Looking for MX6 info

[greevous]

Hey, I just joined the forum, though we've had at least one Greeves in the garage for... at least 30 years by now.

The restoration I'm tackling now is a MX6 Challenger. It's a bike my father purchased from Frank Conley a number of years ago (we're in California). My father passed away a little over a year ago and in thinning out our collection a bit, I decided that this was a bike I wanted to work with - and I'd love to get a little more information about it.

The Frame Number is 24 MX6 B204 and the engine is stamped CCD 306 and "underneath that, 9/69" - the bike is over at my parents house and having forgotten to write that info down I had mom take a look. The fact that she found it at all was fantastic.

From what I've been able to gather so far, the MX6 was a US only model with a number of similarities to the MX5. I don't have any idea how many were made, or why the MX6 seemed to be US only. If there's already info on the site, I'm happy to start there, but searching for "MX6" didn't turn up any results.

Anyway, I'd just love to get any information about the bike that people might have. Always nice to know the story behind these things.

Thanks!
Connal

[Bearingman]

Hey, I just joined the forum, though we've had at least one Greeves in the garage for... at least 30 years by now.

The restoration I'm tackling now is a MX6 Challenger. It's a bike my father purchased from Frank Conley a number of years ago (we're in California). My father passed away a little over a year ago and in thinning out our collection a bit, I decided that this was a bike I wanted to work with - and I'd love to get a little more information about it.

The Frame Number is 24 MX6 B204 and the engine is stamped CCD 306 and "underneath that, 9/69" - the bike is over at my parents house and having forgotten to write that info down I had mom take a look. The fact that she found it at all was fantastic.

From what I've been able to gather so far, the MX6 was a US only model with a number of similarities to the MX5. I don't have any idea how many were made, or why the MX6 seemed to be US only. If there's already info on the site, I'm happy to start there, but searching for "MX6" didn't turn up any results.

Anyway, I'd just love to get any information about the bike that people might have. Always nice to know the story behind these things.

Thanks!
Connal

Hi Connal,

Welcome to the forum. Nice to hear from California. I'll try to answer the best I can.

Yes, the MX6 was a US spec Challenger for Nicholson Motors, I am not sure if many made it to the east coast dist.

The difference between the MX5 and MX6 are the motors. Your MX6 has what we called the short stroke motor. This motor has a shorter stoke and larger bore than the older motor, along with different cases and a down for low gearbox.

This short stroke motor was used in the homeland MX4 which was based on the the 360 Challenger which had a stronger and better frame, it also used a down pipe. I do not think Nicholson ever brought in the 24MX4, though they may have shown up on the east coast or Canada.

Your MX6 motor is what was used in the Griffon but with the Albion gearbox.

You have a rare one and to many the very best of the USA Challengers!

I hope I did not confuse you too much on this!

Regards,

Ken Sykes
USA

[pgc40]

RE looking for MX6 info

I read your post and wondered if the Greeves featured at an upcoming auction in Lewiston, Idaho is an MX4?

See http://www.jwoodandcompany.com/

Auction is on Friday 5th Nov 2010 and there's plenty of other british bikes for sale ie Norton, BSA, AJS Matchless, Ariel, Royal Enfield, Triumph etc....and truck loads of NOS spares!

[Colin Sparrow]

Long-stroke motor and kidney Albion gearbox. Probably an MX3.

The frame number is the only way to be definitive. Bits get swapped around.

[Bearingman]

I read your post and wondered if the Greeves featured at an upcoming auction in Lewiston, Idaho is an MX4?

See http://www.jwoodandcompany.com/

Auction is on Friday 5th Nov 2010 and there's plenty of other british bikes for sale ie Norton, BSA, AJS Matchless, Ariel, Royal Enfield, Triumph etc....and truck loads of NOS spares!

This one would be an MX3 with the kidney shaped gearbox.

Regards,
Ken Sykes

[Bearingman]

Long-stroke motor and kidney Albion gearbox. Probably an MX3.

The frame number is the only way to be definitive. Bits get swapped around.

Hi Colin,

Yep, you nailed it!

Kenny

[Phil Hyde]

Mx6

As a special for the Califonian market the MX 6 was standard with banana forks. long after they had been dropped in England. Telescopics were an option.

[Bearingman]

As a special for the Califonian market the MX 6 was standard with banana forks. long after they had been dropped in England. Telescopics were an option.

Hi Phil,

Yes! All the MX6 Challengers that I have come across have been with the banana fork...the "B" indicates Nicholson specifications leading link, while "D" would be Ceriani.

The leading link continued on though with the "Griffon" desert models, until the QUB and Griffon Enduro, where the leading link was no longer offered.

I might have an MX6D frame in my storage now that you have me thinking.

Kenny Sykes
USA

[Bearingman]

Hi Phil,

Yes! All the MX6 Challengers that I have come across have been with the banana fork...the "B" indicates Nicholson specifications leading link, while "D" would be Ceriani.

The leading link continued on though with the "Griffon" desert models, until the QUB and Griffon Enduro, where the leading link was no longer offered.

I might have an MX6D frame in my storage now that you have me thinking.

Kenny Sykes
USA

Nope! 24MX6B with Ceriani fork stops.

Kenny

[Brian Thompson]

USA Spec Banana Forked Greeves in VMX mag (back issue.)

Thanks for explaining the 'B' and 'D' codes on US bikes Kenny-that's one that's been bugging me for a long time!

For info, there's a couple of really nice examples of USA spec banana forked Greeves in 'VMX' magazine issue #16 (2002), along with some great pics and info/specs. Well worth seeking out a back issue.

One is a 1967 24MX5B, and the other is a 1969 type 58 380 Griffon. Both are real 'eye candy' machines, for sure!

Bet you've got that issue eh Kenny!

If anyone wants to find a copy try 'The Magazine Man'; http://www.themagazineman.co.uk/

'VMX Magazine' only list 'slightly damaged copies' as being available...; http://www.vmxmag.com.au/05_buy_vmx_online/

Brian.

[Bearingman]

Thanks for explaining the 'B' and 'D' codes on US bikes Kenny-that's one that's been bugging me for a long time!

For info, there's a couple of really nice examples of USA spec banana forked Greeves in 'VMX' magazine issue #16 (2002), along with some great pics and info/specs. Well worth seeking out a back issue.

One is a 1967 24MX5B, and the other is a 1969 type 58 380 Griffon. Both are real 'eye candy' machines, for sure!

Bet you've got that issue eh Kenny!

If anyone wants to find a copy try 'The Magazine Man'; http://www.themagazineman.co.uk/

'VMX Magazine' only list 'slightly damaged copies' as being available...; http://www.vmxmag.com.au/05_buy_vmx_online/

Brian.

Hi Brian,

I hope all is well.

Yes, I have the issue! Just don't ask me about the US spec Anglian...no clue!

I'll see if I can dig up a pic on the MX6 for the boys. Not sure if there is one.

Kenny

[greevous]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to have to poke around to see just how "rare" the MX6 is here. Rare for England, but I'm guessing that they're most of what we've got out here, especially in California.

Of course the number of Greeves out here, period, is probably relatively small.

As a side question (and one that might be buried in this thread) - is anyone familiar with the process that was used to join the steel frame to the aluminum "head" and "down" tubes? I believe I read somewhere that the steel part of the frame was welded up and then the aluminum was simply cast around it.

It also sounds like there was a great lack of standardization in the building of the bike and that exact frame color and other small details would vary from bike to bike.

[Colin Sparrow]

As a side question (and one that might be buried in this thread) - is anyone familiar with the process that was used to join the steel frame to the aluminum "head" and "down" tubes? I believe I read somewhere that the steel part of the frame was welded up and then the aluminum was simply cast around it.

The alloy was cast in a pair of resin-reinforced sand shell mouldings. The top-tube and head-tube of the frame were arc-welded together (with three ribs of weld around the front of the head-tube to prevent bowing) and placed in the two mould-halves, which were clamped together. The whole assembly was then buried in a pile of sand with only one feed and two outlet orifices showing. The molten aluminium – a high silicon content type LM6 – was poured in by a ladle until it overflowed.

[greevous]

In doing more research on the MX6 I came across this interesting link to an "Atlas Card" about the MX6:

http://atlascardsplus.com/1968-greeves-challenger/

It had some interesting info I wasn't aware of, but it also included the line (emphasis mine):

The 250 MX5 was joined by the 360cc 36 MX4, and followed in 1968 by the 250 MX4 with conical full-hub brake drums. And that, it seemed, was the end of this famous series, until the appearance of this ultimate 24MX6, of which just five examples were built.

I know the MX6 are rare, but I had never heard that there were only 5 built; unless I'm perhaps misreading the article. Either way, that seems unlikely.

[Bearingman]

In doing more research on the MX6 I came across this interesting link to an "Atlas Card" about the MX6:

http://atlascardsplus.com/1968-greeves-challenger/

It had some interesting info I wasn't aware of, but it also included the line (emphasis mine):

The 250 MX5 was joined by the 360cc 36 MX4, and followed in 1968 by the 250 MX4 with conical full-hub brake drums. And that, it seemed, was the end of this famous series, until the appearance of this ultimate 24MX6, of which just five examples were built.

I know the MX6 are rare, but I had never heard that there were only 5 built; unless I'm perhaps misreading the article. Either way, that seems unlikely.

Five being produced is not correct, more like a couple hundred.

Kenny Sykes
USA