Factory road testers

Simon Dinsdale

Simon Dinsdale

VOC Machine Registrar
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Following the discussion about what is written on the factory records with reference to modifications and what it means several owners asked what the names of the road testers were.
Here is the list of factory testers from 1946 to 1955 that came from John Marshall the 1st VOC Machine Registrar. Some names are just surnames so if anybody can help add first names to them then that would help. The names are not in any order.

Vic Waugh
Nobby Clark
Danny Thomas
Henry Pinnington
Ted Davis
Bob Brown
?? Ward
Reg Tonge
Norman Peach
Denis Minett
Jack Lazenby
Jim Sugg
?? Musgrave
?? Mason
Harry Smith
George Rose
Ted Bolter
?? Chelley
?? Bailey
Joe Harmer
Alex Mitchell
 
vibrac

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I met Bill Mason at my book launch at Stevenage if you search the forum for Bill Mason I have put most of what I gleaned from him on there at one point or another
 
andrew peters

andrew peters

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Steve Wilson wrote a great little article on Norman Peach.. Steve interviewed Norman for Classic Bike Guide in 1999.. Reprinted in Steves book "Down the road" Haynes Publishing... Norman started building wheels at Vincent but wanted to do more.... Interesting addition to 'our' story of the Vincent Factory and PCV
 
M

Montlhery

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
This old chestnut has started up again . This is Nobby Clark aboard the Dearden bike not Reg himself . It is becoming the same as John Surtees knee down photo
 

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teunvandriel

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VOC Member
I see in the order form that my Rapide has been tested by (Nobby) Clark, Is that THE later legendary and world-renowned Motor GP mechanic Nobby Clark who was a mechanic mainly at Honda, Yamaha, Cagiva, MV and worked for Hailwood, Reman, Agostini, Saarinen, Roberts, Hocking, Sheene, Lucchinelli among others?
 
vibrac

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Nobby Clarks are as common as Dusty Millers inthe 50's lingo
Its the way they used to tell em back in WW2....
dying out now like cokney mores the pity...
 
R

rapide049

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Simon Dinsdale said:
Following the discussion about what is written on the factory records with reference to modifications and what it means several owners asked what the names of the road testers were.
Here is the list of factory testers from 1946 to 1955 that came from John Marshall the 1st VOC Machine Registrar. Some names are just surnames so if anybody can help add first names to them then that would help. The names are not in any order.

Vic Waugh
Nobby Clark
Danny Thomas
Henry Pinnington
Ted Davis
Bob Brown
?? Ward
Reg Tonge
Norman Peach
Denis Minett
Jack Lazenby
Jim Sugg
?? Musgrave
?? Mason
Harry Smith
George Rose
Ted Bolter
?? Chelley
?? Bailey
Joe Harmer
Alex Mitchell
Click to expand...
Bob Brown - Was He the Australian GP Racer ?
 
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teunvandriel

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Looked again at the order forms of men Rapide, there are 2, the engine was tested by world famous GP mechanic and Vincent tester Nobby Clark and the frame by Bob Brown. Maybe Joh Surtees who was an young apprentice at the Vincent Works around 1950 wiped the mud off it after the test ride, Have to find out if maybe Mike Hailwood too might have put it on when the bike was in his father's showroom, That doubles the value of the bike, ha ha
 
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