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return of the vw drag bike
GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:21 PM

thought i'd do an update on the vw bike , havent done for few year's , i ended up purchasing the ex Thornley bros bike , purely by accident , mate of mine found it ,in sad condition ,but hey, with all good intensions of restoring it , but had second thoughts about it and offered it to me , as he knew i built an raced one many yr's ago , this one (one of many Thornley Bros campained ) was built in 1980 last raced 1985 , 2 ltr supercharged , crowerglide ,2speed Lenco, all there ,just blower an manifolds missing (no idea what happed to them ), will be used for Nostalgia meets an car bike show display


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:23 PM

as found


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:24 PM

as found


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:25 PM

Rick Thornley riding


beetleboyjeff - December 12th, 2020 at 10:30 PM

Oh wow. How cool is that. I hope you can also race it at some of the VW drag meets


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:33 PM

as is now


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:33 PM

now


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:36 PM

n


GooNoo2180 - December 12th, 2020 at 10:48 PM

yes thats the plan Jeff ,....... and thanks whoever sorted those posts out


vw54 - December 13th, 2020 at 07:18 AM

Pete

I remember Ric hes used to live or his girlfriend lived on King Georges Road at Roselands

His mate lived in my street so thats how i got to meet and talk with him never saw the bike run

Its great you can restore it and hopefully have a run

Where is Ric nowdays


hulbyw - December 13th, 2020 at 08:45 AM

Great project!


GooNoo2180 - December 13th, 2020 at 08:48 AM

Hi Dave ,Rick is in Tasmania now , he was on Gold Coast for while , Jim is still in Sydney


1303Steve - December 13th, 2020 at 09:30 AM

Great bit of history. Rick used to work on the local council and we would talk about the good old days


GooNoo2180 - December 13th, 2020 at 10:19 AM

Yes Steve pretty much why i bought it , such a great piece of history, as i said blower and manifolds were sold separately , they cant remember who, other than he was a hillclimb guy , i presume vw , i was lucky enough to purchase a marshall blower(identical ) an S.U's off good freind Jeff Unwin, its a long shot but , but if any body knows the where abouts or who purchased blower an manifolds yr's ago , it 'd be a lot easier than remaking it all....... just manifolds , never know whats lying around still , as this bike was........ photo credits to Jim Thornley


vw54 - December 14th, 2020 at 09:48 AM

Pete

Are you going to be the pilot when its up n running


GooNoo2180 - December 14th, 2020 at 10:59 AM

yes i am Dave ......... i think i still got it in me


vw54 - December 14th, 2020 at 01:11 PM

Car YES

Bike NO

your sack must be bigger than mine hahahaha

where did you get the bike from of Ric and his Brother or has it been in a few different hands over the years
what happened to your Bike


GooNoo2180 - December 14th, 2020 at 09:48 PM

, Jim and Rick sold the bike less blower about a year after Castlereagh closed , to a guy at Liverpool ,where it sat for 35yr's

was going to fit a Harley mota ,a mate hunted it down on a rumour where an who had ,bout a year ago , and bought it , i bought it from him after changing his mind about yr ago


........ my bike in 77 i dismantled it , frame went to tip , Fuel injection went to Henry Spicak, engine sold to Vw guy at Crow's Nest (dont have many pics of the old thing


GooNoo2180 - April 10th, 2021 at 07:26 PM

few steps closer


GooNoo2180 - April 10th, 2021 at 07:27 PM

still lot to do ...


beetleboyjeff - April 10th, 2021 at 10:31 PM

Looks good


GooNoo2180 - April 11th, 2021 at 10:59 AM

Thanks Jeff


BoogieRider - June 13th, 2021 at 09:36 AM

what size rear tyre are you running?


vw54 - June 14th, 2021 at 05:02 PM

Hows the project going


GooNoo2180 - June 18th, 2021 at 12:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BoogieRider
what size rear tyre are you running?
26"x 9"..


GooNoo2180 - June 18th, 2021 at 12:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vw54
Hows the project going
... still picking away at it ,making manifolds ,plenum chamber n stuff , getting it all fit between the frame and engine


vw54 - August 30th, 2021 at 02:14 PM

Update Please


GooNoo2180 - August 31st, 2021 at 06:16 PM

not whole lot progress , been bit too cold and few other projects got get done , i havent learnt to say no to people yet ,.one day....... tried to up load some pics ,but wont load


vw54 - August 31st, 2021 at 07:19 PM

send to my email n will upload


GooNoo2180 - September 1st, 2021 at 12:58 PM

sorted