Is This 71 400 Husky & Trans-AMA Rider Mark Blackwell Connected?

Hey guys and gals checkout this 71 400 cross my friend purchased recently. Its in pretty good condition. Some components are not stock like the exhaust, plastic fenders, and the brake/clutch levers to name few.

We found it strange that the initials FHF were stamped into the frame and stamped into both center case halfs. Its obvious that they're not factory stamps but out of curiosity I did an online search and found that 1971 Trans AMA rider Mark Blackwell once had a horse breeding business called Fresh Horses Farm.

My friend investigated further by inquiring with Viking Motors and Don came up with a document showing the motor to be a factory Husky race motor shipped to Edison Dye in 1971. This made the connection to Blackwell a little more likely but without frame number documentation its still just speculation. The invoice Don Ince provided for the frame number did have a name on it.

I was hoping someone may be familiar with the initials FHF and the relationship with this 71 400, not to mention the factory race motor. Could it potentially be a practice bike or a personal rider for someone we know?

And what mods were done to a factory race motor?

If you have any helpful information please PM me. Any help will be greatly appreciated.







Evidently Edison Dye requested the motor. It was shipped it late in the year, Dec 13th 1971. What would Edison Dye have wanted with a 1971 4-speed race motor at the end of 1971?

The exhaust is a Hookers Headers system made in USA. Very popular for desert racers in the early 70's.

The 400 race motor would likely have had the ports matched and engine blueprinted. Likely tuned for some top end performance as the production 400 was not as far off as the 250.

The bike looks natural and unre-touched

Agreed. Based on all the pre-72 Huskys I've seen over the past 20 years this one is in very good condition, on the outside anyways. I haven't seen it in person yet but based on the photos theres doesn't appear to be extensive rust on the spokes, or serious dents in the rims, fork tubes are free of pitting, pipe is straight, tank chrome is in great shape, and the seat cover even looks original although probably stiff. The hope is the motor internals look as good.

Heres the latest scoop on this bike. A fellow by the name of Frank H Fahey purchased it from Don Vescos El Cajon motorcycle dealership. Frank said he changed out the alloy fenders to plastic and the exhaust to Hooker but he knew nothing about a race motor.

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame says at one time Vesco's shop had as many as 60 riders competing out of it. With that kind of activity I can imagine a rider needing a motor on short notice and the only source is a new bike sitting on the showroom floor. Then comes the time when that motor needs to be replaced and all thats available is a race motor off the shelf that may no longer be needed. Its just speculation, one of many possibilities.

Doesn't Mark work for the AMA or one of the big distributors or Polaris snowmobiles or somesuch? track him down & ask.

I was a big fan back in the day; I think he caught a rock in the eye or something and had to retire. CRS- I'm getting old.

3 bikes with Akront rims- cool.

Mark had worked for Polaris for several years. He recently retired from Polaris and started in something different

He caught a rock in his left eye in 1972 while racing in Europe. He stayed on at Husqvarna and went to Suzuki for 1976. He retired from racing shortly after to focus on developing Suzuki RM models.

Was able to meet Mark at Polaris in 2000 at a Master Dealer class, when I was a Husqvarna dealer. Very nice guy and we talked about his time racing Huskys. We had a couple of race bikes out with FBF (Fast by Ferracci) mods, not the best mods, lost a couple of motors.