Editing AJS (section)

== AJS Racing under AMC ==
[[File:AJS 7R 350&nbsp;cc Racer 1948.jpg|thumb|right|AJS 7R 350&nbsp;cc Racer 1948]]
[[File:AJS 7R 350&nbsp;cc Racer 1950.jpg|thumb|right|AJS 7R 350&nbsp;cc Racer 1950]]
Under AMC the AJS badge may have been put on the "bread and butter" Matchless motorcycles, but the Colliers were mindful of the AJS racing heritage, and used the name on some innovative racing machinery. These racing bikes kept the AJS name alive.

In 1935, at the Olympia Show, an air-cooled SOHC AJS 50° V4 was shown, a fully equipped road going version, which did not make it into production. In 1936 Harold Daniell rode a supercharged race version in the Isle of Man Senior TT, but despite its high top speed, it lacked acceleration.<ref>Title: ''Classic Racer'' magazine, Issue: 121, Article: Ahead of the Game Pages: 34 – 40 {{ISSN|1470-4463}}</ref>

In 1939, a water-cooled and supercharged version of the 495&nbsp;cc [[AJS V4]] was built to compete against the supercharged BMWs then dominating racing. In 1939 the dry sump V4 was the first bike to lap the Ulster Grand Prix course at over {{convert|100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. It weighed {{convert|405|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. and its top speed was {{convert|135|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. Then World War II intervened.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcfrank/sammymuseum.html |title=Motorcycle Online: The Sammy Miller Museum |access-date=2006-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205061206/http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcfrank/sammymuseum.html |archive-date=2006-12-05 }} Motorcycle ''The Sammy Miller Museum''. Retrieved 25 October 2006.</ref>

At the end of the 1940s and start of the 1950s, the [[AJS Porcupine]], a 500&nbsp;cc forward-facing parallel twin, and the [[AJS 7R]] (32&nbsp;bhp, 350&nbsp;cc OHC single) were being raced alongside their AMC stablemates the [[Matchless G50]] (effectively a 500&nbsp;cc 7R) and by 1951, the [[Matchless G45]] (a 500&nbsp;cc vertical twin).<ref>[http://www.jampot.com/History.asp] Jampot ''AMC'' . Retrieved 25 October 2006.</ref> The AJS Porcupine had been designed for [[supercharger|supercharging]], before the rules changed banning supercharged racing motorcycles, but even so, [[Leslie Graham|Les Graham]] won the [[1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1949 World Championship]] on an unsupercharged AJS E90 500&nbsp;cc Porcupine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teamobsolete.com/nmm/nmmrev.html |title=2000 and 2001 Review |access-date=2006-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310132633/http://www.teamobsolete.com/nmm/nmmrev.html |archive-date=2007-03-10 }} ''Goodwood Revival Meeting, September 2000'' . Retrieved 25 October 2006.</ref>

In 1951 AJS development engineer Ike Hatch developed a 75.5&nbsp;mm bore × 78&nbsp;mm stroke, three-valve-head version of the 7R making {{convert|36|bhp|kW|abbr=on}}. It was called the AJS 7R3, and was Ike's response to the Italian multi-cylinder racers. They did well enough in their first year, not as well the second. For 1954 [[Jack Williams (motorcyclist)|Jack Williams]], the works team manager, developed the bike further, lowering the engine in the frame, and making some tuning changes that gave {{convert|40|bhp|kW|abbr=on}} @ 7800&nbsp;rpm. It immediately won the first two rounds of the World Championship and took first at the Isle of Man TT. These were factory specials, but one has survived, and a second has been reconstructed from spares.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclassic.co.uk/news030522.html |title=RealClassic.co.uk: News 22nd May - AJS 7R3 Racebike Revival |access-date=2006-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908160419/http://www.realclassic.co.uk/news030522.html |archive-date=2006-09-08 }} RealClassic ''AJS 7R3 Racebike Revival'' . Retrieved 25 October 2006.</ref>

AMC withdrew from the world of works and one-off road racing at the end of the 1954, with the death of Ike Hatch, and in the face of fierce competition from the other European bikes. After this AJS made a production version of the standard two-valve [[AJS 7R]], for privateers. In 1954 Norton was also moved to the Plumstead works.

With the G15 line, AMC had built on the merits of the G12 but there were numerous changes to frame, forks, swinging arm, primary chaincase, transmission, cycle parts and lubrication system. The P11 was the last line of bikes with bonds to AMC. It used a modified G85CS frame but there were stronger forks, completely new cycle parts (making some was rather costly), altered lubrication and modified primary chaincases, to mention a few.

The G15 series was offered as 3 brands: Matchless G15 comprising G15Mk2, G15CS and G15CSR; AJS Model 33 comprising M33Mk2, M33CS and M33CSR; and last not least Norton N15CS (no Norton-branded roadster made as it would compete against the Atlas). The G15 series was produced from 1963 to 1969. They were initially for export only, but by 1965 these models were available in UK and Europe too.

Associated Motorcycles and the AJS name eventually ended up with [[Norton-Villiers]] in 1966. In late 1968 the [[Plumstead]] works at Burrage Grove, where engines from the [[Wolverhampton]] plant and frames from the [[Manchester]] plant were assembled into complete machines, were presented with a [[Greater London Council]] [[compulsory purchase order]]. The Plumstead works closed in July 1969. It is believed that production of the G15 series was halted late in 1968 (model year 1969) with unsold samples on offer through 1969. The AJS Model 33 was the last AJS badged four-stroke produced.