Ode To The Matchless

According to factory records and its certificate of authenticity frame number C9858 was tested and dispatched from the AMC factory, Plumstead Road, London in June 1961. Exported to America this machine had the designation G80CS Scrambler. Originally the bike would have been set up as follows to satisfy the insatiable off road requirements of the vast American motorcycle market.

Engine specifications would include:

• Short stroke all alloy engine with centre fire cylinder head.
• 12 to 1 compression ratio designed to run on 100 octane fuel.
• 1 and 3/8 inch smooth bore Grand Prix racing carburettor.
• High lift SH or CI/CE racing camshafts.
• Cast steel flywheel assembly and strengthened conrod to maintain reliability at high engine speeds.
• G50 type heavy duty roller big end.
• Lucas waterproof Wader racing magneto.
• In a high state of tune approximately 40 BHP was attainable.

The CS engine available from 1956 on, was the Matchless / AJS equivalent to the BSA Goldstar or the Velocette Venom, although never developed to the extent of the latter two models.

This particular Matchless G80CS was rescued from a questionable fate whilst I was living in Norfolk, East Anglia, UK, in 1997. After parting with 2000 pounds (according to some a waste of money which could have been spent on something like a family holiday to Disneyland ) the machine was loaded into a van and transported to my home, a remote rented farmhouse in the village of Ashill in central Norfolk.

Condition wise the bike was in a rather sad state. The front forks were bent, the clutch was worn out, no mudguards or seat came with the bike and the alternator, speedo, chain guards and oil tank were missing. The wheels as usual were in need of chroming and respoking, not to mention new brakes, bearings and seals etc.

With no garage or spare room available at the rented farm cottage the bike was stripped and stored in the kitchen in boxes much to the delight of the family, until I managed to get a job near London and purchase a house with a garage in the same location. The word garage when applied to the UK is a misnomer unless you happen to own a Mini or a small Ford, as when in the garage the dimensions prohibit opening of the car doors unless the car is parked in close proximity to one of the walls.

Through experience some of it painful and expensive, I was to discover that the competition machinery has its own unique parts makeup in items such as headlight shells, light switches, chain guards, battery boxes, fuel and oil tanks etc. etc. Searching for these items involved many trips to the huge UK auto jumbles such as Kempton Park near London and Newark in Nottingham. Russell Motors my favourite shop at Clapham, London were also very helpful as were the Matchless/AJS owners club spares scheme.

Having joined the East London Essex Matchless/AJS owners club I was fortunate enough to befriend a fanatical but accomplished G80CS grey beards rider, who owned and raced several of these machines. He was a never ending inspiration and a very knowledgeable person regarding the particular model. Dave Lewis had an uncanny knack of sniffing out a pair of SH cams or a competition alloy primary chain case at 50 yards when attending any auto jumble.

He also possessed a large garage full of competition spares and associated goodies that would be the envy of any Plumstead Road Father Christmas. As most classic bike owners would appreciate one not only needs a degree of mechanical knowledge to carry out a restoration, but also the necessary tools. When moving over seas it was impractical to take items such as a lathe or welding set. The lack of such items necessitated either paying people to do some of the work or relying on the generosity and helpfulness of club members to carry out the task or loan you tools. This scenario tends to extend the restoration time and often leads to many frustrations. All and all it took approximately 18 months to restore the Matchless to its former glory. Several tasks prompted a mention, as contrary to some beliefs, the English tradesmen still retain a high skill level and an ability to do a first class job. This was particularly evident in the power coating, engine work, chroming, wheel building and polishing.

As the machine took shape a relocation from the petite garage to the dining room during the winter months was necessary, to "enable a rewire to be carried out Dear over the next week or two." Snow outside and a 40 watt light bulb are not the most ideal conditions to work under.

Four months later commissioning day was a memorable event with my friend Dave in attendance, as once again he must have sniffed the planned engine start-up. I remember the heavens were bucketing down (very uncommon in the UK) when the machine was flashed up for the first time. With the exhaust pipe poked out the partially opened ranch slider door the engine fired up after half a dozen good jabs of the kick- start. The engine note was hardly discernable until a load of flaming, white smokey oil impregnated newsprint blasted out of the muffler. This minor upset continued to smoke and burn and litter the back garden area, much to my wife’s disgust and dismay. The machine was quickly shut down and a wire coat hanger inserted up the spout to pull out the remaining newsprint. Following this minor upset the machine was again restarted with a somewhat louder exhaust note.

Unfortunately the bike was never ridden in the UK although I had booked into the UK Matchless/AJS owners club rally set to take place in 3 weeks time.

A job offer in Adelaide, Australia saw the completed bike crated up and shipped with two cars to warmer climates. After joining the South Australian Classic M/C Club and clearing customs red tape the bike was finally registered for road use.

The GP carburettor proved a problem when starting the bike from cold and was swapped over for a more mundane, but practical mono block variety. Some 2000 miles were covered trouble free mainly in the Adelaide Hills which provide superb riding, I believe the best in the world. Whilst power output is limited by the street exhaust system the bike has proven 100% reliable and a very good handler. For road use I lowered the compression ratio to a more practical 8.5 to 1. After moving back to New Zealand some 4 years ago the machine was road compliance, this being a saga in itself. A leaking petrol tank, necessitated a rather involved welding job and prompted a colour change from black to red. The hours I wasted in the UK hand spraying and lining the petrol tank with single pack spray cans and plastic masking tape are now lamented.

As all CS owners will testify this type of machine is one of the best singles that ever came out of those famous factories, which in a bygone era produced the best of British and to us some of the most desirable two wheeled machinery in the world It is a very humbling experience and indeed an honour to have been awarded the Carol Miles Memorial Trophy by those members of the Register who attended the recent Jampot Rally.

Thanking you all,

Rod Briggs