JMU 922: Geoff Duke Ltd.

British motorcycle racing legend Geoff Duke – a six-time Isle of Man TT winner and world champion – has died at the age of 92.

Geoff was one of the first major stars of grand prix motorcycle racing in the 1950s.

He made his name at the famous Isle of Man event, earning a factory Norton ride after winning the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT and Senior Manx Grand Prix.

In his first year with Norton, he set a record pace on the way to TT victory and came within one point of the 500cc world championship, finishing second in the 350cc class too.

The following year he dominated both the 350cc and 500cc championships to claim his first world titles, adding further TT wins along the way, and he successfully defended his 350cc crown in 1952 despite his season being curtailed early by injuries.

Duke switched from Norton to Gilera for 1953, focused solely on 500cc racing and dominated. A further three world titles were notched up, along with another TT win in 1955.

Geoff also dabbled in sportscar racing with Aston Martin, a podium finish in a DB3 in Goodwood’s Easter Handicap in 1952 being the high point in results terms.

The 1955 crown proved to be Duke’s last world championship victory and he retired after 1959 with 22 500cc and 11 350cc wins to his name, plus six titles across the two classes.

Gray Southard and I met Geoff at the 100th Anniversary of Norton Rally at the National Motorcycle Museum in 1998. Ever the gentleman, Geoff was happy to pose in front of 5003 NX, having owned a J-type himself in the 1950s.

Ken Cooke has put his Morris J/B van UMO 938 up for sale at an auction at Mathewsons Auctions on 25th April. This screengrab has come from their site.

http://www.mathewsons.co.uk/#!auction-page-1/c5o

We would urge any enthusiast looking to purchase a van to consider this one.

It underwent a thorough rebuild when Ken acquired it, and it will undoubtedly be one of the most correct J/Bs around as Ken is a stickler for getting, and using, the right parts.

Eight is a momentous number.
Australia Day in Sydney was damp but it did not stop eight J-type vans driving to the annual CARnivale display in Macquarie Street Sydney. The Hyde Park Barracks was the backdrop to a record number of fully road going J-type vans in Australia for many years.

“Mr Baker”, the recently restored van sporting the livery ‘The Upholsterer’, had been in Sydney for a few days, following a seven hour tow from Cobargo on a hot 35C day. It was driven to the display on the chilly, damp Australia Day and was dripping water droplets all day. Its custodians capped off a great day with a concert at the Opera House.

Winning Appliances supplied two of their vans, a J and a J/B. Doyles of Watsons Bay, the famous Sydney restaurant, sent their J/B as did Sydney Packaging and Pipe Perfection Plumbing. J/B 41717, the ex ABBCO Bread van, was there and the Bellette family’s V8 J type Rat Rod kept the crowds captivated all day long.

We were impressed to meet a Welshman who told of driving J-types for the Wales Gas Co and another British holiday maker telling J-type tales of driving J-types for an electricity company in the South East of England. They did not seem to mind the damp conditions and neither did we. It is very noteworthy that every J-van on display has it’s own personality. Every custodian has treated their Jubilant creation individually and the public react with Joy.

That must be why they are called the Morris J van! J for JOY!
Peter Bateman. Sydney January 28, 2015

Review 39 is about to go into the post. Collected from the printers a couple of hours ago!

This 20-page issue includes:

A Review of the Classic Van and Pick-up Show at Gaydon

A follow-up article about M~C’s post-war styling

A Review of the Goodwood Revival

Archive street scenes

‘A chance encounter of the J-type kind’ by Peter Bateman

‘On the Move’ Down Under…

‘On the Move’ nearer home…

‘Riding the wave of popularity’

An archive colour Morris advertisement

Diecast Model Update

and A Review of the Classic Motor Show at the NEC

Yes, the Classic Motor Show at the NEC is over for another year. A great show in so many ways, I hope to add many more photographs and details tomorrow. Our thanks to Ray Herritts for bringing along his J/B and newly-restored Minor, and to the many members, J-enthusiasts and friends who attended.

Norton only started making the International in 1932, and we got two from the first year’s production on our stand! Another hectic report but details will have to wait for another day!

A hectic day, more time to load photos tomorrow, hopefully!

Yes, two vans new to the Register have surfaced ‘down under’, one in Australia and one in New Zealand.

The Australian van has been saved by Register member Laurie Ballette. Remarkably, the van is from the same Tip Top Bakery fleet as the van he already has.

The NZ van is currently for sale on Trade Me.

More to follow…

Register-member Ken Bennett sends this photo of two J-type ice cream vans at the Classic Car Boot Sale, held over the weekend at Olympic Park in London.

Ken also alerted us to the article in Classic Van and Pick-up!