Peter Williams

[philward]

 I nice video about Peter Williams and Dave Croxford and their time with JPS Norton.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-SOXVVdIZ4

Really enjoyed that video!

[AshimotoK0]

Found this in an old MCM Magazine. Fairly hi-res photos so should just about  be readable  Hopefully 

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[Spitfire]

Spurred on by this  I dug out some old photos from the 1970's of Peter Williams racing and was struck by the changes to racing circuits since then, the circuit is Oulton Park.




Cheers

Dennis

[taysidedragon]

Great photos Dennis 👍

[adespin]

 
 In 1970 i was in the grandstand in the background of the first picture at Lodge Corner. Happy Days. 

[MrDavo]

Lodge Corner - I was watching behind a chain link fence on the outside during one of the Easter UK / US Match Races when John Long threw a TZ700 at us which bounced off the fence right in front of my eyes!

The bottom photo is Old Hall Corner where in 1974 I saw Peter's career ending accident when his tank and seat unit came off. The marshals brought him over, unconscious to the edge of the spectator banking, and one of the medics asked the audience if anyone had a knife, to cut his leathers open. A large Outlaw type in front of me pulled out a flicknife which he handed over to the team who promptly opened his leathers and started CPR. Peter lost some mobility long term but having seen him like that I was just glad to see him survive.

When I said about Peter using futuristic chassis technology wrapped around a Flintstone era Norton engine here is an example - the monocoque JPN, bear in mind this is the early to mid 70s:



I was always intrigued by the low drag fairing with the hand covers, which came from the Arter Matchless Peter raced before the Nortons. Every time my hands were frozen or wet I wondered why road bikes didn't have that.

[Spitfire]

Here's a few more.





Cheers

Dennis

[Arch stanton]

The rider in red leathers on bike 11 is Phil Read.
Is it not?

[K2-K6]

The rider in red leathers on bike 11 is Phil Read.
Is it not?

Yes, he rode the Norton for a short time if I remember. Unless it's the match races when they got on anything available in first edition.

#12 looks like Tony Rutter, another good unassuming rider and mostly rode Yamaha in that era I think.

#3 Cal Rayborn on the Harley,  again probably match races.

Some nice photos there spitfire.

[MrDavo]

I agree about Phil Read in the Oulton photos, his helmet was very similar to Peter Williams.

I didn’t know Tony Rutter had ridden for Norton, but that’s definitely his helmet. When I worked for Honda I had Tony on the back of my scooter - Michael was riding for us (RC45) and his dad called from a distant car park at Donington because he couldn’t get his car in the paddock - I was dispatched to pick him up. Lovely bloke.

[K2-K6]

The early match races I think they got all of the Norton,  BSA Triumph triples they could find in their workshops to make a complete "fleet" so many riders where on strange bikes. Imagine that now!

They did all seem to be British or That Harley of Rayborn.  Of course USA riders where significantly racing those triples in their domestic series.

[Spitfire]

My creaking memory seems to recall that they are from the match races at Oulton Park which we all thoroughly enjoyed especially the sound of those BSA and Triumph triples

Cheers

Dennis

[MrDavo]

I was curious about who was the rider with the silver helmet on the #1 BSA triple, it turns out to be Dick Mann, he of Daytona winning CB750 fame.

Several pictures from the 1972 and 73 Match Races here:

https://www.mortonsarchive.com/p/mortons-archive/19445653004/mortons-archive-mortons-media-group

Further to what was said about them riding whatever bikes were available, there's American Dave Aldana on a 750 Norton too. Not surprisingly it looks as if its been up the road - he was another one who had a 'podium or ambulance' approach to racing. This was long before his legendary skeleton racing suit came along.
 

[MCTID]

Peter Williams was an exceptionally talented Engineer who contributed many really good ideas for motorcycling.....it was a real pity that he never had the backing and investment from a big Factory....who knows what else he'd have perfected given the opportunity.

Spitfires recollections of the Match Races at Oulton Park took me back....I went to one of those races in 72/73 - but it was the only bike race I ever went to because I had no idea who won what ! I only found out the following Wednesday when I bought my weekly bike fix in MCN ! I remember thinking it was all a bit pointless if I didn't actually know who won ! The Racing Triples were something else though, although the Road Triples never floated my boat as they say......just one of those bikes that if I won a new one in a raffle I'd just sell it on....a bit like Harleys !

After the race, when I got back to my parked Marina some tw*t had tried to prize my STP lookalike sticker which actually read SHIT off the rear window.....completely ruining it ! Tw*t ! Funny what you remember from 50 years ago !

[Johnwebley]

Here's a few more.





Cheers

Dennis

  these look like the @71 Match races

 PW was a brilliant racer and engineer,

 he also wrote a book about racing
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=peter+williams+designed+to+race&i=stripbooks&crid=1SPBFBMM9GNIC&sprefix=peter+williams%2Cstripbooks%2C151&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_2_14