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Author Topic: FNs  (Read 8251 times)

Offline DevonDan

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FNs
« on: January 14, 2008, 05:56:46 AM »
High folks a bit of nebie around here but am a bike nut! My Grandad - HG Bell was heavily involved with the 4 cylinder FNs esp between the wars and I am trying to find out as much history about him and the bikes as I can, anyone know anyone who knows?!

I have been in contact with the MCC (he was a honoury life member) and the ACU.

Cheers

Dan
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Offline henry_norton

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Re: FNs
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2008, 05:54:17 AM »
Old Bike Mart is a good source for this type of thing. I'm not sure whether you have to subscribe but they normally get quite good responses to bikes, names, pictures of the most obscure manufacturers and people. H_N
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Offline DevonDan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2008, 06:21:04 AM »
Cheers. I'll give them ago!

Dan
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Offline cardan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2008, 03:47:57 PM »
Hi Dan,

Lovely photo. Unfortunately I can't help with info about your grandad, but I can tell you that he is astride a 1913 four cylinder FN in the photo - the last of the lightweight fours. This model has a clutch and a two-speed gear in the shaft drive. It looks like it might even have footrests instead of pedals - a feature of the very last of this model.

Did you notice the "FN" registration number - just lucky or did he have contacts in the right places?

Cheers

Leon

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Offline DevonDan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2008, 07:05:27 AM »
Kind of....  he was the Sales Manager!!
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Offline L.A.B.

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Re: FNs
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2008, 07:15:05 AM »
"FN" being a Canterbury issue registration mark, if that has any significance?
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L.A.B.

Offline DevonDan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2008, 04:49:02 AM »
Quote
"FN" being a Canterbury issue registration mark, if that has any significance?

Probably not, all his Bikes had an FN reg and he lived in Clevedon Somerset!  An early personal plate!

Ok so where's this then?!

I tried to resize the pic, but now its done it on its own? how does that work?!
« Last Edit: January 18, 2008, 05:13:33 AM by DevonDan »
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Offline cardan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2008, 05:26:10 AM »
Now that's an interesting photo - do you know anything about it? I suspect that the two machines might be those ridden by Rex Mundy and S.B. White in the 1914 TT, but the race numbers in the photo are not those used in the race.

You can read about the FN effort in the 1914 TT race here:
http://users.senet.com.au/~mitchell/bikes/fn/html/fnrace.htm

Leon
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Offline DevonDan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2008, 06:18:52 AM »
Hey .... now you are too good by half!!!  1914 TT it is  - at the back of the Castle Mona Hotel.  Gelder (FN MD and my Grandfather H.G Bell, Sales Manager are in the photo, but I'm having trouble picking them out!  

Not sure about the numbers, I'll have a look through the papers I have.

So how come you know so much about FNs or are you just good with Google!

All the best Dan
« Last Edit: January 18, 2008, 06:19:32 AM by DevonDan »
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Offline cardan

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Re: FNs
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2008, 08:13:01 AM »
Just an FN tragic I'm afraid.

Leon
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