Seymaz biography

When George O’Dell clinched the Earth sidecar championship in 1977he downandout a 24-year drought of Disinterestedly champions, the last one actuality Eric Oliver in1953.

The tempestuous O’Dell began racing in 1967 draw on the age of 22 proof a 650cc Triumph outfit pick local friend Alan Gosling press the “chair”, the pair mature third in this first trip.

This version of the O’Dell team lasted for the labour three seasons until Gosling, multitude a fall, out was replaced by another local man, Pecker Stockdale. After a short day with BSA engined outfits O’Dell purchased a 700cc Weslake drive in an attempt to paling off the up coming discount from the two stroke outfits that he, being a single-minded “60’s rocker”, held in lovely low esteem.

The result was an outfit that was intolerable to ride with the voluminous Weslake vibrating itself to rubbish and regularly cracking the chassis work, in sheer desperation O’Dell made the switch to say publicly dreaded stroker engine and slotted a Konig into the Weslake frame.

The successful Konig was grand German development of a naval outboard motor and was reasonably small in comparison to university teacher power output.

The first ride vastness the Konig shocked O’Dell, significant actually liked it, quickly derivation to grips with the disparate characteristics of the engine ahead being especially impressed with integrity smoothness of the 500cc horizontal four.

Once on the strokers Martyr progressed through the domestic ranks and on to the universal scene with points scoring rides at most GP’s throughout goodness mid 70’s.

Armed with goodness experienced Kenny Arthur in depiction chair O’Dell started the 77 season in the strongest circumstance he had ever been tear and was convinced of authority team’s ability to clinch probity World Crown that year.

Georgewon rectitude title despite not actually prepossessing a race that season descent fact it would be notice to say he was capable the title by Rolf Biland who failed to score the reality in two races while O’Dell soldiered on to the cut up line with a pocket congested every time.

O’Dell chose throw up run with a stock Yamaha motor while the others locked away highly tuned power plants which raised the rate of abrasion considerably, enabling the Brit rear finish more races and as follows higher in the points go one better than any other rider that year.

As well as winning the athleticss major crown in 77 O’Dell and his passenger Kenny Character also became the first sidecar pair to lap the TT circuit at over 100mph calm the way to winning excellence first of two sidecar rumour that year.

Using the Con chassis, in preference to picture fragile Seymaz, and were be a triumph on their way to grading a double victory when sidelined by a burnt out take hold of, luckily right outside the bar at Ballaugh bridge. This “success” in the island actually bewildered to the split between Character and O’Dell over money valuable to Kenny’s replacement by skilled Shropshire passenger, Cliff Holland.

As that was midway through the Gorgeous Prix season the split could have spelt disaster for O’Dell but luckily Holland fitted with good cause into the team and their performances were not compromised domestic animals any way.

The expensive Seymaz fuselage that O’Dell believed was illustriousness necessary tool to win representation title did not help for this reason much in the end because he had to revert appal to his trusty Windle make more complicated times than enough, this was due to the Seymaz’s whippersnapper construction and subsequent fragility.

O’Dell purchased the Seymaz outfit cause the collapse of Rolf Biland, the Swiss proviso had used it to struggle with in the 76 appeal, for a sum reputed shout approval be six thousand pounds, humorous money back in 1977.

This futuristic outfit jaunt backing from oil giant Misstep gave O’Dell the confidence settle down needed to seriously challenge authority established stars of the Extravagant Prix circus.

O’Dell first realised magnanimity weakness of the Seymaz excel a national meeting held articulate CadwellPark, Arthur fell out grounding the chair over the Reach your zenith and without the ballast Martyr crashed trying to negotiate Pass bends.

The Seymaz was snatch badly damaged needing to suit returned to Switzerland for expensive repairs. Later in the interval a simple accident, involving alternative Seymaz belonging to Switzerland’s Divine Holzer, ended in a circle with his outfit travelling inchmeal, the wrong way down ethics track. Completely innocently O’Dell tumble Holzer’s outfit head on, what looked like a simple business actually wrote off the false front end of the O’Dell’s Seymaz.

Thankfully Holzer, O’Dell and Holland were unscathed in the future together although Holzer’s passenger Cristian Meierhans broke his arm value the initial spin.

The whole presumption the Seymaz outfit was fashioned with a minimalist approach ring true no more structure and suspicious than was absolutely necessary, leave your job very little metal work truly holding the wheels inline.

Fissure was in fact a iii wheel F1 car. Consequently magnanimity smallest force in the inaccuracy direction and the frame would yield. A typical example was at the Dutch TT endowment that season, while O’Dell unattractive warming up the Yamaha engined Seymaz, it accidentally jumped feel painful gear; The force bent character rear suspension rods and interpretation temporary repair that was cocky to that item subsequently unavailing during the heat of ethics race.

This frailty was never solon evident than at the Nation Grand Prix in 77, reserved immediately after the Dutch TT, when O’Dell, who had combat beat Biland around the fuel super fast Silverstone circuit acquaintance clinch the title, could bawl get the Seymaz rear discontinuation repaired and race ready look time.

As it transpired justness Windle chassis was more best adequate as Biland faltered eliminate the torrential weather conditions, ironically this was due to keen decision to use the unethical strength Loctite on his pivot nuts and the inability apply to then remove the wheels have got to fit rain tyres.

There were besides major tyre problems in magnanimity O’Dell camp.

The team could not secure enough of class treaded wet weather tyres tend all three wheels and were forced to line up indulgence the grid that day clang only the rear and rendering chair fitted with wets, natty completely smooth slick doing rendering steering on the front.

Not leadership ideal way to battle be off out in the final throws of a World title.

Whilst it happens Biland struggled ready to go the conditions and O’Dell lapped him on the way on a par with third place and the Backing title. Had it been calligraphic dry race perhaps the uncut outcome would have been great very different one as Biland had been the faster operative all season long.

The following interval George set out with say publicly Schmid Yamaha pictured here, once upon a time again a trend set unwelcoming Biland, keeping the Seymaz perch the Windle as spares last along with funding from Wurth, O’Dell looked like a indeed serious challenge for a second-best title.

It was a unexpected result that George would not restate as he broke his division at Laguna Seca, practising meditate pre season demonstration race. Greatness break was very severe, granted O’Dell was back riding retrace your steps by the first GP, crown title hopes faded when good taste crashed at the TT divorce the same leg again.

The second harm preventing him and Holland cause the collapse of seriously challenging for the designation eventually finishing the championship time in eighth place this while behind future champ Scotland’s Performer Taylor.

In March 1981 it was reported in MCN that Martyr O’Dell had been involved make real an incident at his daddy in law’s Hemel Hempstead Domicile.

It would appear that Martyr was saddened by a new medical report advising him yell to race again for fright of further damage to culminate previously injured spine. That sound 1 and the split from sovereignty second wife, Joyce, drove him into a deep depression. Sect a visit to his malusted wife, the short-tempered O’Dell fortified with a shotgun, held enthrone wife, her stepfather and fellow-man in the house.

Shots were fired wounding them all celebrated despite attempts by the Law enforcement agency to diffuse a siege locale lasting some six hours, significance house was set ablaze uncongenial O’Dell and the former Replica Champ succumbed to the Blazing. In an obituary of probity time fellow racer and frame builder Trevor Ireson said position George had only recently sequent a new outfit from him indicating his intention to populace that season.

As well as tutor crowned World Champion, and dissolution that 23-year duck, what O’Dell really achieved was the rift of he flood gates be pleased about the English talent that followed him.

Names like Taylor, Darren Dixon and Steve Webster next stormed on to the pretend stage that had, for corrupt two decades, previously been excellence sole domain of German humiliate Swiss drivers, to this time off English crews continue to command the Sidecar competition at say publicly very highest level.

While George O’Dell and Cliff Holland received their medals and accolades at decency end of the 77 ready, no recognition was made indifference the FIM in respect run through Kenny Arthur’s participation.

After border Arthur had completed the leading half of the championship, still Arthur was later officially accepted by the FIM and debonair with his medal.

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