Property of a deceased's estate
c.1970 Seeley 499cc G50 Mark 3
Frame no. MK3CS267

Many-times British sidecar champion Colin Seeley bought Associated Motor Cycles' racing department when the company went into receivership in 1966. The previous year he had constructed the first Seeley racing frame to house a Matchless G50 engine, and the AMC purchase enabled him to produce complete Seeley G50 and 7R machines. With their improved frames, the ageing four-stroke singles enjoyed renewed competitiveness, Dave Croxford winning the British 500 Championship on a Seeley G50 in 1968 and '69. The Seeley frame progressed from the duplex cradle original to the similar but lighter Mark 2, before the down-tubes were abandoned with the Mark 3, the headstock and swinging arm pivot of which were linked solely by tubes running diagonally above the engine. Introduced in May 1972, the Mark 4 featured a revised tubing layout and continued in production until 1973.

This genuine Seeley Mark 3 was purchased new in May 1972 by prominent sponsor, Jim Ball, for Malcolm Moffat to ride in that year's Isle of Man Senior TT. In 1980 it was purchased by the late Brian Richards and since then has achieved numerous Manx Grand Prix Classic Senior 'Replica' finishes, most notably in 1996 with Bill Horsman, who finished in 3rd place at an average speed of 102.11mph. This Seeley has also been ridden by Bill Swallow, Bob Jackson, Danny Shimmin, and Scottish champion Brian Alexander. It was last raced in 2014 and was mildly refreshed during the winter of 2015.