Blue Vincent

davidd

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The article on the Blue Vincent in the latest MPH contained a black and white photo. The original is below. It is a 60 year old color photo so the rendition of the color is probably off a bit, but I thought it would give a ball park idea about the color:



David
 

vibrac

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My first Twin (Rapide) was dark blue bought for £65 from near Duxford Cambridge in 1965 never found a trace of black paint on it, very well done for an early repaint almost like a factory job I had just missed a genuine white shadow for £75 from stokingstone road Luton so had change over to pay for bits to go racing
 
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Graham Smith

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Thanks David

Unfortunately, I couldn't get the article onto a colour page (or color in your case!).

Graham
 

TouringGodet

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Jim Wilson has some photos from the recent BSA Owners Club bike show in California, featuring the Vincent marque, and Dennis Magri's blue Vincent is shown. I have heard of Dennis' blue Vin for a number of years, but I don't know the story. Does anyone know if Dennis' bike is considered to be one of the possible batch, or maybe even the same bike as in David's picture?

I wonder if this shade of blue matches the factory color.

BSA show
 
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davidd

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Steve,

It would be interesting to know. There is at least one blue bike circulating that is claimed to be original despite black paint showing through in some areas. In reality, there is still no proof in the Factory records that any blue Vincents were produced. The evidence is pretty good for the Frauenpries bike because attendees like Gene Aucott remember seeing on the show stand and he also knew that it was purchased off the stand. Then there is a contemporaneous photo of the owner with the bike. The timing of the delivery and the show indicate as David Bowen states that they blue bikes were painted at the Factory and not in the U.S. With no Factory records and only a good circumstantial record of one bike existing, I would be pretty skeptical about another bike. We do have the engine number, so an examination would determine if it were the same bike. As Chris Weir points out it was reported that the bike was called "Carlton" Blue.

David
 

mercurycrest

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I'm almost certain the Magri's Blue Bike is one of their creations just as their Vindian is. Years ago I had a very beat up tank from the UK that had blue next to the primmer coat. I gave it to Marty Dickerson and he told me some "Show Bikes" were Blue. I seem to remember the blue was what I'd call "Robin Egg Blue". But UK Robins ain't nothing like our NA Robins....:confused:
 

TouringGodet

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That's what Bill Easter said too, that Dennis' brother decided to paint it blue. Oh well.
 

davidd

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Pat Manning had purchased a blue brake plate years ago. The story of the Blue bike was that after Bill F.'s ownership, it eventually ended up with a dealer. The dealer allowed an interested customer to test ride the bike. He had a fatal crash and the bike was pieced out. This brake plate had been bent, lending some credence to the tale, and heat was used to straighten the anchor peg.

It is always difficult to assess color from photos. The original photo above shows the bike well, but I always thought that the green of the trees in the background was too dark and that the blue color, while not robin's egg blue, was not quite so green.

Here is a shot of the inside of the brake plate taken outside:

DSCN0999.JPG


The plate was painted at the Factory with grey primer and then sprayed blue (I assume as dipping would have been too expensive). The back had been sprayed white after the anchor repair. I wet sanded it and rubbed it to get as much original color as possible. There was no blue paint on the front, which had been sprayed black.

David
 

david bowen

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When in the UK I asked Jack Furness 94 he worked at Vincent No.2 factory for many years thats where Vincent paint shop was, he said he remembers small batch of blue going through,so this ties up with me seeing a batch off touring Rapides being built at the No. 1 factory in blue I would say 8, black dual seats and wheels as Davidd picture shows
 

david bowen

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Davidd look on your computer I think you will see a colour called Charlton Blue English soccer club colour, thats the blue I remember
 
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