F1 Sport in Gulf livery

[Richard Negus]

When the sponsorship for the JPS race team by Imperial Tobacco was drawing to an end, Norton started looking for alternate sources of income.Gulf oils had supported the JPN Commando-based team in the 70's so an approach was made to them. As a 'visual aid', one of the development Sports was repainted by Mirage in Gulf colours and taken to the GP at Donington, with a view to Ron Haslam riding it round the circuit in the lunch break.For various reasons, that ride didn't materialise and no sponsorship was forthcoming.I think the bike was re-painted black shortly after.Have a look in Gallery for a picture, taken at Chasewater lake.R

[ZFD]

Richard may remember the Gulf bike was shipped to Germany for emissions work, repainted a bright and cheerful black and sold off. The gulf livery was pretty terrible anyway.

[Richard Negus]

I remember nothing ! But I believe everything I read.

[Interpol2471]

Richard you owe me a tenner

[Richard Negus]

It's in the post, honest !

[rustynuts]

The gulf livery was pretty terrible anyway.

I believe Gulf oil was pretty terrible too. I remember Norman White telling me that the JPN Commandos would self destruct if run on Gulf oil. Castrol had to be decanted into Gulf cans to keep up appearances in the pits.

[johnbirchjar]

Talking of pretty awful oil, I was a mobile crane operator in the early '90s, working for a large plant hire company,based in Kent,and I remember the maintanance workshop foreman having a blasing row with the managment because they wanted him to change to Comma oils & grease for the servicing of all the plant,and he told them in no uncertain terms what he thought of Comma oils!!(hang on,dos'nt Dell Boy use Comma 30 grade in his Commander?)he must have convinced them because he kept on using Castrol.

[Dell Boy]

Yes John, I use Comma oils in all my vehicles I.E. Rover 600/Vauxhall Cresta Pa/ Vauxhall Midi Turbo Diesel van/Bedford Rascal vans/Norton Commanders & Dominator/ Laverda 750SF/Egli Vincent & all the vehicles I service. I use the gear oils & a.t.f as well. It`s a wide variety of vehicle types & usage & I have always found Comma oils to be entirely satisfactory. I always check the A.P.I. specification on the can to make sure it suits the vehicle except for the Norton Rotarys where in 15 years of usage Comma HD30 has proved to be entirely satisfactory. The only drawback is that it is a bit smokey but this could be because I run the oil pumps on the rich side.

[Dell Boy]

Just a thought. Perhaps the workshop foreman had an "arrangement" with the Castrol rep. I used to hear stories of fleet maintenance managers getting very well looked after by tyre/oil/fuel suppliers when they used their products. A nice little new car for the wife was not uncommon. Derek.

[John]

A very interesting story and picture too. The colour scheme looks quite good I think (but you can never beat black obviously!) , I wonder if the couple of "Gitane blue" F1 Sports that exist might have been inspired by it?