Austel
Motorcycles
Not
well known but we have one in the Museum. It is a 1300cc Metro
engined model with a 4 speed automatic gearbox. It is really designed
for sidecar work, hence the leading link front forks and sturdy
design. Chris Castell was the man who built these and was featured in
Motorcycle News in October 1985. This article is on display with the
Austel.
I
have often wondered why someone would make something like this but
when you talk to someone who knows about them and having ridden an
outfit myself for many years I can understand the why. It is nothing
to do with weight but the torque delivery from a car engine. Modern
motorcycle engines tend to be short stroke and high revving
delivering power at revs along with the torque. The older style of
single cylinder motorcycle from the 1950's, in the form of 500cc
singles, delivered the power much like a car engine and were really
for sidecar use as at the time big solos were mainly of 350cc. This
is not ignoring the vast numbers of lightweights that got people to
work every day. In 1985 you had the big 750cc motors from Honda,
Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki that had amazing performance but the
engine design and power delivery were not well suited to hauling a
sidecar along. There other specials around at the time like the Fath
NSU engined monster that gave so much torque it is reported that the
rear wire wheel would eat its spokes and he ended up using cast
wheels to get around this. At one time we had an Austin Ruby engined
Norton on display so specials of putting car engines in motorcycles
is not new. There are even 2CV engined specials with one on display
at the London Motor Museum just down the road.
A
couple of notes from Ian Savage who has kindly sent me these photos
of his friends Austel rebuild.
“Thank
you very much for showing me around the museum last Monday.
Here
are a couple of photos taken today of my friend's Austels. Both are
sidecar machines. The rusty one is Number 17, chain driven, 1000cc
and was not completed at the time of Chris Castell's death. It is not
as bad as it looks as it has just surface rust. The rest of the parts
are away being painted.”
“The
one with the red tank is Number 5, shaft driven, 1300cc and is the
present project.
For
your information, Austel are featured in Motorcycle sport November
1986 and June 1987.
At
the moment we are converting the gear change and clutch from an
awkward two pedal arrangement to hand change and foot clutch. The
redundant hand clutch lever will be used to brake the sidecar wheel.”
No
two Austel's were the same, one even used a Nissan engine. Some were
shaft drive others chain. Gearboxes were automatic or manual
depending, perhaps, on what was available at the time eleven were
made but only 10 completed before the death of Chris Castell. He was
quite special in what he achieved. It does make you wonder what he
could have produced today as car engines have become lighter, smaller
in capacity and in numbers of cylinders.
