Ben Walker
Department Director
Lot 240
Egli-Triumph 750cc OHC Racing Motorcycle
Registration no. not registered Frame no. none visible Engine no. unstamped
Amended
19 October 2019, 14:00 BST
Stafford, Staffordshire County ShowgroundSold for £6,900 inc. premium
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Egli-Triumph 750cc OHC Racing Motorcycle
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. none visible
Engine no. unstamped
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. none visible
Engine no. unstamped
• One of two prototype engines used
• Built by Bill Crosby
Ever since Honda's ground-breaking CB750 arrived in 1968 it has been de rigeur for sportsbike engines to have an upstairs camshaft, preferably two, which is one of the reasons that BSA-Triumph began experimenting with this arrangement in the early 1970s. The other was the need to reduce engine clatter in line with impending changes in noise regulations in the USA. They built two engines: one with a chain-driven camshaft, the other with belt drive. Bill Crosby acquired the BSA belt-drive motor circa 1983 and some ten years later built in into a working Rocket III. Triumph race shop foreman Les Williams identified the engine as having been built by Fred Swift at BSA's Kitts Green factory in 1974. The OHC Rocket III was completed in time for the 1993 Beezumph Rally at Cadwell Park where it performed faultlessly and to much acclaim.
Bill thought it was a shame that the factory did not take their prototype OHC engine to the next stage and build one to racing specification. Back in the days when he sponsored 24-hour endurance racing, Bill had bought one of the new Egli-type frames for the triple. One of the world's best known motorcycle frame makers, Swiss engineer Fritz Egli had built his first frame in what would turn out to be a highly successful attempt to tame the wayward handling of his Vincent v-twin race bike. The Vincent used a spine-type frame and so did Egli, though his was tubular rather than box-section and all-welded rather than bolt-up in construction. This trademark large-diameter spine has been a feature of virtually all Egli's frames made since, proving adaptable to almost all types of motorcycle engine layout from British singles to across-the-frame Japanese fours. Countless replicas have been made since Fritz stopped building them himself.
As it turned out, Bill and the riders felt the Egli frame was unsuitable for endurance racing, and so when this new project was hatched, he had the ideal frame 'in stock'. Bill had a racing camshaft made with suitable ends for the OHC application, and using parts of the 'spare' prototype OHC engine he owned, he built a track bike. The machine has been running but needs attention to the ignition/timing. There are no documents with this Lot.
• Built by Bill Crosby
Ever since Honda's ground-breaking CB750 arrived in 1968 it has been de rigeur for sportsbike engines to have an upstairs camshaft, preferably two, which is one of the reasons that BSA-Triumph began experimenting with this arrangement in the early 1970s. The other was the need to reduce engine clatter in line with impending changes in noise regulations in the USA. They built two engines: one with a chain-driven camshaft, the other with belt drive. Bill Crosby acquired the BSA belt-drive motor circa 1983 and some ten years later built in into a working Rocket III. Triumph race shop foreman Les Williams identified the engine as having been built by Fred Swift at BSA's Kitts Green factory in 1974. The OHC Rocket III was completed in time for the 1993 Beezumph Rally at Cadwell Park where it performed faultlessly and to much acclaim.
Bill thought it was a shame that the factory did not take their prototype OHC engine to the next stage and build one to racing specification. Back in the days when he sponsored 24-hour endurance racing, Bill had bought one of the new Egli-type frames for the triple. One of the world's best known motorcycle frame makers, Swiss engineer Fritz Egli had built his first frame in what would turn out to be a highly successful attempt to tame the wayward handling of his Vincent v-twin race bike. The Vincent used a spine-type frame and so did Egli, though his was tubular rather than box-section and all-welded rather than bolt-up in construction. This trademark large-diameter spine has been a feature of virtually all Egli's frames made since, proving adaptable to almost all types of motorcycle engine layout from British singles to across-the-frame Japanese fours. Countless replicas have been made since Fritz stopped building them himself.
As it turned out, Bill and the riders felt the Egli frame was unsuitable for endurance racing, and so when this new project was hatched, he had the ideal frame 'in stock'. Bill had a racing camshaft made with suitable ends for the OHC application, and using parts of the 'spare' prototype OHC engine he owned, he built a track bike. The machine has been running but needs attention to the ignition/timing. There are no documents with this Lot.
Footnotes
As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.
Saleroom notices
There are some ignition instructions offered with the machine.