Gilera 500cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle Re-creation

Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris|1 February 2024, 12:30 CET|Paris, The Grand Palais Historique

Gilera 500cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle Re-creation
Frame no. 20
Engine no. 20

• Replica of the 1957 Gilera Four
• Built in Italy
• No engine internals
• For display purposes only

This replica of Gilera's six-time World Championship-winning four-cylinder Grand Prix 500 is based on the 1957 version, as raced by Geoff Duke and Libero Liberati, who were joined for that season by new signing Bob McIntyre. The pairing of McIntyre and Gilera is one of the most famous in motorcycle racing, for it was this combination that passed an Isle of Man TT milestone when in June 1957 the Scot became the first competitor to lap the Mountain Circuit at over 100mph on his way to victory in the Senior race. McIntyre's fastest lap of 101.12mph was 29 seconds quicker than MV-mounted John Surtees' best, underlining the Gilera's superiority. With Duke and McIntyre beset by a succession of injuries and other misfortunes, it was the third member of the squad, Liberati, who eventually secured the 1957 riders' World Championship for Gilera, which also claimed the manufacturers' prize. At the end of '57 Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Mondial withdrew from Grand Prix racing, and the fours were mothballed.

Six years later, in 1963, Geoff Duke persuaded Gilera to release them for a revived campaign under the 'Scuderia Duke' banner. The under-financed team suffered a string of misfortunes, John Hartle's 1st place in the 500cc race at the Dutch TT proving to be its only World Championship victory that year. It would also turn out to be Gilera's last of the classic era.

With the surviving works Gilera fours either in museums or private collections, and thus extremely unlikely ever to be offered for public sale, it was perhaps inevitable that the revival of interest in classic motorcycle racing would lead to the construction of replicas of these precious thoroughbreds. The machine offered here is one such, and reputedly its engine components were cast at Ferrari, although it should be noted that there are no internals and thus the machine is suitable for display purposes only. Accompanying documentation consists of copies of technical drawings and a magazine article (in Italian). No documents.

As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.

Footnotes

Gilera 500cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle Re-creation
Cadre n°20
Moteur n°20
• Réplique de la Gilera Four de 1957
• Construite en Italie
• Moteur sans composants internes
• Destinée à être exposée

Cette réplique de la Gilera 500 quatre-cylindres de Grand Prix, six fois championne du monde, s'inspire de la version 1957 pilotée par Geoff Duke et Libero Liberati, rejoints pour cette saison par un Bob McIntyre tout juste recruté. L'association entre McIntyre et Gilera est l'une des plus célèbres du monde de la course moto car c'est ce tandem qui marqua son temps lors du TT de l'Ile de Man 1957 où l'Ecossais, en route pour la victoire dans cette épreuve, devint le premier à boucler le Mountain Circuit à plus de 160 km/h. Le meilleur tour de McIntyre fut bouclé à 162,7 km/h en 29 secondes de moins que celui de la MV de John Surtees, établissant ainsi la supériorité de la Gilera. Alors que Duke et McIntyre devaient endurer une suite de blessures et d'autres coups du sort, ce fut finalement le troisième membre de l'écurie, Liberati, qui remporta en 1957 le titre de champion du monde des pilotes et offrit le titre constructeur à Gilera. A la fin de la saison 1957, Gilera, Moto Guzzi et Mondial se retirèrent des Grands Prix et les quatre-cylindres furent mises au rancart. Pas de documents.

Six ans plus tard, en 1963, Geoff Duke persuada Gilera de les en faire sortir pour un nouvel engagement sous les couleurs de la Scuderia Duke. Mais cette écurie aux ressources insuffisantes connut une succession de mésaventures et la première place de John Hartle en 500 cm3 lors du TT des Pays-Bas fut cette année-là sa seule victoire en Championnat du monde. Ce sera là d'ailleurs la fin des Gilera de l'époque classique.

Les Gilera quatre-cylindres d'usine encore existantes se trouvent dans des musées ou des collections privées et il est extrêmement peu probable de les voir un jour mises en vente. Il était donc inévitable, du fait du regain d'intérêt qui se manifeste en faveur des motos de course d'époque, que se construisent des répliques de ces précieux purs-sangs. C'est le cas de la moto proposée, dont les composants moteur sont censés avoir été coulés dans la fonderie Ferrari, bien qu'il faille noter que son moteur est dépourvu de composants internes et que la moto ne peut être que mise en exposition. Sa documentation consiste en des copies de dessins techniques et d'un article de magazine, en italien.

De même que tous les lots de cette vente, ce lot est vendu 'en l'état et à l'endroit où il se trouve' et les enchérisseurs doivent en vérifier la provenance, l'état, l'âge, la complétude et l'authenticité avant d'enchérir.

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