Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Classics, Post Classics, F350's, Vintage, Road Outfits
Weldherup
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350

Unread post by Weldherup »

Le vélo est en Irlande du Nord. Je le vendrais pour six mille Stirling. Si vous l'achetiez, je pourrais l'amener au fond de l'Irlande si vous veniez par Cherbourg. Si vous vouliez venir le voir en premier, je peux vous adapter à l'aéroport.
RSAUST
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by RSAUST »

Did this outfit sell or still available?
Gambo916
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by Gambo916 »

Hello People, Just out of interest I can shed some further light on the history of this outfit.

The first time I came to know this bike was when it was up for sale at the MCN show at Ally Pally in early 1994. Myself and a few mates, including ex sidecar racer Chas Greatrex, had gone up (mid/late week IIRC) to the show in the hope of getting some discounted riding kit, as Chas was sponsoring me for the upcoming season on a Bob Farnham tuned RD350 solo. Interest was immediately taken in the Ford-Dunn by Chas as soon as he saw it. It was black with multicolour random fluorescent shapes over it at that time, and had a TZ350 motor fitted. My interest however was taken by an RG500 that was also in the sale. Anyway we returned to the show the following Sunday, where I left with the RG, and Chas secured the purchase of the Ford-Dunn. The outfit also came with WOW, various spares, and a trailer.

The outfit was soon repainted mainly in white with blue and yellow details, and Chas started the season with a complete newbie/virgin passenger in the chair called Haydn...but sadly I don't recall his Sirname. We would all travel together to various meetings, Chas campaigning the outfit, me the solo. Hadyn however soon discovered that being a passenger wasn't for him, so jacked it in. A replacement passenger was found, someone from up country, but sadly again I don't recall his name. That passenger called time after a few meetings too (pressure from his missus, IIRC) so I nervously stepped in as a temp passenger. At some meetings I was jumping off the solo and immediately running full pelt to the holding area to jump in the awaiting chair, or vice versa. We had some good runs together, my experience as a passenger was growing, and trust in each other's abilities was growing too.
However, by the end of the '94 season, Chas still had no full time ballast arranged for next season.The 350 I was riding was being mullered on the straights by the 600 four strokes in the Proddy class I mainly raced in, so I was making whimpering noises for a more competitive bike. Neither of us had firm answers/plans about how we were going to continuing our separate racing interests for the '95 season, so we decided to pool our resources/talents (or lack of it) and join forces full time for the whole season, Chas riding, me passengering.

I repainted the bike blue, with a yellow splat over the nose, the motor was rebuilt (a spare was also sourced) and the chassis given a refresh, bearings, brakes etc etc.
We had a crackingly successful year on that bike, competing where and whenever we could, with many different clubs. The 'CG13' markings that have been mentioned do not relate to when it was rebuilt, but was stamped on the frame as some clubs required chassis numbers to be stated on the entry forms. The CG relates to Chas' initials, the 13 related to our racing number. Hope that clears up the mystery about that.
It was about this time Chas (fed up with the 600 four stoke outfits always winning the F2 class), mustered enough interest from other 350 two stroke crews for a separate class. And so F350 was born. The first season being sponsored by Langcourt.
It was becoming apparent though, that (when compared to other outfits) both the somewhat slightly heavy nature of the Ford-Dunn along with it's wider tyres, were sometimes a blessing, and sometimes a curse. The outfit's extra weight and rubber contact gave good cornering traction when the mass was up to speed at flowing tracks/corners, but it was a pig off the line, and out of slow hairpins, tight turns etc. A solution was sought by hunting more grunt, and so a path was forged up to Frank Wrathall. We had two motors tuned/ported, re-nikasiled, new pistons etc, along with the expansion pipes reformed to better suit the new porting. We also had a better multi-adjustable rear shock fitted (Koni IIRC) and the fuel tank had to be modded to allow clearance for it. That was done by a fellow competitor called George Hardwick, from Weston-Super-Mare I think. He had an ex-Tetsuya Harada 250 V-twin motor in his outfit, and it was an absolute rocket on the times when it was reliable.

The upgrades were a revelation, both engine performance and chassis wise, and it was then we started to haul in the points deficit on our main rival in the Championship, Paul Iwanski, who was on a Windle, again IIRC. One very memorable meeting was at Brands. We didn't realise until we got there it was the MCN 'Pound Day', a subsidised meeting promoting British racing by spectators getting in for just a quid! The place was absolutely rammed, 10's of thousands of people had turned up to watch, with the commentary duties being done by none other than the legend, Fred Clark. We won both races, with Paul having a shocker by suffering two DNF's, one when his passenger Mark came out on the exit of Druids, barrel rolling down the hill towards Graham Hill Bend (thankfully he was unhurt), and the other a mechanical. That meeting was a good'un for us!!
Last race of the Championship was at Mallory, with Paul leading it, us within a few points, and Bill Currie an outside third, but still within a slim chance of the title. Anyway we hounded Paul all race, snapping it his heels, and we both pulled ever further away from the rest of the following pack. On the last lap Chas made a concerted effort to close what little gap there was, in the hope of getting the drive out of the bus-stop chicane, down through the elbow to the line. Unfortunately, Chas clipped the right handed apex of the chicane (I saw it coming and managed to get my hand out of the way just before it would have been smashed between the fairing and overly high banking curbstones) and we were launched into the exit banking on the lefthand side, where I was ejected right out of the outfit, and up the bank, coming to rest next to the fence at the feet of the assembled spectators. I quickly jumped down, pushed the bike backwards onto the circuit, blocking the exit of the chicane for the now fast approaching 3rd place crew, Bill Currie. I push started and we got going again, but Bill with an already running motor pipped us to the line. We'd lost 2nd place in the Langcourt F350 Championship on last corner of the last lap of the last race. I was gutted. 2nd was a gift for Bill, but I have to say, Paul richly deserved to win, he was consistently 'on-it' all year, and rode superbly.
All was not lost however, as we'd also contested the '95 Retford Championship as well alongside the Langcourt, which we won. We also won the perpetual Haith Tickhill Trophy that year too.

'96 brought near full sponsorship from Fowlers of Bristol. The fairings were sent away to Somerset I think, to be repainted in the company's 'Rockfall' design. It looked superb, all airbrushed in a 3D effect, but I couldn't help think it would have been a nightmare to repair/repaint if it got damaged (highly likely). Helmets, leathers, boots, gloves, leathers were also on the freebie list. Yummy!!
Anyway, a few races into the '96 season Chas had a major falling out with the guy from Fowlers who oversaw the sponsorship side of things. It ended up with us losing the very lucrative sponsorship deal. I won't go into the why's or wherefor's here, as it's long in the past. I will however say that is when it all started to fall apart, from my point of view anyway. We'd worked so hard over the previous years to improve and promote the bike, ourselves, our racing, everything. It probably could have been saved and turned around, but alas it didn't happen.
Chas and I went our separate ways are far as racing was concerned, and I think the Ford-Dunn was sold sometime in mid '96 I'm guessing, but I'm not 100% sure, and I definitely don't know to whom.

I had some cracking times on that bike, some of the very best times of my life in fact, and it holds a very special place in my heart and memory.

I could waffle on about other races, anecdotes and memories about the outfit and my time aboard it, but I fear I may have over indulged already.

I hope what I've already said has been interesting/enlightening, and if anyone has any more questions about this super little outfit I'll do my very best to answer them.

Regards

Gareth.
joeheys123
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by joeheys123 »

can you please send phone number we are interested in buying it joe heys 01204520726 cheers joe
joeheys123
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by joeheys123 »

kyle we wont to buy the complete sidecar from you at 3500 pounds were is it kept if its across the water would put it on a boat for us then we could collect in england cheer joe
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by 2stroke »

Is this still for sale ?????
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by Mobile Chicane »

I still can't see any photos - what am I doing wrong??
Thanks
Weldherup
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by Weldherup »

Thanks for that information Gareth. Excellent to know about it, and such a wonderful little bike!
Weldherup
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Update!!!

Unread post by Weldherup »

The bike is still here. I can bring it to England in January. I will be going to Liverpool- Manchester to look at another bike and I can take this chassis with me. I used he engine in another bike so its just the chassis of anyone is interested.
joeheys123
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by joeheys123 »

how much is just the chassis cheers joe
Wjpierce
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Re: Bruce Ford Dunn RD350 -PRICE DROP-

Unread post by Wjpierce »

Hello from California, Is the RD still available? I am interested in getting into the sport and am looking for an F350 to purchase. I am looking for photos and cannot seem to locate any. I will send a private message with my email address. Thank you, Bill Pierce
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