PAUL DUNSTALL

Parts and podiums

EARLY RACES

After a couple of years café racing around London and the south coast, Paul started club racing in 1957 on his fettled road bike. He won several races, but realised his mate Fred Neville was much faster and decided to sponsor him instead.

NORTON OWNERS CLUB

Paul’s racing Nortons were a magnet for Norton owners, because they were modified road bikes rather than purpose-built racers. It was the owners who led Paul (above in brown) into developing his parts empire.

DAVE D0WNER

After Fred Neville was killed at the TT, Paul had a bike spare and gave local lad Dave Downer a try. He was fast and the pair hit it off, developing the Domiracer together. Tragically, Dave died at Brands, battling arch rival Derek Minter.

WORLD SPEED RECORDS

Rex Butcher (above) was not only a successful racer, but also managed Paul’s shop in the late 1960s. In 1967 they broke four speed records at Monza on two Dunstall 750s that had been ridden by Jenkins and Smart at the TT earlier that year.

WHAT A YEAR

The 1968 season was exceptional by any standards, but for a nonfactory team it was astonishing. With Ray Pickrell (above) riding the Domiracer, the team won 17 major races, including the Production TT and King of Brands.

TWO STROKES TOO...

... though not in a big way, because Paul felt he didn’t really understand them. He’s pictured above with Alan Baker, who designed and built a Kawasaki-based racer, with Paul providing accessories and lending his name to the project.

STILL GOT FANS

Though Paul hasn’t been involved in motorcycles for 40 years, his bikes are still sought after – particularly the racers. The Dunstall name was bought by Burton Bike Bits, who now sell parts for BSAS, Triumphs and, of course, Nortons.