YOUR CLASSICS
Like father, like son – one man’s tribute to his G3l-riding dad
AT EIGHT YEARS of age I found a rusty old bike in the corner of my uncle’s shed, which turned out to be my father’s 1947 Matchless G3L. When I quizzed dad, he related stories of when he bought it new as a 20-year-old – he had ordered a 500cc, but the shop had offered him a 350cc or a six-month wait for the factory to build the next batch of 500s. He chose the 350.
As a child, my mother insisted I was not to be a biker and “mad like my dad” (how mad can you be on a G3L?). And this from someone who regularly held on as pillion on the back ‘bumpad’ seat of dad’s bike in a headscarf and circular skirt!
On this basis I sold the rusty bike for £16 – sweetie money for me and my sister. Oh, how I regret it! We lost dad some six years ago, when
he died of old age at 86, and up to the end he would continue to relate those old biking stories.
At 17 and in urgent need of transport to technical college, I bought my first bike, a Yamaha 80, and was instantly hooked on riding, just like my dad. I have since enjoyed some 42 years of riding and restoration work on many British, Italian, American and Japanese bikes, including a 1957 G9 basket case restoration in the late ’80s. My wife Kate and I have made many biker friends over the years; in fact, I am currently the chairman of Manchester Triumph Owners MCC and my wife is charity officer.
Over the years I kept an eye out for that elusive 1947 G3L identical to my dad’s, but to no avail... until, in December 2018, an online search finally unearthed my ‘bucket list’ bike. It was located in Deal, Kent, the county of my birth – and at the time I was due to pay a visit to my family there. The bike was duly found and viewed – it started readily and beneath its patina looked very restorable, so a deal was struck and it was transported back home by Christmas.
The last 18 months has seen me join the AJS Matchless Owners Club (again) and, with the help of the club spares scheme and the few companies still trading AMC parts, I have enjoyed immensely doing a ground-up restoration. I know some owners are probably aghast that I ‘destroyed the patina’ (and probably some value), but that’s just the way I like my bikes. Anyhow, I have retained and distributed many of the unwanted patina’d spares to other owners, so I don’t feel too bad.
Whilst in no particular hurry, I was able to finish the resto this month to help keep busy at home during this nasty Covid crisis. This May, the time had come – oils and fluids in, final checks, prime it up… and it fired up third kick, with oil circulating and volts charging. Great!
I couldn’t resist the temptation to take a photo outside a neighbour’s building site, with my suit on, to re-enact that grainy photo of my dad from 73 years ago. I’ve yet to have a proper ride on the bike and look forward to going to local steam rallies, etc, but already
I know it’s a ‘keeper’.
Max Smeed