Old British bike remains identification

This is a most remarkable find! It proves that there are still very interesting discoveries to be made. Thanks to Daniel Hadad the history of this bike lives on.

I got in touch with the New Imperial Owners Association and we have managed to solve almost all the mysteries around this machine.

Jane and David from the N.I.O.A. revealed insightful data to me thanks to their archives.
The frame comes from a October 1935 Model 80 and the engine from a March 1935 Model 70/76. Although they were manufactured in 1935 are 1936 models to match the timing of the annual motorcycle show in London where the following year’s models were displayed.

What makes this motorcycle unique and special is that the last digit of the engine number was re-stamped turning a Model 70 engine into a 76.
For just one year the model 76 was a model 70 with higher compression and foot change as standard. Only 11 of these machines were made and mine is probably the only known survivor!

The owner of Moto-Maroc Mr. Alazrachi had a good relation with the founder of New Imperial Mr. Downes and it doesn't seem impossible to me that I could import one of these first 76 sport model to race or for his personal use. Mr. Alazrachi won several times the 250cc and 350cc Moroccan championship with New Imperial machines advertising the brand in the burgeoning market of the North African colonies. Is it possible that the bike was factory assembled with a Model 80 frame in stock and a Model 70 engine renumbered to 76 as it is practically a pre-production unit.

My father has made a first assembly as you can see in the las two pictures to check what parts we have.
There are some missing parts like rear brake pedal, chainguard, license plate holder, Lucas chrome plated DU142F headlamp, MT110 tail lamp, MO1 magneto 463807, E3HM dynamo 20019 and Amal 6/157 carburetor. If anyone has any of these parts please contact me by the website!

That's some wonderful research - I think in the UK we often forget how widely bikes and cars were exported The bike 'no 4' with the trophy looks like one of the 1931 works bikes [ 250 or 350cc ] and along with the visit of Norman Downs indicates that Moto Maroc must have been an important agent
Good luck with the rescue of the model 70/76 [the 76 is the more sporty version] and hope most of the bits are there!

Thanks to the discovery of this scarce motorcycle and the data that Mr. Whitehead has dusted, I have learned a little about the life of the New Imperial importer for Morocco: Montie Alazrachi. Known as "Monty" or "Montie", Moses Alazrachi was born in 1905 in Manchester son of a Turkish immigrant from Izmir. Thanks to his connection with England he founded in Casablanca the company Moto-Maroc that was the importer of Lucas electrical components, New Imperial and Royal Enfield. His company had distributors in: Rabat, Mazagan, Safi, Fez and Kenitra. Mr. Alazrachi was a real businessman and bike recordman that won the Motorcycle Championship of Morocco several times in various categories. In 1932 he received a visit Mr. Norman Downes founder of New Imperial for his brilliant performance in the "Championat Motocycliste du Maroc" and after a long career he died in Casablanca at age 55 where his remains rest. The motorcycle that my friend found is probably a Clubman version that could even run the Motorcycle Championship of Morocco at the hands of Montie since until the release of the model 70 or 76 he was running the 500cc categorie in a competing Norton. I hope to recover this rare machine soon and after verifying the frame and engine numbers we will know more information about its life. I hope I have entertained you with this Anglo-Moroccan story!

Thank you Mr. Whitehead for your wise answer! I had no doubt that some elements as the frame, handlebars or speedometer were unmistakably British. I was lost identifying the engine since it is the first time I have seen a New Imperial. British motorcycles were quite popular in Morocco even though part of the country was a French protectorate. Large capacity French machines were used mainly by the French colonial government although later they will use almost exclusively BMW machines. In the same place my friend found a R25/2, R51/3 and R60/2 used by the French whose photos I attached to this message. British motorcycles were also used by the Spanish colonial government in the north of Morocco and many were sold to civilians like my Ariel or BSA's, sometimes even special models like my 1947 Competition B32. Several sports models were sold such as my 1937 BMW R5 that surely participated in the Tangier hill climb race and this New Imperial model 70 or 76. Special Moto-Guzzi models equipped with large capacity tanks were imported to participate in races between Casablanca and Algeria not forgetting several units of NSU or DKW . Even a URe 250 whose remains a friend found in the 90's or a Parilla 250 Bialbero that a Spanish friend found in Casablanca and imported to Valencia. Companies like COGEMATI in Casablanca which was the Ferrari and BMW dealer imported many special units such many R68 and even the RS54 VIN: 549023. My country has had an interesting motor history with characters like Edward Meyer that won the 1928 Moroccan Grand Prix and set a world speed record at an average speed of 147 km/h in his Bugatti Type 35C sold for $1,155,000 at 2017 RM Sothebys auction in Monterey. Thank you for helping me identify this lost old British glory that I will attempt to rescue!

Hi David old mate!
I agree with you it is probably French just for the reasons you give. Daniel, my opinion is that if you can rescue it, have room to store the parts, do it. Once somebody scraps it, then it's too late. I'm sure David would agree with me on this, right?

It's many years since I took an interest in, and rode, old bikes, but I wouldn't be so sure this is British? I don't recognise that engine, and it looks to have the kick start integral with the engine, or else have unit construction? There are many parts there, from all sorts of machines, but if that front hub is actually part of this machine, it looks very un-British? Likeliest is that as Morocco was a French colony, it's a Monet-Goyon or some other of the legion French makes? Large capacity French machines are few and far between so it shouldn't be hard to identify. It's not a military bike, so not left behind after WWII. Most likely the engine and frame are unconnected!!