1970 BSA Rocket 3 Works

Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Frame No: T.B.A.
Engine No: HD00329A75R

The howl of a BSA or Triumph triple in competition is as familiar to classic enthusiasts today as it was to racing enthusiasts at the beginning of the seventies, however, our familiarity with the machines may occasionally cause us to forget how significant they are. Born out of expediency as a result of the emerging threat from Japan both on the road and the track they went on to secure a place in history based on success.
The original concept for a triple based on one and a half Speed Twins was originally muted at the beginning of the sixties, although the go ahead for work to commence did not finally occur until 1964. The viability of the concept was validated when the new model was announced in September 1968 to excellent reviews. With the road going models in production, work commenced at the end of 1969 on a racing version to compete at Daytona in March 1970. Whilst Doug Hele oversaw the engine preparation Rob North designed a specially commissioned frame to house the unit, the marriage of the two proving to be a success from the outset. Six machines were sent to the United States, three Triumphs (for Gary Nixon, Gene Romero and Don Castro) and three BSAs (ridden by Mike Hailwood, Jim Rice and Dave Aldana). Gene Romero set a lap record during practice of 164.44 mph. During the race Mike Hailwood's machine overheated, but Romero and Don Castro were able to secure second and third places and Dave Aldana was the highest placed BSA finishing in twelfth. Although the Daytona meeting had proved to be a disappointment the triples had clearly shown their potential. This was confirmed two months later at the Talladega 200 in Alabama where BSA mounted Dave Aldana took victory at 104.5 mph, a record for an event of that length in the United States. Successes followed on both sides of the Atlantic with the new machines securing victories including the Production TT and the Bold'Or. The team returned to Daytona for 1971, the bikes, now equipped with Lockheed discs all round and a revised frame that reduced the machines overall height earning them the nickname of "lowboy" to differentiate them from the previous seasons "highboy" version, returning to the UK having secured all three steps on the Podium thanks to Dick Mann, Romero and Emde. This commenced another year of success for the triples including John Cooper's famous victory at the Mallory Park Race of the Year when he headed a field home that included Agostini on the MV triple, Sheene on a Suzuki and Read And Saarinen on Yamaha's.
Unfortunately, the announcement during October 1971 that the BSA-Triumph Group were in financial difficulties marked the end, at least as a works team for the Rob North framed triples, although Slippery Sam continued the triples dominance in the Production TT winning again in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.
We are pleased to be able to offer Dave Aldana's 1970 Daytona machine, one of the three "Highboy" BSA factory racers sent to the United States for the race, which secured 12th place and went on to set a race winning record at the Talladega 200 in May 1970. The machine is offered fitted with the Lockheed twin front disc brakes adopted for the 1971 season in place of the special Fontana twin sided, double leading shoe drum employed during the 1970 season and the 1971 pattern fairing designed to accommodate the oil cooler in the nose. The machine has been authenticated by it's former owner Robert Iannucci and fellow teamster Don Emde and is offered with a copy of a letter from Doug Hele which states that "Dave Aldana rode our No. 3 machine with engine number HDO 0329" at Daytona according to his "1970 Daytona record book, together with the track work sheets that I used at the time". Mr Hele goes on to write with reference to the Talladega race that "Aldana's Daytona machine No. 3 HDO 0329 won the race having been prepared for that race over in the USA."
The motorcycle offered has recently been inspected by Richard Peckett of P&M Motorcycles whilst it has been in H and Hs care and he writes in his report that "The machine I inspected would have been one of the original three 1970 machines and the engine number HD00329A75R was allocated to Dave Aldana according to factory records ( he worked in the BSA development shop and went to Triumph to work on the Triple Race Bikes)" confirming the statements made in the copy of Mr Hele's letter. He also confirms that it is the machine ridden by Aldana at the Talladega race and suggests that it may have been used by Aldana in the 1971 Daytona. He notes that a previous owner reported that the machine had suffered a "blow up" requiring a new crank and other internal parts, in the period following its disposal by BSA America and highlights the repairs visible on the crankcases as being consistent with this. This significant piece of motorcycle racing history is described by the vendor as being in perfect condition, resplendent in the BSA racing livery of red and white.