Crescent powered sidecar, 1967? What do you know?

[steve-e]

I've had an email from someone asking about the Crescent powered sidecar built in 1967.
We believe it was built by Eric Parkinson? What more do you know, where did it go, who had it, what engine was it?
Show us what you know

[Bob B]

If it is the Crescent engine that I'm thinking of it is a 500cc triple smoker. Only ever seen one, well two, actually in an outfit built by by John Vines of Leigh-on-Sea. Occasionally turned out in CRMC events in the early years and sounded superb.

[ronno]

Eric got it built just in time for 1967 TT .....or might have even finished building it in the paddock
There was a photo on here a while ago from RP (last on page 1 of this link)
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=21280&hilit=parkinson

Eric did also race Hydroplanes so that is probably where he got the inspiration from.
He passed away in 2007 ? after a long illness.

Rudi Kurth used a Crescent from about 1968? I'm sure Dane will be along soon to confirm

[ronno]

Bill Hodgkins also used a Crescent engine in a troubled 1975 season....
Don't know if it was this one or not

[Malcolm]

What Ronno said is correct Eric Parkinson’s business was at the top of my garden, and I spent a lot of my free time with Eric and Roy Philpot his passenger on the build up to the 1967 TT Eric was extremely busy at work, and had no time to work on the bike even less fit the engine to his home built chassis. Derek Bayley and I were competing on his previous year’s chassis over on the Island also in 67.
Eric loaded the chassis, engine and parts in the van and left for the island, on arrival he set about to make a bike to ride spending hours in some IOM engineering shops making engine plates and various parts slowly making the bike for initial practice also complicating the issue was that Eric also decided to make his own discs out of 2 metals together which also needed machining and mounting maybe he missed the first early morning practice I do not remember, but finally had a mobile bike with the Crescent engine mounted then to make the exhausts finally it ran and created vast interest from all the competitors but mainly from Helmut Fath who spent hours looking over the bike trying to work out how much horsepower would ultimately be at the rear wheel, any way practice took its toll not only on the engine but also on the innovative discs which unfortunately distorted under the braking heat. I am not sure but I think Eric did not finish the 2 races Ronno will know as Derek, Ronno, and myself all lived in the same street and later Darren Dixon also lived in the street. ( Maybe should be renamed Sidecar Street)
The biggest problem with the crescent was the oil not being able to preserve the high temperatures the engine produced as in the hydroplane it had continuous cold water going through it and the engine only had small water jackets and in the sidecar with limited resources to have enough cooling the oil was stressed to the limit causing seizure more often than not. The engine was later used by many people in solos and sidecars along with Rudi Kurth and Dane Rowe with there futuristic Cat a beautiful bike but like Eric Rudi suffered also problems engine wise then along came the other hydroplane engine of the time the infamous Konig.

[Helen Gibson]

http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events ... de_id=2236

[ronno]

Thanks H
I remember my Brother saying they finished,brought it home in 11th (and Derek + Malcolm 18th on their debut)

http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events ... race_seq=4

[2cycledave]

Hello All, Dave the new guy here.
I'm the guy who sent Steve a simlpe e-mail this morning regarding Mr.Parkinson and his Crescent powered marvel. He suggested that I join this forum that I never knew existed, and was kind enough to post my question before I was even approved as a new member - Thanks Steve !
I belong to a handful of motorcycle related forums, including "Kawasaki triples", which like many forums, has it's resident experts on 3-cylindered smokey contraptions. Even they were Totally stumped on this Parkinson fella and his "triple" powered machine. I can't wait to share the precious knowledge that I'm picking up here. I can't get enough ! My god, you all simply amaze me with your knowlege, experence and most interesting of all, your personal recolections. Thank you all !
I feel that Mr.Parkinson was a true pioneer for doing what he did with a bleeding Boat engine, and I'll see to it that his story be known.
Cheers !!
Dave ,from NY
PS
I'll save my thoughts on Mr.Fath and the urs for another post

[ronno]

Hi Dave,and welcome
I will see if my Brother has any more "Parkie" stories from that time,I was only a nipper when all that was taking place

Eric's business ,"Light Engineering" ,was always very busy,and a lot of work was with the Cross Channel Hovercrafts,which were,like his sidecars, also in need of constant attention

[Malcolm]

Blimey 79 starters where have they all gone how many start these days and i suppose only Moly still builds his bikes right upto the start of practice on the island these days.
Malcolm

[dick hawes]

I remember passengering for Roy Pike at the October International in 1966or1967 and dicing with Eric Parkinson
who was passengered by Derek Bailey on a crescent outfit.
Bill Hodgkins and John Parkins did the GP'S for a season on a really well turned out [as are all Bills machines] crescent
but it lacked reliability and performance.
John Carpenter of Mistral Engineering built three solos for Crescent motors,one for Peter Humber,one for Willy Ryan
the hydroplane sponsor, and one for himself. They failed to perform despite a special transmision and other mods.
John then used the rolling chassis to house his own crankcased yamaha engine which he campaigned with good
results including the MGP. He was looking for an ignition system and contacted Lucas who supplied a set of RITA
electronic componants. John liased with Lucas and ended up the manufacturer of RITA kits for many models.
He is still selling various m/c systems.
I owe him a lot. When I was preparing with Jim Mann for our first TT in 1966 we had a last minute change or rear wheel
to effect. John stood on one leg for days,following a crash at clearways and a broken ankle making spindles,spacers etc.
Dick Hawes

[Wal]

That will be one of these then !!

[Lydden 21]

I remember Eric's business as being always very busy, with all sorts of work happening at once in a sort of organised chaos ! The Cresent powered outfit left for the island as a collection of bits and an almost rolling chassis, so it was a huge effort just to get it finished in time, and to be the best placed "privateer" behind factory BMW and BSA coming home in 11th was a massive achievment. Eric was interviewed on one of those 78rpm records ...Sounds of the TT...or some similar name.
Eric, Derek, and Malcolm were also at the same time building my chassis from a chopped up featherbed and a few sticks of reynolds 531 tube. Never a dull moment around Eric, and some of the stories of "off track" activities went well with his larger than life reputation !

[malcolm aldrick]

The Cresent outfit that was built by John Vines Ltd (Now the Leigh-on-Sea Kawasaki Center) was a Six cylinder outfit. it had Two 3 cylinder Cresent engines, driving the power to the wheel through a Honda CB750 gearbox with John's own famous "Brass Clutch" fitted.

I rode it at Snetterton in the 80's it was faster than any TZ750, but it suffered with water pump trouble.

Would love to know where it is now, is it still around and in running order?

[sidecar bloke]

I was talking to Peter O'Dell at Cadwell this year. He said to me " I have a twin engined Cresent outfit in the back of my workshop - it's original. I asked your predecessor if there was any chance of using it"...... apparently he just laughed. I'll try to get him onto Steve's Place but that depends how quickly Steve authorises new contributors. If you PM me with either your private email address or phone number I will pass this onto Peter and he can get in touch with you direct.

Ian