AJS & Matchless Owners Club

From an email received today:


My Cousin (now deceased) sold me a Matchless G80S Reg No VUK242 around 1965.
I recall riding it to Wembley 13th July 1966 to watch France v Mexico in a one all draw.

This has also brought memories back keeping up with some friends in a Triumph Herald doing 100mph in shirt sleeves along the Horsham bypass on our way to Worthing.

Then I discovered Cars. The bike stayed in my parents garage until around 1975 and I was asked to get rid of it. I gave it away to a chap Dave? down the road who built Norton/Triumph side car outfits that I think he raced or took to the Isle of Man TT.
I have attached a photo of it in the top right corner of this montage.
Can you tell me if it still exists. I have no claim to it but would like to see and hear it again.

Not sure we should really help someone who gave away a Matchless because he discovered cars! But its still on DVLA, untaxed, last change of ownership 1993 its probably in someone else's garage now, wonder what they discovered. Its obviously quite a G80 doing 100 mph on the Horsham bypass, perhaps it is a steep hill .

clive wrote:Its obviously quite a G80 doing 100 mph on the Horsham bypass, perhaps it is a steep hill .

And an even more unusual Triumph Herald to be doing 100 mph also ...

I guess you two have mislaid your youthful sixties rose tinted glasses

Triumph Herald doing the ton?! I don't think so! Nor any other 'cooking' saloons of the era, no matter how hard they were 'breathed on'. When my son was a student back in the 90s, he decided he wanted a classic car and a local dealer had a moggie Minor for sale. The dealer would only let me drive it, so my son sat in the passenger seat. We were going along the A30 at 65 mph and my son asked "are you going to put it in to top gear, Dad?" I replied "it is in top son, this is about as good as it gets". Change of plan! As for a G80 hitting the ton, even the Velo Venom was only tested at 95 - one of Ken de Groome's special G80's could better that but they are few and far between.

Mick D wrote:I guess you two have mislaid your youthful sixties rose tinted glasses

Only just seen this older post - the "Herald" may've been a Vitesse with the same 6 cylinder twin carb engine as the GT6; this latter would comfortably pull well over 100 mph.

Johnny B

or smiths speedos , easily capable of reading 100 mph , but spot on at 30 mph so they must be right