1961 Moto Parilla 250 Wildcat Registration Number: 294 UYV ...

Hammer

£4,400

1961 Moto Parilla 250 Wildcat

Registration Number: 294 UYV
Frame Number: 700537
Engine No 700537

This machine is a rare beast. The Wildcat was a “USA-only” product of the Moto Parilla factory, made for the huge off-road and competition market. Designed with off-road in mind, it had an immensely strong “full-loop” frame (unlike the road bikes) and was fitted with top class Ceriani GP 35mm front forks (with damping adjustment from the saddle) and adjustable Ceriani rear shocks. Completing the high specification was a 7 litre tank, steering damper and steel based, leather covered seat.

The engine was, at the time, the most powerful 250cc single engine in production with 26 bhp claimed. The Wildcat shared the same tune as the road-racing GS 250 model, with high compression piston, x1 cam (50/80/80/50 timing), 28mm Dellorto SSI carburettor and remote SS2 float bowl.

Most Wildcats were bought as pure off-roaders with no intention of conforming to any road legalities such as lighting, instruments or silencing. A small number were sold with an optional “Enduro” kit which provided lighting with a headlamp and mounting “ears” at the front and a rear tail light and stop light switch. An extra coil fitted in the CEV 6055 magneto provided “direct” lighting and power for the stop light. This machine, equipped with the lighting kit and optional tachometer, started life in the UK in a batch imported by the UK concessionaire, and possibly sold via Comerfords in London.

Around 30 machines were taken in a deal when the factory was effectively in receivership, but strangely no one outside the Parilla board knew this! This led to great difficulty in getting any spares for the Wildcats, as they were unique models in the range, sharing no cycle parts and only major engine components such as crankcases and barrels with other 250 models.

Several of those bikes were used as parts “donors”, being stripped as required to keep customer bikes going or to repair them after crashes. Some Wildcats were “scrambled” by famous names such as world champion Dave Bickers, so one can imagine some damage was caused to the race bikes.

This particular bike started out as “New Old Stock”, a new and unused engine, frame and swing arm unit which was bought from an enthusiast in Devon who had many years ago acquired several complete and incomplete Parilla models. Both engine and frame shared the same serial number so it was an obvious move to rebuild the bike to a high standard using the best original components available.

It has been subject to a thorough restoration mechanically and cosmetically. Externally it is as near to 100% original as possible. Original gas tank, forks, mudguards and other missing components were located or came from a stock of new/old stock parts. Replica parts were not used other than the silencer to make it possible to use on the road.

Internally the engine was checked over but being unused needed little work other than replacement of seals. In current ownership the following work has been completed:

· All frame parts were powder coated gloss black.
· All fork parts were powder coated wrinkle black as original
· Fork stanchions hard chromed
· OE fasteners and fittings were re-plated with dull zinc
· All OE chrome work was re-plated to UK standards
· Fuel tank de-rusted internally and refinished to OE standards and pattern
· New gas taps were commissioned from the original manufacturers
· The seat was repacked and recovered in Italy to ensure the exact stitching methods used were replicated
· The wheel rims were replaced with flangeless alloy units and rebuilt using stainless spokes
· New tyres fitted

The Wildcat has been fitted with a custom made stainless steel “silenced” version of the original megaphone exhaust pipe, to tame a few of the many decibels produced by what is basically a “full race” ‘60’s engine tune. The lighting kit is not fitted at this point but an OE kit was supplied.

In good running order (the engine was rebuilt by a renowned UK Parilla specialist). This rare bike comes with a certificate of authenticity and history file.