On February 2, 1953 Tony Rose and Jim Regan completed an endurance test on Tony's Vincent. He had asked Phil Vincent if he thought his product would last 100,000 miles without major work. The challenge was set and using a variety of sidecars, the Vincent completed the distance in a bit more than a year. It was not a trouble-free run, 25 rear chains were used, two sets of exhaust systems and the motor was rebuilt after a major oil leak at about 50,000 miles, apparently after an oil line had sprung a leak.
Drive chains lasted only 4,000 miles?
ReplyDeleteDon in Oregon
And 10,000 per primary chain!
ReplyDeleteThe full-page Super Filtrate ad made me wonder whether multigrade oil was on the market in 1951. The indispensable google machine says no: Motul brought out the first multi, a 10W30, in 1953.
ReplyDeleteArguably interesting* article here:
https://www.cycleworld.com/motor-oil-origins-and-racing-history/
** (1) I haven't read it yet, so cannot stand behind that adjective.
(2) Interesting only to a puny minority demographic, I'm sure. But if that audience
doesn't encompass P.i.F. readers, I will eat my ugly hat.
I read something about Filtrate having just introduced its new detergent oil. Also that the oil varied on the season, from 30 weight to 60, so no multigrades yet!
ReplyDelete