Wednesday, March 9, 2011

1949 Vincent Black Shadow Series C

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By our guest contributor : Nicholas Biebuyck

‘Well into the 1960’s and even today, when it is wrapped in a mystique carefully cultivated by thousands of fanatically enthusiastic owners, the big Vincent retained that commanding air about it when you met one on the road, and many a rider of avowedly super-sporting machinery would be humiliated by having some much older Black Shadow come past at the canter.’ - L J K Setright, motoring journalist, written in 1970 but still true today.

All pictures copyright Nicholas Biebuyck

With a higher compression ratio, a pair larger carburettors (that same as that used on the Comet single), 150 mph 5 inch speedometer, ribbed brake drums and distinctive stove enamel black crankcases turned the Rapide into one of the fastest vehicles on the road during the 1950's. With a top speed approaching 120 mph, only the Jaguar XK120 and Aston Martin DB2 coming close to giving the Vincent V twin a run for it's money.
This matching numbers VBS is to be sold by Bonhams on Sunday April 24th at Stafford County Show Ground with an estimate of £45,000-50,000, alongside Stuart Jenkinson's 721,703 mile Vincent Black Prince and examples of nearly every other post-war Vincent.


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