J.A.W. wrote: ↑15 Mar 2021, 10:04
.... Again from the 1970's, factory Norton engineer/rider Peter Williams made a scientific design effort
to work around the power-limitations of his aged 4T 750 twin when racing in the new FIM F750 class,
including significant wind-tunnel work on the fairing, minimising extraneous flow through the fairing,
but including ducting for oil-cooling & a dedicated cool air pressure-fed engine intake air-box, plus
a broad fairing (much wider than required by the notably slim Norton twin) to provide for full-lean
'ground effect' - so enabling him to 'drift' the machine smoothly through high-speed sweeping bends,
& make up time lost on every other factory-backed F750 - which had power advantages on straights.
https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images ... ery_10.jpg
https://motocrossactionmag.com/Uploads/ ... 5/JPN6.jpg
the 73 machine shown was a semi-monocoque(containing the fuel) - so 'low and wide'
the 74 machine used a spaceframe - and had a better layout
at this time forks and tyres and their wakes were becoming wider - so the fairings became wider
(but it seems that we can't 'Google-sample/read' his book any more - because it's back in print ?)
http://www.sintich.com/quattrovalvole.htm has the flavour of those times
PW & Arter-Weslake - (Surtees framed ? Matchless - slim fairing & TT 'single lap record') ... replaced by .....
the Read-Weslake 500cc twin (ex W's 1.5 litre BRM/Shell & 3 lit research) apparently having a 360 deg crank
(see
http://8w.forix.com/gurney-weslake-gran ... ngine.html )
Read's of Leytonstone and (unrelated) Phil Read and Rickman (Metisse) also involved ...
then Weslake's 8 valve conversion for Triumphs done for bros Rickman
(later the more Weslake motor that Dave Nourish then took up)
then the related Triumph's TSS 8 valve ....
I was unaware that Peter Williams died in December
it's 49 years since we saw him on the 500 Matchless beat Agostini's MV - the Hutchinson 100 (reverse Brands Hatch)
and of course he won at the highest level on the Norton
his recent words
https://peterwilliamsengineering.wordpr ... monocoque/