The story as I know it of my 'Creamer Black Shadow'. This began life as a 1952 Rapide (registered 1953) and was supplied to its first owner by Lawton & Wilson of Southampton. Unfortunately the original buff log book was not returned to me, despite my request, when it was exchanged for a green one and so I have lost the details of the various owners. However the original log book stated clearly that it was a Black Shadow and it was not for some years that I noticed the frame/engine numbers were for a Rapide. It seems the bike was returned to Lawton & Wilson at some point and they then sold it on to John Vane in 1956. This is an extract from John's letter to me regarding the bike.
'When I bought the bike it was a standard Rapide, and during the eighteen months or so between purchase and my return from Germany (RAF), it was totally rebuilt to Shadow spec. by Mike Creamer who had been working at the Vincent factory for many years until production ceased, and then moved to Southampton to become Lawton & Wilson's chief mechanic.
Mike was, in my opinion, the finest Vincent mechanic in the country, with his vast experience gained from years at Vincents. His wife even worked in the wages department!
In addition to full Shadow engine spec, Mike fitted Shadow drums and speedo plus Specialloid 8 - 1 pistons.'
John sold the bike in 1961. I acquired the bike in 1963 for £60 (eat your hearts out). It was in very poor condition, neglected and looked as if it had been left out in the open for some considerable time. The vendor said he had bought it to power a saw table but couldn't make it work! The front forks were seized solid and one of the RFM tubes was bent.
The engine was not black enamelled and the cycle parts were finished in a very dark grey, described as Fish Grey in the log book. The gearbox had the high ratio Black Shadow gear and had been modified to double backlash. The clutch was modified for a Lightning friction disc. At some point the front steel brakeplates had been modified with airscoops and stiffening gussets. The magneto had platinum points.
I rebuilt the forks and replaced the RFM and rode it in this condition for some years. It seemed to me that it was a very fast bike but a pig in traffic. Eventually I was side-swiped by a car. The car caught the off side front brake cable, which besides having me off and putting me in hospital, bent the brakeplate outwards destroying it and the airscoops.
At this point I decided to renew the big end. This was a mistake. On stripping the engine I discovered the perfectly matching conrods to be beautifully polished all over. I have always suspected they may have been Vibrac. I sent the assembly to a then well respected Vincent specialist. The assembly came back with two very ordinary and un-matching conrods. My youthful protestations got me nowhere. Over the years the machine has been re-incarnated as a red Touring Rapide.
The 'Creamer Black Shadow' badge was not fitted to the machine and I suspect that this was the first example and that the badges were a later addition to subsequent Creamer models.
Hugo