Ooops !

At the Isle of Man T.T. , in 1983, on my Triton, Pre-unit Triumph Bonneville engine. Coming out of Ballacraine and on the way to Ballaspur, flat out in second gear ,when I heard a terrific noise and managed to stop safely. I couldn't believe what I saw. The left hand con-rod had snapped, smashed a hole in the rear of the crankcase, then came out of the front, taking the bottom of the cylinder barrel off and jamming itself against the front engine plate. It also snapped the magneto off and bent the armature ! I managed to buy another pre-unit Bonnie engine, from a friend. What would be the chances of doing that, nowadays ? I kept this engine, to remind me about big revs ! and expensive rebuilds !