an article by John Ferguson
Warren was an interesting and interested man. Interested in everything. His collection of books – it cannot be called a library, because there were essentially no shelves; books were stacked on every horizontal surface, often to five feet high – expose this. Motorcycling and motoring in general, mostly pre-war, steam trains, steam cars, aviation, aero engines, racing, histories local, state and national, clock making. There are few subjects not covered, and multiple sets of encyclopaedia, both general and technical.
From the late 1950’s, Warren used to scour the newspaper small adverts looking for the unusual, and he found lots of them, usually cheap.
No-one knows how many vehicles have passed through Warren’s care, but it is a lot. He bought things that interested him, used them for a bit, and moved them on when the interest waned. Bristols, Bugattis, Brough Superiors, Vincents, Harleys, Indians, the full British spectrum, but he was also quite keen on European machines and had several DKW motorcycles over the years. He liked steam cars, having two at different times, and was well pleased that he’d passed both to good homes where they had been restored. His favourite bike of all will surprise many; an AJW that had been fitted with a Harley WLA engine, which he loved for it’s good handling and effortless performance. He had a least favourite, too, of which he was scathing, but no more on that.
So the obvious question of a man like this is; what does hold his interest, and what did he keep?
Star of the show is the Zenith Bi-Car, the only known survivor. Bought new in England by Mr. Joseph Bishop, proprietor of “The Australasian Coachbuilder and Wheelwright”, a monthly publication.
Bishop rode it to Adelaide and back in 1908 or 1909. In the early twenties it was acquired by Les Gough, a once prominent local (Melbourne) speed merchant and motorcyclist. Sometime after 1932 it was hidden away under sheets of iron in a shed where it lay undiscovered until 1959. Warren bought it from Les Gough’s son for 90 pounds in April 1960.
Fitted with a magneto ignition in period, and in amazingly well preserved, original finish. Apart from the hub-centre steering, there is a long ‘swinging arm’ suspension that pivots ahead of the front wheel to give the rider some comfort.
This is closely followed by the 1922 538cc V twin two stroke Stanger, bought for 10 pounds in 1957, in Adelaide. Engine No. 102. Chain cum belt drive and no front brake.
1922/3 offered all chain drive, front dummy rim brake, which makes this an earlier machine. There is one other known to exist, now in Sammy Miller’s museum.
Only about 20 were ever made. Warren had seen this one ridden in Adelaide, and bought it when it came up for sale. Warren tells of another that was wrecked by a local Adelaide motorcycle wrecker.
Although it has not run in years, it was ridden into the shed and so should ‘oily rag’ ok.
Not far behind that is the Cito Special. A 1921 500cc, OHV shaft drive machine built in Suhl, East Germany, with Bosch generator for electric lighting. The lights are gone, but the generator is there.
Cito joined with Krieger-Gnadig in 1922, becoming Cito-KG, and absorbed by Allbright in 1923. There are three other Cito – KG known to exist, but Warren never revealed the back story to this one.
Then we enter the commonplace of an early single speed FN four, believed 1910, last of the atmospheric inlet valve models.
In need of a total restoration, but had new wheel rims and a pile of spares including two engines and multiple carburettors. Sold new in Broken Hill, Warren bought it in Adelaide in 1970.
An 1913 or 1914 two-speed American X Excelsior. This was purchased restored from a friend in the local VMCC. Warren famously took this to a rally in South Australia (9 – 10 hours drive away) IN his Skoda. By removing the steering head and the whole front end, the remainder of the bike fit across the back seat. In Adelaide, the front end was re-fitted, he rode the rally, then reversed the process to get home. It was last run in 1978.
And finally, a Villiers Diamond from 1925, the last of the chain-cum-belt models. This had also been ridden into the shed many years previous, but had hung by a rope from the roof with the rear wheel out for most of them…..
Warren died in 2020, during covid but not of it. He was 95 years old and had no family. His estate was left to the University of Adelaide, where it endows a professorship.
an article by John Ferguson for The Girder Club
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