A man with a socks and stocking factory and a driven technician with a few rough edges. Cees Fick has rebuilt and built a lot of motorcycles in his time. He used Featherbed frames for the frames. Because those were the best frames. He had a completely open mind about the basic technology of his engine blocks.
Feather bed frames
Cees Fick had a whole set of those frames in stock. When he decided to build a Vincent Special, he held the ruler loosely along the mighty V twin. He then did the same with the Featherbed frame. "That doesn't fit." But that wasn't a problem. The Featherbed frame was fired locally red-hot and with a heavy hammer some tubes were slapped flat. Then the Featherbed frame did fit around the V twin. Later a modified Ariel Square Four block was also spooned into such a frame.
That hammering is an example that is too fierce to honor Fick. Because in fact he was a man with an obsessive interest in technology, speed and reliability. And building racers is the best way to get rid of it. There were Fick Specials like Aermacchi's with overhead camshaft, and Honda CB 72/77 racers plus Honda CB250's that had 'grown' to 500 cc. The crankcase bores were bored so far out that the thread of the cylinder studs shimmed through the crankcase material. In order to optimally increase the stroke, the big ends were 'sprayed on' so that the big end eye could be moved a few more mm 'down'. Those kinds of actions that at the time had an almost science fiction-like technology content all happened through an extensive network and acquaintances of acquaintances who had relationships with… You name it. And often 'in charge of his time'.
From 250 to 500 cc
An upgraded Honda CB 72/77 block could look something like this: 500 cc instead of 250 or 305 cc, a specially machined head, with larger valves, modified combustion chambers, modified channels, a special camshaft with self-designed roller followers and rocker arms, Kawasaki pistons of 74 mm round, special connecting rods, special crankshaft, primary drive by means of gears instead of chain, clutch honda CB500, modified shift mechanism, close 4 gearbox, an external oil filter and oil pipes outside the block and to the head. Electronic ignition, CR31 Keihin race carburettors with aluminum chalices, 2 special megaphone pipes with mufflers.
It was no problem for Cees Fick to use the components of five or six different types and / or brands in a construction. And adapt it to his wishes. Cees Fick was not averse to his own ideas either. That also marks the special start system, which was made to get away well with a push start. That system consisted of an extra lever under the clutch lever that allows you to pull the engine when pushing, and the moment you jump on it pulls into gear, this system worked 100% ..
The Harley head valve
All of that was impressive, but started fairly mildly with mounting Matschless 350cc upper floors on Haley-Davidson WLA (and C) crankcases. The side valves thus became OHVs. Through her we came into contact with people from the circle of the late Cees Fick. In the future, we hope to make a Cees Fick Special that honors this unique man. And people who still have Cees Fick specials can register.
