1949 Rapide at Mathewsons March 2019

davidd

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Vincent_KXF352_17_Large.jpg


https://mathewsons.co.uk/vehicle-auction-catalogue/9268-march-auction-1949-vincent-rapide-c-spec

David
 

Simon Dinsdale

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I've heard from somebody who viewed this bike before it was decided to sell at auction, that the engine is seized solid. So definately needs a full engine rebuild as a start.
 
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ClassicBiker

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Yet another Series C with HRD engine. I would buy it if it goes for under £20K
And a Series B gearbox cover and shift lever. But I doubt it will be under £20K. I normally don't gamble, but I'm willing to bet that two type "A" personalities will be getting into a testosterone fueled bidding war. It will start off reasonably priced and each will think it's a steal and before they realize what they've done, they will have mortgaged the house, and spent the kid's college money. :eek: Out of morbid curiosity I am interested to see the results.:cool:
Steven
 

Simon Dinsdale

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And a Series B gearbox cover and shift lever.
The gearbox cover and gearlever would be correct for this bike. Owners wrongly call them series B gearlevers and series B gearbox covers as the early series C's up to late 1949 also had them fitted. The change to the cover and gearlever was nothing to do with the series, and was just a general improvement across the whole range. The last of the series B's were fitted with the improved later gearbox cover and the one piece ally gear lever.
Simon
 

ClassicBiker

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The gearbox cover and gearlever would be correct for this bike. Owners wrongly call them series B gearlevers and series B gearbox covers as the early series C's up to late 1949 also had them fitted. The change to the cover and gearlever was nothing to do with the series, and was just a general improvement across the whole range. The last of the series B's were fitted with the improved later gearbox cover and the one piece ally gear lever.
Simon
Thanks for setting me right on that. I had incorrectly thought (new forks, new gearbox cover, new change mechanism) were all part of the entire series of changes that occurred to denote the change from one series to another. I new there wasn't a model year change, like what happens in the auto industry today. But I thought there was a definitive series change, i.e. from this day forward we only build this. I didn't realize that there was that significant of an overlap. That the Series C used carry over parts from the Series B which was still in production long enough after the introduction of the Series C to use updated parts.
Steven
 

Simon Dinsdale

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1949 was a very confusing year Vincent wise. Not only was the new series C coming into production, but the factory changed from HRD to Vincent and also a lot of design improvements were introduced which were nothing to do with any specific series and used on series B & C at the same time.
There was actually an 18 month overlap when the factory were making series B & series C side by side. The defining difference is the front forks which determines the series (along with the frame number) and yes I'm sure somebody will point out that there was the odd bike now and again that broke those rules.

The first series C was made in December 1948.
The last series B was made in May 1950.

Simon
 

Albervin

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The numbers on this bike are very close to my C Shadow. Mine has the early gearbox cover but one piece gear lever. As Simon said, 1949 was a curious year and many of the build sheets were full of items crossed out and overwritten. My Shadow has the intermediate (high) first gear but I know of another Shadow built before mine that has the later (lower) first gear. My bike also had "Vincent" tank transfers.
 
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