1951 Vincent Rapide Frame No. RC9545C - Engine No. F10ab177645

mitchill902

New Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Hi, please do not think I am trying to solicit this bike. I am interested in fast, old, bikes and came across this auction listing. I have never seen this bike and have been searching for some details. I read about the Vincent Owners Club in a few books as being the source for information. The auction claims it has been sitting 50 years.

Is there any history about this bike? I received no results when I searched for the frame and engine numbers listed. I have hunted for photos of a similar bike, mainly looking for the tank/carbs, solid rear, the seat/tail, drilled parts, the skull on the front and the paint with no luck. The closest match I could find is recently posted in the Where Are You Now? forum, with a similar tail, and some drilled bits by the swingarm.

The auction site lists:
  • Lightingized methanol burner with big port heads
  • 2 inch pipes
  • 38 mm Dellorto carbs
  • 210 lbs compression with hot spark
  • Retired race bike
  • Bike has not run in 50 years (sleeping beauty)
  • Frame No. RC9545C
  • Engine No. F10ab177645
https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0119-348599/1951-vincent-rapide/

dsci0236-1534779121086@2x.jpg


(Did Von Dutch ever build any of these? I know he was a British bike guy. The paint on the fork, and the symmetry of the drilled holes, what looks like a hitch-ball-skull.)
 

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi, please do not think I am trying to solicit this bike. I am interested in fast, old, bikes and came across this auction listing. I have never seen this bike and have been searching for some details. I read about the Vincent Owners Club in a few books as being the source for information. The auction claims it has been sitting 50 years.

Is there any history about this bike? I received no results when I searched for the frame and engine numbers listed. I have hunted for photos of a similar bike, mainly looking for the tank/carbs, solid rear, the seat/tail, drilled parts, the skull on the front and the paint with no luck. The closest match I could find is recently posted in the Where Are You Now? forum, with a similar tail, and some drilled bits by the swingarm.

The auction site lists:
  • Lightingized methanol burner with big port heads
  • 2 inch pipes
  • 38 mm Dellorto carbs
  • 210 lbs compression with hot spark
  • Retired race bike
  • Bike has not run in 50 years (sleeping beauty)
  • Frame No. RC9545C
  • Engine No. F10ab177645
https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0119-348599/1951-vincent-rapide/

dsci0236-1534779121086@2x.jpg


(Did Von Dutch ever build any of these? I know he was a British bike guy. The paint on the fork, and the symmetry of the drilled holes, what looks like a hitch-ball-skull.)

Depending on where you are in Canada there are many good sections of the club. I suggest you join your local section. I and a few others are in Vancouver BC. There are strong sections in Manitoba and Ontario.
 

Robert Watson

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
A couple of things, as he is not a Club member he won't be able to see the thread about the bike as it is posted in a Members only section, also I have PM'd with him and he is an Nova Scotia so apart from Chris Lipscome who I think live quite near him, he is pretty "Vincent Remote"
 

davidd

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
(Did Von Dutch ever build any of these? I know he was a British bike guy. The paint on the fork, and the symmetry of the drilled holes, what looks like a hitch-ball-skull.

I have not heard of Von Dutch having anything to do with Vincent bike builds before. I would think it would have been someone like Sonny Angel who would have done something along these lines. However, I doubt it was Sonny as he had photos of many of the Vincents he worked on.

This bike looks like a copy of Felix, which was built by Triumph tuner Jack Wilson. That bike was restored by Bev Bowen.
IMG_1022.jpg

The heads on the auction bike were made at Vincent by the request of Harry Bellville. He placed an order with Vincent for big port heads that were designed for alcohol. Harry was in Ohio and most of those heads ended up on US bikes.

I don't think there is much history with the auction bike or it would have showed up at on of the many meets over the past 50 years. Mecum would have gladly touted the trophies or records the bike had set.

More info on Jack Wilson's bike can be found here:

http://lsvoc.vincent-hrd.co.uk/voc_history.html

David
 

Somer

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
This bike has been through several auctions over the years. It was also on display at the national Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa. It was used as a drag bike (Sprinter in UK speak); hence the brake set up.
 
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