Isle of man TT's winning 'Shuttleworth Snap' ridden by George Shuttleworth (Formby)
The bike was bought in 1995 with the intention of being used for spares to build another C-15 that I was currently renovating. I offered to sell the rest of the bike to a friend but he decided not to buy the bike. I then enquired about selling the registration number "355 YG", but when I was offered twice the amount I paid for the whole bike I decided to keep it. The bike was then stored at my brothers house while I completed the restoration of my other C-15. I changed my mind on the style of the ongoing restoration making it a cafe racer which meant that I could return the parts to the other C-15 that was in storage. With this restoration complete I now turned my attention to the restoration of 355 YG.
I decided to restore 355 YG to original specification and to paint it green. I stripped the frame and had it blasted and my brother Warren sprayed it black for me in his garage. The bike was left in pieces in the garage for about 5 years. After seeing a photograph of George Formby on the Shuttleworth Snap I began to wonder if I could make the C-15 into my own version. I knew that it would be difficult to make the mudguards as the original bike had girder forks and the rear suspension was via the springs in the sprung saddle so I had to allow for the rear swing arm suspension on my bike and the telescopic front forks. This meant that the mudguards had to be a lot wider to allow this. I started to make the mudguards but then lost interest and the bike was left alone for another year.
In February 2002 I decided that I should make the effort to complete the bike and so I brought all of the parts from my brothers house. With the poor weather I didn't fancy working in the shed too long and so my wife suggested that I build it up in the dining room. When I had fitted parts I would then wheel it outside to store it in the shed then bring it back in to fit any other completed parts. After the final fitting of the mudguards I took them to my brother who sprayed them black along with the tank, I sprayed the oil tank, tool box and the other various brackets that I had made myself. Then I started to stick on the white squares to create the chequered effect. The finished items were then taken to my friend Graham who laquered them for me. With the bike now moved to the shed and assembled with the help of my wife Jean, daughter Rachelle and son Jonathan I was ready to fit the engine which I had cleaned and overhauled. I made and fitted my own wiring harness and had to fit new fork legs as the others were rusted.
Everything fitted and checked it was now time to add the oil and petrol. I fitted the battery and tried the engine. No joy, the timing was slightly out and so I re-set it and checked the points, condensor again and this time it started. It ran uneven so a few adjustments to the carburettor and off I went. Next stop for the M.O.T. and it passed with flying colours but I couldn't get away for all the attention the bike was getting.
The original Shuttleworth Snap was a 1935 A.J.S. 350cc badged as a Rainbow for the film, my bike is not meant to be a replica just my version of the bike. It has taken about 7 years to finally make it and I hope it brings enjoyment to anyone who see's it or remembers it from the film.
"Riding in the T.T.Races"
George Shuttleworth (George Formby) builds his own race bike "The Shuttleworth Snap" in his garden shed and dreams of riding in the Isle of Man T.T. races. His only obstacle is a lack of funds to pay for his passage, lodgings and race entry fee. His mother borrows the money from his grandad's savings without his knowledge and George sets off with his bike to the 1935 T.T.races.
Trouble soon looms for George when he boards the ferry. After coming to the aid of a damsel in distress (Florence Desmond) he loses his hat in which he has hidden all of his money for safe keeping. His hat is found but the money and his ferry ticket are missing.
On arriving at the isle he books into lodgings with the intention of settling his bill for his weeks stay out of his winnings from the T.T. as he hasn't a penny to his name. The first day of practice see's George proudly wheel "The Shuttleworth Snap" to the start line and he sets off to start his lap. George is speeding along when the throttle jams open on the bike, he tries to fix it but the lever falls off making the bike go faster. He tries the brakes but they fail too. The bike is now going so fast that George is breaking all the records as he passes the marshals with their stop watches. Un-known to everyone George is now scared to death and wants to get off his bike but he can't stop. Rounding a bend George sees a small child in the road and swerves to avoid it crashing his bike.
His exploits have now been taken seriously by all the other T.T. riders. After initially ridiculing George and his "Shuttleworth Snap" they are now scared that the man who has broken all the records will beat them all and so a plan is hatched to prevent him from racing and showing them and their factory racing machines up. George is now so afraid of motorcycles that he won't even go near them and to even hear their engine makes him panic with fear. The riders visit him and are un-aware of his new fear, one of the riders hears George say "I wouldn't ride another motorbike for 50 quid". Not realising what George said he puts £50 in George's hand and tells him to destroy his bike which George does by throwing it over a cliff. He now has his excuse not to ride and he can now pay his bills. Feeling his worries are over he decides to have a holiday of a lifetime with his new girlfriend Florrie.
Worried by George's loss of his bike Florrie contacts her boss at The Rainbow Motorcycle Company who after hearing of George's record breaking ride sends over a factory racing machine for George to ride. This sends George into a panic, not only this but his grandad and his mam have arrived to watch their boy in the T.T. races. George is forced to own up to Florrie and his grandad why he cannot race, the rider demands his £50 back and George's grandad pays up allowing George to dash to the start line.
He makes it to the start just in time, he sets off on the Rainbow and falls off within yards but remounts to set a cracking pace battling with dirty tricks from the other riders to take the lead. Just before the finish he runs out of petrol, he starts to push the bike to the finish but falls over, he picks the bike up and pushes it over the finish line to win the T.T.races, his girl and a motorcycle dealership from the Rainbow Motorcycle Company.
" Turned out nice again".
Filmed on location at the 1935 Isle of Man T.T.Races.
I decided to restore 355 YG to original specification and to paint it green. I stripped the frame and had it blasted and my brother Warren sprayed it black for me in his garage. The bike was left in pieces in the garage for about 5 years. After seeing a photograph of George Formby on the Shuttleworth Snap I began to wonder if I could make the C-15 into my own version. I knew that it would be difficult to make the mudguards as the original bike had girder forks and the rear suspension was via the springs in the sprung saddle so I had to allow for the rear swing arm suspension on my bike and the telescopic front forks. This meant that the mudguards had to be a lot wider to allow this. I started to make the mudguards but then lost interest and the bike was left alone for another year.
In February 2002 I decided that I should make the effort to complete the bike and so I brought all of the parts from my brothers house. With the poor weather I didn't fancy working in the shed too long and so my wife suggested that I build it up in the dining room. When I had fitted parts I would then wheel it outside to store it in the shed then bring it back in to fit any other completed parts. After the final fitting of the mudguards I took them to my brother who sprayed them black along with the tank, I sprayed the oil tank, tool box and the other various brackets that I had made myself. Then I started to stick on the white squares to create the chequered effect. The finished items were then taken to my friend Graham who laquered them for me. With the bike now moved to the shed and assembled with the help of my wife Jean, daughter Rachelle and son Jonathan I was ready to fit the engine which I had cleaned and overhauled. I made and fitted my own wiring harness and had to fit new fork legs as the others were rusted.
Everything fitted and checked it was now time to add the oil and petrol. I fitted the battery and tried the engine. No joy, the timing was slightly out and so I re-set it and checked the points, condensor again and this time it started. It ran uneven so a few adjustments to the carburettor and off I went. Next stop for the M.O.T. and it passed with flying colours but I couldn't get away for all the attention the bike was getting.
The original Shuttleworth Snap was a 1935 A.J.S. 350cc badged as a Rainbow for the film, my bike is not meant to be a replica just my version of the bike. It has taken about 7 years to finally make it and I hope it brings enjoyment to anyone who see's it or remembers it from the film.
"Riding in the T.T.Races"
George Shuttleworth (George Formby) builds his own race bike "The Shuttleworth Snap" in his garden shed and dreams of riding in the Isle of Man T.T. races. His only obstacle is a lack of funds to pay for his passage, lodgings and race entry fee. His mother borrows the money from his grandad's savings without his knowledge and George sets off with his bike to the 1935 T.T.races.
Trouble soon looms for George when he boards the ferry. After coming to the aid of a damsel in distress (Florence Desmond) he loses his hat in which he has hidden all of his money for safe keeping. His hat is found but the money and his ferry ticket are missing.
On arriving at the isle he books into lodgings with the intention of settling his bill for his weeks stay out of his winnings from the T.T. as he hasn't a penny to his name. The first day of practice see's George proudly wheel "The Shuttleworth Snap" to the start line and he sets off to start his lap. George is speeding along when the throttle jams open on the bike, he tries to fix it but the lever falls off making the bike go faster. He tries the brakes but they fail too. The bike is now going so fast that George is breaking all the records as he passes the marshals with their stop watches. Un-known to everyone George is now scared to death and wants to get off his bike but he can't stop. Rounding a bend George sees a small child in the road and swerves to avoid it crashing his bike.
His exploits have now been taken seriously by all the other T.T. riders. After initially ridiculing George and his "Shuttleworth Snap" they are now scared that the man who has broken all the records will beat them all and so a plan is hatched to prevent him from racing and showing them and their factory racing machines up. George is now so afraid of motorcycles that he won't even go near them and to even hear their engine makes him panic with fear. The riders visit him and are un-aware of his new fear, one of the riders hears George say "I wouldn't ride another motorbike for 50 quid". Not realising what George said he puts £50 in George's hand and tells him to destroy his bike which George does by throwing it over a cliff. He now has his excuse not to ride and he can now pay his bills. Feeling his worries are over he decides to have a holiday of a lifetime with his new girlfriend Florrie.
Worried by George's loss of his bike Florrie contacts her boss at The Rainbow Motorcycle Company who after hearing of George's record breaking ride sends over a factory racing machine for George to ride. This sends George into a panic, not only this but his grandad and his mam have arrived to watch their boy in the T.T. races. George is forced to own up to Florrie and his grandad why he cannot race, the rider demands his £50 back and George's grandad pays up allowing George to dash to the start line.
He makes it to the start just in time, he sets off on the Rainbow and falls off within yards but remounts to set a cracking pace battling with dirty tricks from the other riders to take the lead. Just before the finish he runs out of petrol, he starts to push the bike to the finish but falls over, he picks the bike up and pushes it over the finish line to win the T.T.races, his girl and a motorcycle dealership from the Rainbow Motorcycle Company.
" Turned out nice again".
Filmed on location at the 1935 Isle of Man T.T.Races.