Tony Smith at Mallory Park in 1968 Pictures
Add Your Photos!
Thanks to Bill Dobson for sending me this picture.
what a super photof my dad back in the day this was taken before i was born
Giselle have u facebook from Nadine x
hi I used to go with my mum and dad most weekends to watch uncle Tony when I was between 8 and 11 years old . wow what exiting times. I so often wonder where Tony and Barbara are now. would so love to get in contact with them . my dads name was John Parkin . hope you are well . Giselle.x
gisellemaggo071070@gmail.com
Hello cant find your email address can you contact me please me and mum doing family tree
i used to travel with my now wife to watch Richard Rainbow’s boys Tony Smith and Mick Andrews when they were riding in the 60s Micks Girlfriend sheila was bridesmaid at our wedding both Mick and Sheila died so young
Hi John,
A long shot, but I don’t suppose you have any photos do you? I’ll have a book out in the next 12 months which will cover the Rainbow bikes and riders (among others) but don’t have a single photo of Mick and not that many of either Tony really.
Cheers
Pete
OMG My Uncle Tony x x good times remember it well
Hi Nadine (and Giselle). I’ve been talking to Tony a lot recently, here in the UK, for a couple of Magazine articles (Classic Racer) and a book I’m doing on BSA A65s (which Tony raced). Dick Rainbow (your dad?) came up lots in conversation, as he did when talking to the Harris Brothers and Hugh Evans (important names, but don’t worry if they mean nothing to you?). I think your dad is in Australia or NZ now? I’d love to get in touch as he seemed to have started a number of careers!
Cheers
Pete
Please can you contact me through my email address gisellemaggo071070@gmail.com
Hi Pete
Wow great to hear some feedback I would love to get in contact with Tony, funnily enough we had Hugh Evans out here for a 80th birthday party for Dad last year. We love reminiscing talking about the old times and yes remember Steve and Lester well my email address is
Nadelina7@gmail.com would love to hear from you. Dad still rides a Honda Boldor regularly and a massive beast of a Suzuki and he has three trial bikes and can still manage a wheelie much to his Grandsons amazement!! Kind regards Nadine Rainbow
Pete if you have Tony’s contact details or email address please email me with them or if not give him my details thanks and regards
Nadine xx
Hi Nadine,
Good to hear from you. I’ve emailed Tony’s details on.
Cheers
Pete
Dear Pete – I’ve no connection to Tony Smith or Dick Rainbow but I did buy an A65 Lightning off of a great friend of mine – the late Mel Rice (ridden in the 1967 Production TT) Reg HOX 874 E. Apparently, Mel bought this machine ostensibly as a second hand machine directly from BSA using the ‘auspices’ of Dick Rainbow. I was told not to change anything concerning the cams or timing on this machine – it went like an absolute rocket but I never stripped the engine. I wasn’t the rider that Mel was and only campaigned the machine in club sprints, hill climbs and a few road races enjoying myself immensely with a lot of fun. Unfortunately, when I sold the machine on the idiot I sold it to converted it into some sort of chopper – or so I am told. Funny enough the things that stick in my mind about it are using vast amounts of Redex in the primary chain case (most of which leaked out but did seem to work well for the clutch/primary chain) and the constant checking and re-checking of the tappets after every stint of hard usage.
Anyway, that all seems a long time ago now but maybe this small bit of info will be useful to you in the book you are writing on A65′s. Regards Derek Jarvis
Hi Derek,
Thanks so much for getting back. I’ll weave some of what you’ve said above into what I already have if that’s OK? Interestingly I’ve talked to Norman Hanks (the sidecar racer) who partnered him on a works bike in the 500-miler in 1967 – they didn’t finish, as Norman binned it! And also Chris Lodge, who was mates with Mel as well. Unfortunately, he witnessed him being killed, when Mel crashed a light aircraft he was flying. Chris actually gave me a good if rather bleak quote on that.
Chris Lodge: “There were four of us in a tent that year, for the Barcelona 24-hr race. Me, Mick Andrew, Melvin Rice and our driver. And very soon I was the only one left alive. When I was in hospital sometime soon after, after an accident, the doctor said to me; “The death rate of you guys and Battle of Britain pilots is about the same.” Well, I didn’t know then what the death rate was, but it was 40%. And when I looked across everyone I knew, those who could win or finish in the top three sort of thing, it was true, it was about 40%”
My email address is peterjcrawford@tiscali.co.uk so if you dropped me an email back I can send you the sections where I mention Melvin, and where I can add your pieces in. It’s all this anecdotal background which adds the interest! So many thanks again.
Cheers
Pete
Hi Pete, is there any info on book? Would love this when it’s released!
Thanks!
Hi Joy,
It’ll hopefully be out early summer. You’ll be able to find it at http://www.wideline.co.uk
yes i do its giselle maggo
hi richard can you please email me on gisellemaggo071070@gmail.com and i will give you mums contact details thanks giselle x
Hi Tony – you may not remember me watched you practice at snetterton with Barbra”s dad Tom when you were testing the then new rocket three which if i recall there was trouble with overheating which i guess was sorted, getting towards the end of the brit bike error i suppose anyway hope your keeping well, be glad to hear back from you , still riding old brit bikes at 76, kind regards, geoff.
Hi Geoff
I’m tony’s niece, I have passed you message to him. Do you have a email I could pass to him ?
Thankyou
Really well done
Does any have contact details for bernard peris roche he was a dear friend when i was a young little girl