62]

in my opinion, the ingegnieure of this time were BETTER than today: they were more honest they had a lot more fun they were proud of the created work they lived for their work ......

[@mattw8834]

Great machines. A real leader in the motorcycle industry

[@thra5herxb12s]

These old single cylinder engines still dominated the TT all through the 60s and were still competitive in the 70s.

[@joepkortekaas8813]

Because there was nothing else!

[@375GTB]

Into the early '60s Behind the MV Agusta 4s of Sir John Surtees Then the Honda multi-cylinder bikes of Mike Hailwood, thru 1967. the 3's and 6's of Giacomo Augustini... PRIVATEERS got regulated to Manx , AJS and G50 singles For the rest of the TT fields... Accurate history, please NOT your Limey chauvinism.... J.C.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Only because of the riders and lack of decent competition. Factories liked them because a single is cheap. One of everything.

[@noodlesflawed4800]

Damn fine vid! The megaphone exhaust was std. Now Historic racing MC clubs in Australia have been hit with noise abatements and are required to muffle these classic bikes! Got to love the wooden crates stacked in the corner with performance parts to test.

[@grahampalmer9337]

Hairpin valve springs - a 1920's Sunbeam invention; for the model 8's & 9's

[@nonokastle8699]

Hello , can you tell us more about the valves , valve springs and heads of this machine. Did they sold comp-client bikes with these attachements.

[@OriginalMythBuster]

More please!

[@patmays7344]

I hope they spent more than 4 minutes to prepare for the TT?

[@eslermanu47]

PROPER DAYS OF RACING THROUGH YOUR COMPUTERS IN THE BIN AND LET PROPER MEN RACE THE BIKE

[@Luke-Harno3]

Very nice ! :)

[@ashtea23]

Them old boxes with the best parts in lok

[@thepeacefultemple1434]

Does anyone know any more about the rider JEC Purnell?

[@cainepegg7440]

Excellent to hear the commentary of the BBC Motorsport Journalist and Commentator Graham Walker (Murray Walker's Dad). He was a great commentator, maybe more informative than the legend - His son, Murray Walker.

[@threepot]

Were those brake linings asbestos?😕

[@hhoward14]

Yes, and the dust mixed in with the tobacco nicely....

[@roopeshlloydpratapyerragun8262]

Isle of Mann.

[@flyingmerkel6]

Replacing valve springs in the middle of a race on the side of the track? Modern riders have it easy

[@jorgegarnica9554]

2 dislikes WTF ? its a fucking cool video

[@carlnapp8673]

There are cyclist who hold their noses when you pass them on your classic motor-bike. These barmpots who think to be the good fellows only because they dare riding a bicycle whilst roush-hour traffic. They are those who dislike a priceless video like this one. I think I'm going to invite one of them to join me at work, when I drive trough a tight city on my 8-wheeler and some biking lunatics don't know how near they...

[@Jungleland33]

And everybody was shocked when the Japanese decimated the British motorcycle industry. No wonder looking at this.

[@sampicentri4993]

En argentina tenemos una 1949 doble arbol

[@57dogsbody]

Hilarious. Really enjoyed that !!

[@jafo49]

I wonder if the brake lining is asbestos

[@375GTB]

Ferodo Green Stuff! Best ever!

[@Coltnz1]

The brake linings were asbestas they could make in those days.

[@375GTB]

Not yet for the sprung Feather Bed frame! Old plunger frame... Long stroke Manx.... Corr!

[@hhoward14]

"Not yet the 'Feather bed' frame". No. But in this film Rex Mcandless can be seen, working on the rear suspension of one of the Works bikes. If my memory serves me right: he was the designer of the "Feather Bed frame"... I think at one time he made "bolt on" swinging arm conversions for Nortons.... Historic film.

[@375GTB]

Yes, of course, historically true but the historically unique Featherbed frame is not shown here. As I stated.... I know my histories... People like: Phil Irving Phil Remington Alf Francis and many more boffins the world over J.C. Age 72

[@hhoward14]

@@375GTB Emails are not the best form of speaking, as we all know, the only point I was making was the brief clip of Rex McCandless at 1:43.... H.W Aged 78. Mgp. 63. 64. 68. Very best regards. H.W.

[@spyderz1303]

When that chap was machining up the brake linings, they were most likely mad from asbestos and he was probably not wearing a mask.

[@moebeausoleil9654]

+spyderz1303 reminds me of my wrenching days back in the60`s we did the same resizing on car brakes without a thought

[@spyderz1303]

+moe beausoleil I did the asbestos course at work a few years ago. Real eye opener too. The kids of people working with asbestos would come out to say hello to daddy and put their arms around him. Just one fibre was all it took and they had asbestosis as well. Submariners worked in a closed environment with lots of asbestos. It was an occupational disease.

[@franzkass5639]

In those times nearly nobody cared for it - though it was known that asbestos can damage the lungs since about 1900! See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_impact_of_asbestos#History_of_health_concerns_and_regulation

[@franzkass5639]

Clark Kent: they did KNOW the danger but did not CARE!

[@henseleric]

@@franzkass5639 The young never care -same with cigarettes. Regulations take over where youth and stupidity end.

[@manslayer2818]

Mesin langsung rakit ditempat

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I wonder if those brake blokes died of asbestosis??

[@lastup4170]

:)

[@Corinthian44]

A pity his feeble , timorous son , Murray wasn't as forthright !

[@Unfunny_Username_389]

firm - but fair

[@rlee7985]

n,l