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This a long shot I know, but does anyone out there have any photographs of the batch of Scotts sold to the Buenos Aires police (Argentina) as a direct result of the visit there by Frank Varey and Allan Jefferies to promote Dirt-Track racing (Speedway). It was probably the factories biggest ever order. I do have a rather poor photo of the bikes lined up at Shipley before export.
The bikes are strange to our eyes, being a mixed bunch, but predominant details include single downtube frames, footboards instead of footrests, high American style handlebars, fire extinguishers clipped to the right-hand side top chainstay, and sirens on the handlebars. Some seem to have a lot more chrome than others. Perhaps the officers got those !
A fairly close-up view of one of the bikes would be brilliant !
All part of my research for the Scott book…..
Brian
Here is a photo of the Argentinian police machine, and a separate copy of the notes found on the back.
Best wishes to all
Martin
[attachment=0]1932 Buenos Aires police machine spec on back of photo.jpg[/attachment][attachment=1]1932 Buenos Aires police machine.jpg[/attachment]
Thanks Martin ! This one seems to have relatively ‘normal’ handlebars, but some in the ‘mass’ line-up seem to have much higher ones. What I had assumed were sirens seem to be handlebar mounted horns. The brake pedal looks to be vertical! The propstand looks like a military one, as on wartime BSA M20s.
Brian
😀 😀 😀 😀 Re the “Sirens” Brian. I had a similar klaxton horn on my 1920 AJS Outfit. I have a pic somewhere on file (probably in the shoe box) If you need one. Regards 😀 😀
Thanks, but no thanks Ted, as I already have info on Klaxon hooters/horns.
Cheers,
Brian
Has anybody else spotted the ‘missing’ radiator filler neck and cap ?! (click onto the photo, and as it is a JPG image you can fill your screen with it!). I can only assume that a left-hand filler radiator, of ‘works’ TT type was used, but that doesn’t quite answer the puzzle because, with the bike having a single downtube frame, the radiators used on them have to be the sort with a slot down the middle to accommodate the top hose, which would otherwise foul the downtube. I can only think of those L/H filler radiators fitted on the two 1930 Manx Grand Prix Scotts, that were Sprint Special based, and the epitome of the “Shamateur” early days of the MGP, when bikes were supposed to be privately owned and entered, but most were really ‘works’ bikes supplied to favoured riders such as Mavrogordato and Stobart, complete with works mechanics and covert financial aid too !
All we need now is a L/H side view of one of these machines to see what the description “straight thro exhaust pipe” meant. If it meant no silencer at all, they wouldn’t have needed a siren as you would have heard it coming half a mile away ! If all 35 (?) bikes were running together it would have blown the tiles off the roofs of Buenos Aires !
Brian