Aus/NZ aftermarket frame builders

[Michael Moore]

In the 1960-80s there were a variety of people in the USA and England who made dirt track, MX, trials and/or road race frames.  With the "DIY" attitude common in Australia and New Zealand I'd expect there were people in those countries who made frames too.  I did some searching here and I couldn't find a thread on period frame builders in Australia and New Zealand.  I didn't spot an article on the subject when I went through my copies of VMX.

Terry Prince did the Egli-style frames and there were the McIntosh roadrace frames and Kelvin Franks frames, but those are the only commercial builders I know about.  Tony Foale built a few frames for his personal use when he was in Australia but he didn't make frames commercially until he moved back to England.

I'm interested in learning about any other Aus/NZ frame builders.   Photos of the frames would be appreciated.

cheers,
Michael

[tony27]

In NZ there was Sparton, looked very metisse like. Bazza or Firko should be able to find a pic of 1.
The number 20 or so was mentioned at 1 stage for total number built, I remember seeing 1 in Auckland in the mid 90s when I rode up there a couple of times & assumed it was a 1 off but someone put up a photo a while ago of another & a brief story about them

[Michael Moore]

Thanks Tony.  Searching here turned up "Wanganui Spartan" and with that Google gave me a 750 roadracer:

http://www.barrysheenetranstasman.co.nz/latest-news/35-blast-from-the-past-sparton

http://www.motorcyclesport.co.nz/documents/tw/Old_MX_Bike_Memories.htm

https://www.facebook.com/greytownracingteam

There's also an interesting home-built 500cc single roadracer on the GRT page.

cheers,
Michael

[Davey Crocket]

Hey Tony, there's some Kiwi built bikes just down the road from you, I took Bill there last year when I was over and he opened up a shed I hadn't been in before and it was full of cool bikes.....what a waste though....they have been sitting there for years and he probably wont do anything with them.

[OverTheHill]

just wrote a long winded reply & F$"%$%^kn pushed the wrong button & lost the lot GRRRR. Guts was--Steve Roberts from Wanganui built the Spartan [i rode a mates ally pre unit t100 a bit]. Steve built quite a lot of them i think to take AMC's & Triumphs. He is an absolute gentleman is Steve & is famous for restoring a lot of things on 2 & 4 wheels. If i recall right, he was living down wellington way [Ohariu Valley] & teaching panel beating or [something related] at a Polytech down there back then. Was a regular mx competitor on a Husky too. Steve received the [i think] Inventor of the year award on tv for building [what was it called!!] plastic fantastic gsx 1100 that road racer Dave & [or] Neville Hiscox raced. Someone may know more or put me right on details--all good. Cheers. ps, was two road racers he built--think one was [correct me please] carbon fibre based & other was an ally monocoque type frame--long time ago.

[Davey Crocket]

Hey Morley, what was the name of the frames made I think in Christchurch for MX and roadracing? Steve Roberts also modified all the 74 RH/RN factory Suzuki's to the lay down shock position for Coleman's the Suzuki importers.(the steering heads where modified as well)

[OverTheHill]

Hi, the ChCh one was probably built by Alistair Sabiston i'd think ['El Sab']. Just put his name up to spelling & came up with pics worth looking at in 'Nelson Photo News' from back then. No 123 feb 6th 1971. Link here, hope it works. [ Nelson Photo News > Issues > NPN123_19710206 > t1-body-d25 ]. Cheers.

[OverTheHill]

yes i remember the first modifies RH/RN [RH i think that day] turning up at Whakatane Xmas meeting & i had the first elsinore--fair phyched me out that did--[not that i was in the hunt with 'Ivan Millar' anyway]. just looked great, & of course he just buggered of into the distance which rubbed it in even more haha. Must go, cheers.

[firko]

El Sabre Triumph.....Made in NZ.
                                                                           

[Davey Crocket]

That's it Firko, the bikes this guy has are amazing, not many people know and even less have seen them....ill take photo's next time I'm over there.

[pancho]

 Of course on dirt track (short circuit) there was a flurry of activity amongst the pipe-bending community both amatuer and professional after the first of the Hagon grass track frames appeared on the local scene.
 
 I'm sure 'slides,' 'Foss' and others can rattle off a list of various highly succesful and otherwise efforts.
 cheers pancho.

[firko]

Gavin Martini has an el Sabre B50 that's got a very different frame, very Maico oriented. Gavin keeps it at his home on the NZ bottom island and keeps his Metisse here. Multi cultural VMX .

[jerry]

Hasn't GMC made a couple? J

[GMC]

Not in the 60's to 80's Jerry

I think the main reason Aussies didn't do much back then was because we didn't have decent access to quality materials, 4130 etc.
It was around but hard to source and expensive.

Same deal with 6061, even today it's bloody hard to find over here.

[paul]

Geoff have you got any pics off the maico /copy frames you have made?