1949 AJS 7R 350cc Racing Motorcycle

1949 AJS 7R 350cc Racing Motorcycle
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. none visible
Engine no. 49/7R645
• Rare early model
• Formerly part of the Herb Harris Collection
• Restored by Team Obsolete
• Highly original

Built from 1948 to 1963, Associated Motor Cycles' AJS 7R - known as the 'Boy Racer' - was one of the most successful over-the-counter racing motorcycles of all time. Almost all of Britain's road-race stars of the 1950s and 1960s rode a 7R at some stage of their careers and the model remains a major force in classic racing today, being highly sought after by competitors and collectors alike. The 7R was conceived as a customer machine for sale to private owners, but was also campaigned by the works team.

Nothing is known about this early 7R's competition history in the UK, but we do know that in the mid-1970s it was shipped to the USA where it found itself stripped down to parts in preparation for restoration. Several owners and more than a few years later, the AJS was still in pieces but had come into the possession of Rob Iannucci, founder of the Team Obsolete historic racing team and restoration workshop.

Former owner Herb Harris commissioned Team Obsolete to carry out the 7R's restoration. TO's racer/mechanic Dave Roper carefully assembled the engine after discerning that the bottom end was sound and cylinder was still on its standard bore with no wear or taper, indicating that it had seen very little use. The cases were very good, with no damage showing. The gearbox, a roller-bearing Burman racing unit, is date-coded to 1949. Many new-old-stock components, such as flywheels, cams, cam chain, tensioner, piston, valves, etc, were used for the rebuild. The genuine Lucas racing magneto was restored by expert Dave Lindsley.

Upon delivery to Texas, the 7R received further fettling by Harris' own restoration team until it met his high standards. The current vendor purchased the AJS when a selection of machines from the Herb Harris collection was sold at Bonhams' Las Vegas sale in January 2015 (Lot 238). At a time when these classic 350cc overhead-cam racers can virtually be built from reproduction parts, here is a genuine early 7R retaining its original engine, gearbox, frame, and cycle parts.