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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: steven c on June 20, 2018, 08:03:10 AM

Title: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: steven c on June 20, 2018, 08:03:10 AM: If you had a Guzzi in Southern New England you probably had been to Marsh Motorcycle in East Windsor CT. AMA Hall of Fame member Fred Marsh was a well known hill climber and this was the Norton Commando he used .I had the privilege of taking some photos of it last evening.
(https://thumb.ibb.co/kcWaqJ/hillclimb2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kcWaqJ)
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: yogidozer on June 20, 2018, 08:33:23 AM: Surprised Bailey doesn't have this in his garage! :wink:
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: PeteS on June 20, 2018, 09:25:29 AM: Looks amazingly stock other than the gearing.

Pete
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: Lannis on June 20, 2018, 10:28:42 AM: Quote from: PeteS on June 20, 2018, 09:25:29 AM
Looks amazingly stock other than the gearing.

Pete

My first thought too.

I guess we're used to seeing "Unlimited" and "Extreme" Class hillclimbers, with their long extended swingarms and paddle rear tires and nitro-burning engines.

There's classes for stock bikes to run in too, where no frame mods are allowed, and you run a knobby tire, no chains or anything.

Those ones don't make "ABC's Wide World of Sports" though!

Lannis
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: TOMB on June 20, 2018, 11:31:04 AM: I've touched this bike many times as a customer and employee.
I think there is enough DNA left to. bring Freddy back.
Maybe someday John will donate it to the Freddy Marsh display at the Indian Museum in Springfield Ma.
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: yogidozer on June 20, 2018, 11:34:09 AM: Quote from: TOMB on June 20, 2018, 11:31:04 AM
I've touched this bike many times as a customer and employee.
I think there is enough DNA left to. bring Freddy back.
Maybe someday John will donate it to the Freddy Marsh display at the Indian Museum in Springfield Ma.
That's a great idea! :1:
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: Roebling3 on June 20, 2018, 08:10:53 PM: Anyone know more history on Fred Marsh. Years ago we had a chance to chat, on occasion. Sometimes at the shop, other times @ Indian gatherings (Danbury Fairgrounds, CT.). I've been to the 'early' Springfield Muse`a number of times and also the re-incarnation in downtown Springfield, MA 3 X.

I've not heard that Fred raced on board tracks. Randy Tefft, being too young :) - does not know. My dad used to take my brother and me to board track races in Northern NJ. ca. Late 1930's. I was too young to recognize manufacturers; 'til we watched Indians in 'The Wall of Death'. R3~
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: EldoMike on June 20, 2018, 09:44:34 PM: Something I wrote 15 years ago...

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/topica_archive/message.php?id=1713333730
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: chuck peterson on June 21, 2018, 05:07:53 AM: Two snaps of mine...

Board tracker from the 1920's I believe.....and at the 100th anniversary of Indian in Springfield MA sitting on the same thing at 102 yrs young, he was honored....he probably sold half the guzzi in New England from the 60's on...

(https://thumb.ibb.co/eMtVaT/image.jpg) (https://ibb.co/eMtVaT)

(https://thumb.ibb.co/g4C6FT/image.jpg) (https://ibb.co/g4C6FT)
Title: Re: Fred Marsh hill climb Norton
Post by: Roebling3 on June 21, 2018, 08:42:44 AM: Thanks for that Chuck. The pictures are great, too.
I met Fred @ the Danbury, CT fairgrounds in the mid 80's. I stopped drinking the bmw Kool-Aid in ~'95. Spent nearly 5 years talking a fellow in International Falls., MN out of his '93 Daytona. Rode it to Fred's 100th and 101st birthdays. Fred always made me feel like a life long friend.

Izzat Jim Hamlin reaching for the bars on that monitor? Hope to see you soon, R3~