History
BSA 350 cc GOLD STAR
Information compiled by Merv Lawrence - first draft - 06/12/09
This bike was owned and raced by the Famous Australian Road Race Champion, Ron Tombes (race number 63) raced this bike in Australia for several years.
I have found a reference to it on Motorcycling Australia site in the museum - online classics page.
It indicates this in the first paragraph:
"The man who assumed the role of top resident rider was Ron Toombs, who had begun his career 14 years earlier and progressed steadily if not spectacularly through the ranks on his own 350 BSA and later a 1961-model 350 7R AJS." I can only assume this is the bike.
I am under the impression that my brother Gordon Lawrence purchased the bike in the late 60's (I think from Ron) and used it as a short circuit bike (race number 185) in a slider frame for several years. Since Gordon's death in the mid seventies the motor has been returned to the road race frame and has been used at some historic race meetings by my other brother Stephen, who is the current owner. It has done little work since the short circuit days and has been in safe storage for quite a while.
The internal engine components have been changed and strengthened, before we purchased the bike. Apparently Charlie Ogden did some, if not all the work on the bike while Ron Tombes owned the machine. Charlie is also mensioned in the same MA article manufacturing the conrod for the infamous Henderson G50. I do remember going to his shop over near punchbowl (I think) when Illustration 1: BSA Gold Star Oran Park 22 November 2009Illustration 2: BSA Gold Star Oran Park 22 November 2009
Illustration 3: Gordan Lawrence and the Gold Star in his own designed and manufactured slider Frame. This is preparing for its first test run at Nepean Raceway.
the BSA dropped a valve at a Salt Creek short circuit meeting in the late 60's and disintergrated the piston and Gordon took the flywheels over to Charlie to check the conrod (which was definitely hand crafted) for straightness and set it up again. Charlie was old but his craftmanship was still there. The conrod needed straightening and he did a magnificant job on the conrod and flywheel reassembly. It has not been changed since that time.
The Following details were obtained from Mr Ian Jackson on Monday, November 30, 2009 by email: ralph@ralphtall.com from the Gold Star Machine Registrar in England with its general email: machineregistrar@bsagoldstarownersclub.comThe entry in the BSA Gold Star Despatch Book for CB32 GS 605 is
Engine Number: CB32 GS 605
Frame Number: CB32 2113
Tally Number: 2620
Consignee: Bennett & Wood [BSA Distributor, Sydney]
Equipment: Clubmans
Consignment Note Number: 61290
Despatch Date: 8 February 1955Illustration 5: Engine Number
Illustration 4: Frame Number
