Thoughts & Observations

[Iron Head]

Amazing bike Steve and many thanks for the photos and contributions guys!

Iron Head

[Plugsnpoints]

With all the nasties going on at the moment, what a fantastic machine to see.

[Greybeard]

Thanks for all your comments, fellahs. They are very much appreciated.
Going back through the old brown log book it's clear that these 2-wheeled Landrovers weren't always wanted by the time the Mini arrived and killed off the sidecar market (though this one was originally supplied as a 'bicycle' rather than as a sidecar outfit). It was supplied to the dealer (Premier Motor Company, Birmingham) in November 61 and wasn't sold until October 62. Between December 67 and June 72, apart from a 4 month spell with its second owner, it languished in the showrooms of Chas Cope and Sons of Smethwick. Its history after that becomes more murky until its arrival in a dusty lock-up in Hull where it spent well over a decade.
I have pictures of both dealerships that I'll try to post later, along with a factory picture of the chap that actually built my engine - they were all stamped with the builder's reference.

It should be a reasonably lively beast to ride with around 27hp at a relaxed 4500 rpm. The AMC clutch has a slightly smaller drum than the Burman one so the gearing has been raised a little higher than normal solo gearing. Im expecting even more mpg than the already legendary economy they have. Perhaps I need to ask the local Council to move the lamp post a little farther apart so I can keep track of the revs

Steve

[56G80S]

It's lovely.

Blimey! - You must be quite at risk being well over 70" - just a typo, thank the Lord. Can't think what state I'd be in if I were that age!

Bad enough now.

Johnny B

[Greybeard]

Can't think what state I'd be in if I were that age!

Johnny B

You'd be a real challenge to the scientists working on Oil of Ulay!
Cheers, Johnny.

Steve

[Greybeard]

Absolutely nothing to do with AMC - again - but I thought it might provide something else to look at while we're socially hamstrung as it were.

This is a pretty terrible photograph unfortunately, showing the last two Panthers to leave P&M. The chap second from the left, Jack Wilkinson built my bike's engine - ostensibly the 2966th one he'd built at P&M, so he should have been pretty good at it by then.

98 640x480.jpg

I found this picture of the Premier Motor Company, Aston Road, Birmingham (now buried under the Aston Expressway). I'd guess it's around the time that they had my Panther. I've not been able to find any pictures of the motorcycle side of the dealership though. As a company they did once market their own brands - 4 and 6 cylinder cars made in Belgium in 1906, and in 1909 they made the Premo motorcycle using a Rex 2-stroke engine but were forced to change the name to PMC after being taken to court by the Premier Cycle Company of Coventry.
I reckon the picture is from the 60s or early70s - the Honda 90 foretold of the impending Japanese takeover.

94 Premier Motor Company 640x480.jpg

The next dealership to have the bike (for about 5 years ) was Chas Cope and Sons of Smethwick. I'd like to think that my bike used those petrol pumps to fill up at least once.

Like I said, not AMC related but I hope of some passing interest.

Take care out there. Steve

[SPRIDDLER]

Thanks, Steve. I love the history and pics of bike factories and staff, almost always with collars and ties and often waistcoats. Many of them seriously expert at their jobs after doing the same one for maybe 10, 20 or 30 years. Mind you, although I spent around 20 years at it I never did become expert at sealing my primary case.

[Samuel]

A heartfelt thank you for sharing some of the history and pictures.

[bob121]

Do you know the address of that copes shop. I know one was on the Hagley Road, bearwood, which technically is classed as Smethwick. That closed down in the eighties when they went bump.

[Greybeard]

That was the one, Bob. Hagley Road, Smethwick. Ive had a look on streetview and it's all rather depressing - gym, filling station etc etc It looks like Copes was quite a big concern in the good old days.

Steve