With the last 2 events being washed out I was really looking forward to this one, despite having to get up way too early for my liking. We had loaded up the van the day before, it was absolutely rammed. I should state at this time that I had promised that I would only buy stuff for the hot rod project and that I absolutely would not be buying any motorcycles. It was made clear and I agreed that any further motorcycle purcases would be ridiculous and quite unneccesary. Imagine my dismay, therefore when Steve and Jack turned up with an Itom Competizione project and then proceeded to taunt me with a come and get me price.There should be laws about this sort of thing. Obviously I declined and despite their generous offer I stood by my word and walked away without making a purchase. It is therefore a complete mystery as to how it ended up in the back of my van. I deny all knowledge and insist I know nothing about it.
Anyway, we had a really good day, sold lots, bought loads of consumables from a variety of excellent sellers, had a terrific mooch about the place and definitely didn't buy any motorcycles.
The one I didn't buy was a pretty rare Itom Astor Super Sport Competizione, believed to be one of only 13 imported to the Uk in about 1960. It is in a sorry state but it came with a spare engine, albeit one from a slightly different model, the engine in the frame is properly siezed and incomplete, apart from that it's perfect. Oh the frame needs complete restoration too and some of the bits that are there are not original, apart from that it's concourse. By concourse I mean the tyres don't seem too bad, except for the back one which is probably best described as fucked. Sorry about that, I have been drinking.
I started taking the engine to pieces - the one in the frame, not the spare one, I want to see if I can sort the siezed one as it is an ss code engine, the spare is an n and not correct for the Competizione model. These things were well fast back in the day with the super sport models with the factory upgrade kits capable of 80 MPH, incredible for a 50cc bike back in teh 60's, they dominated 50cc racing for years. I didn't get far with it, after the early start and shifting heavy boxes of bike parts about all day I really didn't feel like doing too much. The engineering on them is fascinating, some incredibly clever solutions to getting everything in an incredibly light and compact pair of engine cases. I look forward to getting the rest of it apart soon, although with it being so badly stuck that may prove difficult.
I really like Stickney as a venue, pitches are very reasonably priced, you can have as much space as you like, you get a great variety of stuff there and it's literally 20 minutes down the road from us. I have had some serious bargains there, beacause the traders get to stand cheaply they don't have huge costs to cover, it's good for everyone and unlike Newark it's free to visitors. Newark charge a fortune if you want to go in early, they are killing the goose that lays the golden egg in my humble opinion. Do go along if you can, it's getting better every time, the organisers work hard at making it what it is and they deserve our support.
So thanks to Jack and Steve for selling me yet another great project that I still deny buying, because Mrs Dave can be irrational and violent sometimes, especially if for some strange reason she thinks I have broken some sort of promise or something. anyway, I have hidden it now.
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