1973 750 Norton Monocoque

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This is the 750 monocoque that Peter Williams and won the Formula 750 race at the Isle of Man on in 1973. It was bought by the present owner directly from Williams (a Norton engineer who conceived and built the three monocoques, plus a prototype chassis, that were originally constructed) in 1983. It still shows the dent on the lefthand side of the monocoque left from a crash at Imola, two weeks after the IOM. It followed on from the modified Commando framed racers that the company had been campaigning. The bikes were only raced in '73 as a new, space-frame design followed in 1974. The monocoque's design goals of a small frontal area & a low centre of gravity though carrying the fuel & oil low in the frame was reminiscent of Norton's 1960 350 Low Boy prototype. The bike recorded a top speed of over 160mph at Daytona in '73 before Williams won the Anglo-American Match series a few months later, then his IOM victory. 76hp at 7,200rpm. Dry weight 150kg. Top speed 260kph. Photographed near Barcelona, Spain. 2016. All pictures © Phil Aynsley Photography