Archive
Picture perfect
Photographer Lyndon McNeil reveals how we managed to get the drivers together for a unique portrait If you thought herding cats was difficult, trying getting seven racing drivers from several…
One-off Swift motorcycle to be auctioned at the NEC
A unique Swift Special coming to auction at the NEC Classic Motor Show is a paean to the British motorcycle industry of yore
Iconic Auctioneers
| Underseat exhaust pipes help with the modern look | Rear-set footrests and reversed gear lever make for a racy riding position | The ‘pre-unit’ Matchless gearbox is connected via a drive belt | Engine is a 500cc twin with dual carburettors, originally intended for the aborted Scott Swift | Original brass-bound Scott radiator is topped-off with carbon-fibre trim | Handling should be sweet thanks to a long swingarm, gas-filled shock absorbers and sturdy front forks, all from Suzuki’s RGV250 road-going racer |
The original, West Yorkshire-based Scott, producer of the pre-war, smoke-belching 500cc/600cc motorcycle The Flying Squirrel, went into liquidation in 1950 but was acquired by Birmingham-based enthusiast Matt Holder who continued to build motorbikes right up until 1978. That same decade saw another fan, George Silk, combining original Scott engines and hand-built Spondon frames to make the Silk 700S, which was made from 1975 to ’79.
Just two miles on the clock
Iconic Auctioneers
But it took the late Scott-o-phile Bruce Simpson to envisage a Scott for the 21st century – and the result was the Scott Swift Custom Special, this one-off that’s going under the hammer at Iconic Auctioneers’ regular Classic Motor Show auction held at Birmingham’s NEC.
Simpson started with an early frame, into which he fitted one of the super-rare 500cc twin carburettor engines intended for a new Scott model called the Swift which – although around six prototypes were built in the late 1950s – failed to make it into production.
A Matchless gearbox takes power to the rear wheel, with the bike’s sprightly performance being kept under control through the use of front forks, wheels, brakes and a swing-arm from Suzuki’s own sporting two-stroke twin, the RGV250.
Novel registration plate around the twin pipes
Iconic Auctioneers
The Swift Custom Special, built between 2003 and ’05 and UK registered in early ’06. has been carefully thought-out and nicely finished, complete with a pair of crackling under-seat exhaust pipes, a carbon-fibre radiator top, front and rear disc brakes and hand-made rear-set footrests.
It hasn’t been used for a while so may need some recommissioning. But it’s clearly been a labour of love and deserves a new owner who will appreciate the smooth power and exciting performance that only a well-tuned two-stroke can supply
It might also help if they’re not too worried about emissions.
1965 Scott Swift Custom Special. On offer with Iconic Auctioneers, NEC Birmingham, November 10. Estimate: £8,000-£10,000
You may also like
