Standard 8
used as Motorbike Transporter
Svend Sorensen
and his astonishing Flying 8
Allan Sorensen from Denmark has sent me
these remarkable photographs of his father, Svend Aage Sorensen,
together with this associated story:
Svend was a keen Motorcycle Racer and
attended the Isle of Man TT from 1935 to 1953.
In 1946 he bought a 1938 Standard Flying 8 Saloon
as a transporter for his bikes. He used this to attend the Isle of
Man from 1947 to 1952. The photo above shows the car in its
transporter mode. Typically, there is a Norton Manx 350cc racer
strapped behind, and an Excelsior 350cc bike together with a spare
Norton 500cc engine inside, the passenger seat having been
removed. As a counterbalance on the front are several wheels and
tyres! Most years Svend journeyed on his own except in 1949 when
Alans mother joined Svend and travelled in the back seat!
From 1950 to 1952 the car
was also used for the trip from Denmark to the Hedemora Grand Prix
in Sweden, a trip of sixteen hours each way. The Flying 8 carried
the bikes and both Alan and his mother. Alan sat on the floor
between his mothers legs and his only view was treetops and the
electrical wires. No DVD movies or computer games, but four
exciting days in the pits. 1952 was the "worst" year for
the Standard as his father had got a Featherbed 500cc Norton, a
Norton Gardengate Manx 350cc and a Norton Featherbed Manx 500cc
engine. On one occasion they all had to get out of the car when
the back seat started to smoke as a rear tyre was rubbing on the
bodywork. Alan also recalls his mother taking over the driving
when his father fell asleep.
Remarkably Svend was never stopped for
being overweight!
The car required painting 4 times in their
ownership - the bikes damaged the paintwork.
When the car was sold in 1952 and replaced
by an EMW, East German Van, the extra space allowed Allans sister
to come along as well..
Click to see enlargements:
|
This
shot shows better the positioning of the two wheels on the
front wings, either side of the bonnet. |
Both
shots taken at Douglas, Isle of Man.
|
If you have stories
of Standards doing things that they were not designed for, please
let our viewers see them., Send the story to webmaster@standardmotorclub.org.uk
I am aware that there are other cars
and information that could be added to this site to make it more comprehensive, so if you
have material and photographs, please let me know. Please send me, Phil Homer, a
message at: Phil Homer
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