Matchless comp bikes

[Single]

Towards the end of AMC's manufacturing of competition motorcycles, they starting putting together what some people might call 'parts bin specials'.. Others might say that these were the machines that AMC should have been building all along.
In 1962, AMC built a limited number (~25) of that most desirable of Matchless comp singles - the G50CSR - while continuing with the G80CS. After some success in the US, it was ruled ineligible so that was that. By the mid-sixties, the G80CS had had its day - too heavy by far - and with the clock at 5 minutes to midnight the G85CS was born.. A lightweight frame with the G80CS engine. Then, with the clock ticking, the Norton P11 and its Matchless stablemate the G15CS emerged. And that was it..  
My question is this: to me, the logical step would have been to take the G85CS lightweight rolling chassis and drop a G50 engine in it. What a performer this would have been.. light, manageable & with grunt in spades. Does anyone know if AMC ever tried this - and, if not, why not? Was it because of what happened to the G50CSR? Bill Nilsson showed the way in 1957 when he successfully campaigned his 7R-engined Crescent special.

[Hunter]

I would imagine the cost of the G50 engines would have taken the price too high for the completed bikes for a company like AMC to afford, while small builders like Colin Seeley and others could maintain a profit by only producing small numbers and asking a high price.
ps: Are you sure the G15cs used the same frame as the P11. In the states a few P11s were badged matchless as a selling ploy.

[L.A.B.]

Are you sure the G15cs used the same frame as the P11. In the states a few P11s were badged matchless as a selling ploy.

I believe it was the Norton N15CS and Matchless G15CS models that had similar frames derived from the Matchless G12CS frame.

Apparently, the Norton production model P11 frame was a modified Matchless G85 item.  



Hybrid info:

http://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/hybrid/hybrid_detail.html

http://www.ajsmoc.com/hybrids.html

[Hunter]

I agree L.A.B, I rebuilt a P11 and it had the chrome molyednium reynolds 531 G85CS frame.