First Black Shadow - Stevenage workers

Somer

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
The picture is of the proto-type , JRO102 . It still used the early style timing cover with raised oil galley ways. 1B/696 used the second generation timing cover. 1B/696 was also the 1st Shadow with a B suffix in the frame number. I owned 1B/696 for a long time.
 

Dominique2

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Very Interseting , on 799 the B is on the document (works order form) but not stamped on the UFM... but the timing cover is an early one, with raised oil galley ways as shown on magazine where its road test was published... the 7 th of January 1949 (probably tested one month or a couple of weeks ago)
On this same magazine (Moto Revue 7th, & 8 th of January 49) there are the new models shown in the London show : so there is a picture of a Black Lightning with Girdraulic forks BUT the early timing cover as well...on page 4. (Comet with Girdraulic as well on the same page)
And a picture of Rollie Free (Roland F Free)on page 15 and comments on his record .
 
Last edited:

Somer

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I think some of the confusion arises from the forms being pre-filled out and then the secretaries would cross out or add as needed.
 

TouringGodet

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
VOC Forum Administrator
VOC Forum Moderator
And as mentioned before, changes like the timing cover casting, there ends up being overlap, a period when both are in inventory. The first bike with the new design does not necessarily mean that all subsequent bikes will not have the earlier design.
 

Somer

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
True. In the case of the Shadows though, I've seen the few that followed mine and they had the later style.
 

Dominique2

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Mine was in kmh on the 5th Black Shadow, a sauce pan clock, even the 6th sent to Australia did not get a sauce pan case ... here is the KM/h sauce pan clock
 

Attachments

  • moto revue 1949 , couverture - Copie.JPG
    moto revue 1949 , couverture - Copie.JPG
    688 KB · Views: 48
  • moto revue 1949 , page 1 - Copie - Copie.JPG
    moto revue 1949 , page 1 - Copie - Copie.JPG
    868.4 KB · Views: 48

clevtrev

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
As Graham says, JRO 102 was the prototype Shadow and from the VOC database it was made in Feb 1948.
The first production Black Shadow was made in April 1948, was shipped to Canada and ended up in the USA, where I believe it is today.
The first production Shadow had ribbed brake drums, as has the one in the picture but I don't know if JRO 102 had similar. Maybe someone has an old photo of JRO to clarify what brake drums it had?
Somer has it.
 
Top