mechanical marvel

[29 excelsior]

hello all new to list can anyone help with blackburne/JAP mechanical marvel. as in excelsior 1933 lightweight TT winner.any info or ideas where too find information on the JAP Mechanical Marvel
tony

[henry_norton]

Asides from the usual owners club answers, I've found people dealing in old bike magazines like Classic Bike and OBM will often be able to find articles on rare bikes like your Excelsior. I was looking for information on the Matchless Silver Hawk a couple of years ago and found a really good article in a 1980 back issue of Classic Bike on Ebay. All I had to do was ask, and it only cost £1.50!

Best of luck mate.

[DM]

Motor Cycling Jan 5th 1951 has a 2 page article by John Griffith in it on the Mechanical Marvel.

Stilltime have a number of Mechanical Marvel photographs.

Motor Cycling June 21st 1933 has a write up of the lightweight TT with Sid Gleave coming 1st riding a mechanical Marvel.

Classic Racer Autumn 1986 has an article  "Racing with Excelsior" with quite a bit about the Mechanical Marvel in it

[Justin_Faithfull]

Here are some more sources you may find helpful: -
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club http://www.vmcc.net/library.htm
Bruce Main-Smith & Co. http://www.brucemainsmith.com/index.html
The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, UK (reference library) http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/templates/ld_templates/layout_261.aspx?ObjectId=94
Mortons Media archives http://www.mortonsarchive.com/privacy.htm

[29 excelsior]

Motor Cycling Jan 5th 1951 has a 2 page article by John Griffith in it on the Mechanical Marvel.

Stilltime have a number of Mechanical Marvel photographs.

Motor Cycling June 21st 1933 has a write up of the lightweight TT with Sid Gleave coming 1st riding a mechanical Marvel.

Classic Racer Autumn 1986 has an article  "Racing with Excelsior" with quite a bit about the Mechanical Marvel in it

[29 excelsior]

thankyou I have some where too start, who are still time?
cheers tony

[29 excelsior]

Here are some more sources you may find helpful: -
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club http://www.vmcc.net/library.htm
Bruce Main-Smith & Co. http://www.brucemainsmith.com/index.html
The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, UK (reference library) http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/templates/ld_templates/layout_261.aspx?ObjectId=94
Mortons Media archives http://www.mortonsarchive.com/privacy.htm

[DM]

You can contact David at Stilltime via his website.

http://www.stilltime.net/

He's definately got pics of the mechanical marvel and several other Excelsiors from around 1933.

If you come across any pic's of 500cc Excelsior J.A.P's in you search please let me know. I'm still researching the 1932 TT bike that I have.

Dennis

[29 excelsior]

thanks Dennis. wow I would like to see pics and description of your bike. I wiil atempt to post pics of 1929 500cc JAP racer in red livery.
I own the 1929 excelsior on vintage bike web site.I was atempting to build up a 250cc villiers 29 excelsior, correct twinport motor $100
complete except piston now have nos deflector pistons.$50each..
the frame I found in a disused dairy well 2 part frames upon checking numbers found top section of frame suited 500cc JAP. so will build 500cc OHV 29 excelsior out of spare frames.you have to have good imagination to see what can be built out of a pile of parts read frames cut up. some retubing in order..
cheers tony

[DM]

Tony,

Here's what it looked like


Here's what it looks like now


The 1933 marvel in the national motorcycle museum I'm told is a modified manxman frame based machine, but the rear frame section matches what should be on mine.

[29 excelsior]

thankyou DM, what a marvelous project you have.I will try too find out
wheather. the manxman frame was used earlier than the engine was developed, I presume the frames were designed intially for mechanical marvel, then used on the manxman.excelsior wouldnt have only used one type of frame that ran for a year or so,when it obviously handeled well enough too win the  TT then design new frame for the new manxman engine . but I'm guessing really..
cheers tony

[DM]

Last time I was at the musem I got permission to have a close look at the mechanical marvel and take some pics of the frame areas I was interested in.
The frame No is very close to mine but sadly I have been told it is an overstamped modified manxman frame.

[29 excelsior]

thankyou DM and others for replies. this is the most friendly helpful
forums I have visited.I now have lots of info re mechanical marvel
and excelsiors.still want more.

A few sources quote that a few 500cc mechanical marvels were built.
has anyone an idea where too find info on 500cc mechanical marvels
how many is a few and were they used in competition or just tested?
are there any still known to exist?
cheers tony
all help is very much appreciated.

[DM]

The mechanical marvel was only ever produced in 1933/34 as a 246cc machine.
The 500cc machines produced around that period were J.A.P engined or the manxman.
Thre was a 500cc J.A.P engined B14 in 1932 with a double mag.