Cotton Telstar

Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Frame No: 66
Engine No: 2225H-834E947
cc: 250
MOT Expiry Date: N/A

Announced in October 1962 the Cotton Telstar was the first Villiers Starmaker powered racing bike to debut to the public. Its origins lay in a scrambler converted to racing specification by Peter Vallis during 1962 prompting the Gloucester company to develop a dedicated road racer. Cotton undertook much of the development work required to convert the Starmaker into a viable road race engine and signed Derek Minter to ride the works bike in the 1963 season. Development throughout the 1963 season saw performance improve with reliability following, a narrowing powerband necessitated a revised gearbox with the works bike adopting a six speed gearbox in June 1964. In production form the Telstar retained the four speed gearbox, however one other machine is known to have run a six speed item in the form of the Frank Higley sponsored Telstar raced by Bill Ivy.
The example here is believed to be that machine, the bare bones of the bike having been purchased by Mr Frank Hawkins from a Reading based motorcycle breakers that had purchased the contents of Higley race shop following hi death. As purchased by Mr Hawkins the machine consisted of little more than a frame and swinging arm, however, advertisements placed in OBM slowly resulted in parts being purchased that enabled the machine to be rebuilt to its former glory. A new six speed gear Cluster was purchased from Fluff Brown and handed to Eric Stroud together with the Starmaker engine parts for a rebuild, Eric Stroud having been responsible for the machine originally. A set of short Norton Roadholder forks with Manx internals were acquired as was a suitable alloy top yoke. An eight inch Oldani front hub and brake was fitted complimented by a British Hub Company rear hub, both laced to Akront rims. With the project nearing completion Mr Hawkins, who had competed on the Island in the Manx Grand Prix, sought an entry for himself and the machine in 1997 TT parade, unfortunately this did not come to pass due to an over subscription, so, somewhat disheartened, Mr Hawkins sold the machine to the present owner following its completion.
It is presented in excellent condition reflecting the quality of the restoration and is offered with correspondence from Mr Hawkins outlining his and the motorcycles history.