Royal Enfield GT Amal carburettors

[wetdog]

Royal Enfield GT Amal carburettors

I have a royal Enfield continental GT , the bike has had one previous owner and listed in the logbook as Amal carburettors; does anyone remember this bike or know of any history? I was told it was Amals test machine , but I bought it from Lucas many years ago , any photos would be nice .

The registration is EOX 855D

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Wetdig,
Try a search in the "Made in Birmingham" website before Amal were taken over I think they were a Midlands firm?
Update: Perry Barr was part of Birmingham
From this website:Source http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Amalgamated_Carburetters

Amalgamated Carburetters of Holford Works, Perry Barr were makers of carburetters, supplied under the trademark Amal and others. Amal were the major suppliers of carburettors to the British motorcycle industry for a long time; their products were used by large manufacturers such as BSA and AMC.

1926 Amac was owned by Nobel Industries which became part of ICI this year.

1927 Public company formed: Amalgamated Carburetters Ltd to bring together 3 manufacturers Brown and Barlow, Amac and C. Binks (1920) Ltd for better utilisation of their resources[1], headquartered at the Brown and Barlow factory.

1930 Application to amend patent granted to Brown and Barlow

1931 Name changed to Amal Ltd.

1937 Manufacturers of accessories. "Amal" Carburetters, Pumps etc. [2]

1939 See Aircraft Industry Suppliers

1940 Part of ICI Metals Division.

1943 Amal was moved into new premises due to fire in December 1943.

1956 Amal Ltd declared its results and dividend; was said to be controlled by ICI[3]

With the decline of the British motorcycle industry, the demand for AMAL carburetters fell[4].

1961 Authorised capital of £320,000 and employed 600 persons[5]

1961 Light precision engineers specialising in carburettors and controls for motor cycle industry, bonnet fasteners, dashboard controls, petrol filters and fuel pumps for motor vehicles. Ball and roller joints, flame traps, bunsen burners, gas injectors, jets and non-returns valves for the gas world-wide. [6]

1963 Amal Ltd, a subsidiary of ICI, reported a loss larger than the previous year[7].

1964 The outstanding shares were acquired by IMI[8].

1965 Part of IMI[9].

1965 Supplied parts to General Dynamics for the conversion of the Dart Convair to using Rolls-Royce turbo-prop engines[10].

1968 Member of IMI Group[11].

1993 Sold to Grosvenor Works of North London - a supplier of fuel system components. Under Grosvenor some of the more popular obsolete ranges were re-manufactured.

In 2003 the business was sold to Burlen Fuel Systems, a company that also produces SU, Solex and Zenith, three other "classic" carburettor ranges. See Burlen website [12]

The carburettors are still produced by their current owner Burlen Fuel Systems as spares for the classic motorcycle market. The AMAL and AMAC trademarks now cover a range of products including carburettors (principally but not exclusively for motorcycle engines), controls (brake and clutch levers, cables, etc.), fuel lift pumps, gas jets and burner devices as well as gas safety valves.


Cheers

JBW

[wetdog]

thanks for the history lesson on Amal , im really looking for history on the bike as to what Amal had got it for , and weather the test machine story is true or B/S , the machine was lyeing at the proffing labs at lucas in birmingham when i bought it , but no one knows why they had it unless it had been  there for tests at some time .

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Wetdog,
I sent you the history of Amal, because I thought that somewhere in it there might be a lead to a contact or address leading to someone perhaps who worked in a test laboratory  on caburation!

The bike was probably a test bike, perhaps for the move from Amal Monobloc's to Concentric carb's, or perhaps RE themselves sent it there for development & evaluation.

My Father worked in a research test development centre for a large Heavy vehicle automotive concern & it was the practice @ that time that components & sometimes complete machines to be gifted from manufacturer's to gain information about their products. Someone, somewhere might remember your machine, just a pity that Amal changed hands so many times!

I thought maybe you could do some detective work/sleuthing from the information?

Cheers

JBW

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Wetdog,
What about contacting MIRA & seeing whether the bike turns up in their records?

Cheers


JBW

[wetdog]

funny you mention MIRA as have already been told this machine was run at MIRA , but took no notice untill now , does MIRA keep records of all machines run there ? this bike is fitted with a concenric carb , is this correct for this year ? thanks for your help

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Wetdog,
I would think unless they have been destroyed, records for tests would be kept somewhere, in an archive!

Cheers


JBW

[wetdog]

hope so i have emailed them

[Revband]

"this bike is fitted with a concenric carb , is this correct for this year ?",  yes this was the first year that the Concentric was fitted to this bike.