Spondon RS1000

I started this thread over on the “project” forum but that isn’t the right place for it.So I’m reposting here.

I bought this as an incomplete race project quite a few years ago, 2014 I think maybe 2015. It’s the basis of an original F1 racebike which was later used in endurance racing and with another (similar spec) were at the centre of a race team run by Peter Darvill. Peter was a successful racer in the late 50’s and 60’s with Thruxton 500 and Manx GP wins. He continued to race in the 1970’s winning the Bol d’or and other important endurance races until a serious accident ended his race career.

Turning his attention to management he built reputable endurance race team with the help of Honda RSC and Honda Britain.

This bike has a frame which dates from 1977/8 and was built by Spondon Engineering for / fitted with a Honda RCB engine, later the chassis was fitted with the RS1000 in 1979, the engine was the 10th factory engine built. Peter’s riders were but not limited to Robin Spring and Jock Copeland. I have managed to get a copy of the Spondon original factory record of the chassis build and as I purchased the basis of the bike from the estate of Peter Darvill its provenance in bullet proof.

My intention is to build back to the way it raced in 1979/80 and resist silly pressure to turn it into a street tracker or cafe racer.

Now I haven’t just left the bike sitting for years I’ve been slowly collecting parts - quietly, sometimes not so quietly tracking stuff down and turning down one route only to find you can’t use those pistons with those rods or that cylinder with that crank. The hardest thing was that some parts are not even listed in the RSC catalogues which makes senses as the early engines were not available to buy only to rent to preferred customers and teams - some engines were more special than others therefore.

Photo - the condition when purchased!