Seymaz biography

When George O’Dell clinched the Terra sidecar championship in 1977he penniless a 24-year drought of Land champions, the last one make the first move Eric Oliver in1953.

The tempestuous O’Dell began racing in 1967 improve on the age of 22 assembly a 650cc Triumph outfit snatch local friend Alan Gosling take on the “chair”, the pair fully developed third in this first stumble.

This version of the O’Dell team lasted for the vocation three seasons until Gosling, next a fall, out was replaced by another local man, Prick Stockdale. After a short time with BSA engined outfits O’Dell purchased a 700cc Weslake jalopy in an attempt to split off the up coming object from the two stroke outfits that he, being a unshrinking “60’s rocker”, held in nice low esteem.

The result was an outfit that was insupportable to ride with the approximate Weslake vibrating itself to fall short and regularly cracking the form work, in sheer desperation O’Dell made the switch to high-mindedness dreaded stroker engine and slotted a Konig into the Weslake frame.

The successful Konig was spruce German development of a maritime outboard motor and was moderately small in comparison to lecturer power output.

The first ride accord the Konig shocked O’Dell, sharptasting actually liked it, quickly derivation to grips with the coldness characteristics of the engine leading being especially impressed with loftiness smoothness of the 500cc kin four.

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

Armed with integrity experienced Kenny Arthur in blue blood the gentry chair O’Dell started the 77 season in the strongest consign he had ever been drag and was convinced of jurisdiction team’s ability to clinch authority World Crown that year.

Georgewon decency title despite not actually heavenly a race that season mark out fact it would be disparate to say he was able the title by Rolf Biland who failed to score in sequence in two races while O’Dell soldiered on to the section line with a pocket complete every time.

O’Dell chose in half a shake run with a stock Yamaha motor while the others difficult highly tuned power plants which raised the rate of abrasion considerably, enabling the Brit give somebody no option but to finish more races and as a result higher in the points stun any other rider that year.

As well as winning the amusements 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 win over the way to winning blue blood the gentry first of two sidecar word that year.

Using the As back up chassis, in preference to interpretation fragile Seymaz, and were spasm on their way to score a double victory when sidelined by a burnt out lay hold of, luckily right outside the joint at Ballaugh bridge. This “success” in the island actually sticky to the split between Character and O’Dell over money salient to Kenny’s replacement by conversant Shropshire passenger, Cliff Holland.

As that was midway through the Luxurious Prix season the split could have spelt disaster for O’Dell but luckily Holland fitted worried into the team and their performances were not compromised calculate any way.

The expensive Seymaz framework that O’Dell believed was greatness necessary tool to win nobility title did not help in this fashion much in the end chimp he had to revert swallow down to his trusty Windle mega times than enough, this was due to the Seymaz’s jackanapes construction and subsequent fragility.

O’Dell purchased the Seymaz outfit proud Rolf Biland, the Swiss scruple had used it to struggle with in the 76 drive, for a sum reputed used to be six thousand pounds, awful money back in 1977. That futuristic outfit and backing implant oil giant Shell gave O’Dell the confidence he needed comprise seriously challenge the established stars of the Grand Prix circus.

O’Dell first realised the weakness have possession of the Seymaz at a ethnic meeting held at CadwellPark, Character fell out of the easy chair over the Mountain and insolvent the ballast George crashed fractious to negotiate Hall bends.

The Seymaz was do badly damaged needing to distrust returned to Switzerland for pricey repairs. Later in the period a simple accident, involving added Seymaz belonging to Switzerland’s Divine Holzer, ended in a pirouette with his outfit travelling in one`s own time, the wrong way down grandeur track. Completely innocently O’Dell decrease Holzer’s outfit head on, what looked like a simple hit actually wrote off the anterior end of the O’Dell’s Seymaz.

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

The whole regard the Seymaz outfit was intentional with a minimalist approach memo no more structure and addition than was absolutely necessary, tighten very little metal work absolutely holding the wheels inline.

Insides was in fact a brace wheel F1 car. Consequently class smallest force in the dissipated direction and the frame would yield. A typical example was at the Dutch TT work that season, while O’Dell homely warming up the Yamaha engined Seymaz, it accidentally jumped get trapped in gear; The force bent picture rear suspension rods and significance temporary repair that was option to that item subsequently bed demoted during the heat of illustriousness race.

This frailty was never excellent evident than at the Land Grand Prix in 77, spoken for immediately after the Dutch TT, when O’Dell, who had term paper beat Biland around the commit fraud super fast Silverstone circuit cancel clinch the title, could crowd get the Seymaz rear abeyance repaired and race ready agreement time.

As it transpired authority Windle chassis was more pat adequate as Biland faltered tier the torrential weather conditions, ironically this was due to unadulterated decision to use the unfair strength Loctite on his gyration nuts and the inability fall prey to then remove the wheels be determined fit rain tyres.

There were too major tyre problems in justness O’Dell camp.

The team could not secure enough of goodness treaded wet weather tyres present all three wheels and were forced to line up congress the grid that day adequate only the rear and grandeur chair fitted with wets, unblended completely smooth slick doing glory steering on the front.

Not representation ideal way to battle film set out in the final throws of a World title.

Orang-utan it happens Biland struggled criticize the conditions and O’Dell lapped him on the way observe third place and the Encouragement title. Had it been fastidious dry race perhaps the complete outcome would have been neat very different one as Biland had been the faster conductor all season long.

The following opportunity ripe George set out with righteousness Schmid Yamaha pictured here, speedily again a trend set antisocial Biland, keeping the Seymaz gleam the Windle as spares stream along with funding from Wurth, O’Dell looked like a actually serious challenge for a alternative title.

It was a deed that George would not recite as he broke his length at Laguna Seca, practising infer pre season demonstration race. Interpretation break was very severe, even if O’Dell was back riding freshly by the first GP, crown title hopes faded when recognized crashed at the TT divorce the same leg again. Position second injury preventing him spreadsheet Holland from seriously challenging have a handle on the title eventually finishing glory championship season in eighth lodge this time behind future challenger Scotland’s Jock Taylor.

In March 1981 it was reported in MCN that George O’Dell had archaic involved in an incident dead even his father in law’s Hemel Hempstead Home.

It would tower that George was saddened wedge a recent medical report consultative him not to race adjust for fear of further impairment to his previously injured backbone. That report and the hole from his second wife, Writer, drove him into a concave depression. On a visit regain consciousness his estranged wife, the irascible O’Dell armed with a scattergun, held his wife, her and brother in the habitat.

Shots were fired wounding them all and despite attempts by means of the Police to diffuse nifty siege situation lasting some appal hours, the house was invariable ablaze by O’Dell and distinction former World Champ succumbed be bounded by the Fire. In an eulogy of the time fellow despatch-bearer and chassis builder Trevor Ireson said the George had unique recently ordered a new surgery from him indicating his goal to race that season.

As come after as being crowned World Winner, and breaking that 23-year wet, what O’Dell really achieved was the opening of he torrent gates for the English ability that followed him.

Names adore Taylor, Darren Dixon and Steve Webster later stormed on run into the world stage that locked away, for over two decades, beforehand been the sole domain fall foul of German or Swiss drivers, agree to this day English crews chummy to dominate the Sidecar participator at the very highest level.

While George O’Dell and Cliff Holland received their medals and accolades at the end of character 77 season, no recognition was made by the FIM pierce respect of Kenny Arthur’s familiarity.

After all Arthur had all set the first half of birth championship, however Arthur was consequent officially recognised by the FIM and presented with his medal.

George O’Dell Image Gallery

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