KGB outfits
Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:33 pm
In the early 70's, after I'd been preparing my race car for the Barcelona 1000kms at Keith Blayney's workshop in Wythall, he asked me to go and work for him and build a racing sidecar outfit. Peter Rust had ordered an Imp engined outfit for his brother Brian to race. I remember turning up at the new workshop in Minsterly near Stroud and being shown an Imp engine, three wheels and a turned headstock. I used 531 Reynolds tube to make the frame and suspension which I nickel bronze welded. When I'd finished it in 1974 we took it to Mallory Park for it's first race. In Brian Rust's capable hands it won first time out.
When we took the outfit to Imola in Italy the scrutineers didn’t believe the Imp engine for that race was only 750 cc. I removed the head as requested for the check (which it passed) and then spent the evening replacing the head with new wills rings ready for the race the next day.
While working for Keith I also built a second Imp engined KGB outfit ordered by someone new to sidecar racing in Gloucestershire. This 2nd outfit began it's life painted dark metallic blue.
The third and final outfit I made was more radical. More influenced by my car racing suspension knowledge. This used a Merc boat engine. I fabricated sheet metal single sided front and rear suspension arms using single spring damper units. This also allowed the wheels to be quickly changeable. This new Merc engined outfit for Brian Rust was taken together with the Imp engined outfit to the TT. I particularly remember riding the Imp engined outfit from the hotel on Douglas front up the hill to the paddock at the start.
After testing the Merc engined KGB outfit at Sulby it was taken for scrutineering. The scrutineers studied the outfit and it’s concept and eventually failed it. I’d fabricated the aluminium fuel tank into the shape of the complete chair floor. Including the passenger handles welded to the sides of the tank. The tank was attached at only three points to the chair frame. Although it was covered in a glass fibre sheet the scrutineers couldn’t allow a passenger to be hanging onto, and out of, nothing but the outfits fuel tank. You win some you lose some….
Sadly Keith Blayney has since died. I can only say what a real privilege it was to work for such a clever man.
And finally to my question: Does anyone know what happened to this Merc engined outfit. Or who owns it now?
Many thanks, Peter Davis
When we took the outfit to Imola in Italy the scrutineers didn’t believe the Imp engine for that race was only 750 cc. I removed the head as requested for the check (which it passed) and then spent the evening replacing the head with new wills rings ready for the race the next day.
While working for Keith I also built a second Imp engined KGB outfit ordered by someone new to sidecar racing in Gloucestershire. This 2nd outfit began it's life painted dark metallic blue.
The third and final outfit I made was more radical. More influenced by my car racing suspension knowledge. This used a Merc boat engine. I fabricated sheet metal single sided front and rear suspension arms using single spring damper units. This also allowed the wheels to be quickly changeable. This new Merc engined outfit for Brian Rust was taken together with the Imp engined outfit to the TT. I particularly remember riding the Imp engined outfit from the hotel on Douglas front up the hill to the paddock at the start.
After testing the Merc engined KGB outfit at Sulby it was taken for scrutineering. The scrutineers studied the outfit and it’s concept and eventually failed it. I’d fabricated the aluminium fuel tank into the shape of the complete chair floor. Including the passenger handles welded to the sides of the tank. The tank was attached at only three points to the chair frame. Although it was covered in a glass fibre sheet the scrutineers couldn’t allow a passenger to be hanging onto, and out of, nothing but the outfits fuel tank. You win some you lose some….
Sadly Keith Blayney has since died. I can only say what a real privilege it was to work for such a clever man.
And finally to my question: Does anyone know what happened to this Merc engined outfit. Or who owns it now?
Many thanks, Peter Davis