Gordon Glover Article

Post by **Stuart** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 6:37 pm

I've only ever put a brief outline of how Gordon Glover created his C.I. bike back in 1959 here in the U.K. Here's the full article, enjoy

http://www.dieselbike.net/privateconver ... rticle.jpg

johnfireball · Post by **johnfireball** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:37 pm

Great stuff Stuart, keep it coming.
John.

Post by **Stuart** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:45 am

My efforts to trace Gordon have been rebuffed by the DVLA here in the UK. I'll try another avenue..
Would be great to see him and his bike at a rally

Anorak_ian · Post by **Anorak_ian** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:46 pm

He'll be 75 now, if he is still with us.

Post by **Stuart** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:44 pm

Yep, the DVLA woman couldn't reveal much over the phone but she did say the bike had been registered to the same person for a very long time. I'm guessing, hoping he's still with us. I'll keep looking anyway. you never know, I might get lucky

Post by **Stuart** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:04 pm

Here's my 'finished' piece on the hunt for Gordon Glover's Ariel.
http://www.dieselbike.net/Glover/Glover.htm

brucey · Post by **brucey** » Sat Nov 02, 2013 6:42 pm

Stuart,

Many thanks for taking the time to write your story. I found it really interesting.
I'm wondering if I should contact the British Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham and offer to rebuild Ernie Dorsett's Yellow Peril. Alternatively I could supply a number of bits FOC depending how badly damaged it was in the fire.
It's strange how we feel a certain responsibility to like minded people we will never meet!

I wish you the best of luck locating Gordon Glover's bike.

Bruce

Post by **Stuart** » Sat Nov 02, 2013 10:12 pm

I'm sure they'd appreciate another of those bikes but not sure how they budget for bikes?

I've much respect for the rebels and especially the rebels within rebel groups (motorcyclists)

Guys back then, building & tuning for MPG rather than MPH? That's gotta be celebrated ain't it ?

We can't lose all these old motorcycles, they are our history.

Post by **Stuart** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:06 pm

Update 30/12/13

Received a phone call at 11am today from the chap who has Gordon Glover's diesel Ariel motorcycle!! And it wasn't the Mr. Bond who cleared out most of Gordon's stuff as speculated! But he wants to stay anonymous so I've got to honour that so no names but I hope to receive a shot or two of engine parts soon. It might be the built up piston I'm told. The bike is still in bits but complete after it was recovered by police. The owner hopes to get it back together in the future.

http://www.dieselbike.net/Glover/Glover.htm

Anorak_ian · Post by **Anorak_ian** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:50 pm

That's really good news.
Hopefully we will get to take a look at it at the rally some time.

coachgeo · Post by **coachgeo** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:06 pm

Great to hear! Look forward to updates. Hope he/she becomes a member here as well. Won't be too hard to remain "basically" anonymous. There is really not much better insight and help this person can find when it comes to restoring a bike that that than here.

Post by **Stuart** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:23 pm

He doesn't do computers Coach but I did put him onto the rally report pages so fingers crossed.

Ian. He doesn't SORN it each year either, not that he has to now since the law change, so DVLA have been doing him a favour leaving it on - probably because of it's age I suspect.

I also learned this (which perhaps should be posted to the Freeman-Sanders thread but that would be jumping the gun I think?)

The present owner said that Gordon had told him of some apprentices at Holman's Engineering, Camborne, who had created & rode a diesel Norton! Now, Camborne is closer to Penzance where the Freeman-Sanders Norton came into being and, of course, went missing. I'll be looking into factory closure dates in an effort to see if they are one & the same bike?! Could Gordon have given us a lead on that lost Norton from beyond the grave I wonder? All speculation but, at the very least, it's a 4th historical diesel motorcycle for Britain isn't it?

When the lad left the factory for lunch his pals had to push him on the Norton as the bike was hard to start. But the kid lived on a hill so after lunch had no trouble re-starting the bike bump starting down the hill. That story is straight from Gordon Glover and that's all the evidence I need.
Now my next holiday in the West Country will be looking in garden sheds in the hills surrounding Camborne

Additional: Turns out the factory was open into the 70's at least and Freeman-Sanders first business contact when he moved to Cornwall was with the Holman Company. His bike may well have ended up there with the apprentices after it outlived its usefulness with his company.

Post by **Stuart** » Thu May 29, 2014 7:09 am

Just transcribed this letter that was sent to Roelof after he contacted the paper regarding Gordon & his diesel motorcycle. The original letter was a bit hard to read so here is a more readable version. Not much that's new but more insight in Gordon Glover the man.

DieselBike.net