First Black Shadow - Stevenage workers

Phil Mahood

VOC Hon. Computer Officer
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The first production Shadow did come to Canada. Back then, nobody thought of any particular bike as historic. It just went out randomly like an other in that period. It is well documented (Richardson's) as engine #696. It was discovered as a basket case by Byrne Bramwell and Bob Williams in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1978. Byrne started a restoration and then sold it to Somer Hooker. Somer completed the restoration and then sold it to Bar Hodgson a few years ago. Number 696 was at the recent Florida get-together where it was voted as Best In Show by those present.
 

davidd

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David
 

Prince Duster

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Talking to Ted Davies one day about quantity of different models, he says records cant be trusted as some machines were thrown together to look complete at the end of the day, counted off, then next day stripped down and rebuilt properly, then counted off again.

Several of the workers from Stevenage who Gerry Jenkinson and I have spoken to, including Dave Bowen on this forum, have confirmed this. PCV was not, indeed, complicit - but bikes were made to look finished when in reality they were part-assembled in order that senior management were confident X-amount of cycles were ready to be dispatched and sold that week. It was hand-to-mouth manufacturing for much of the time: creditors needed numbers to keep them at bay, workers would - as could happen in British manufacturing - shift production items to keep the bosses at bay. Numbers were stamped late in the whole process. David Lancaster
 

Dominique2

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very interesting !
as I own the 5th Black Shadow, the first in France ordered with a sauce pan clock but with KM/ph , as noted on the Works Order Form (only 2 x B Shadow were sent to France ...in june 1948) I am looking for a Sauce Pan Clock (it was change to a more modern one later)
If I could find one or someone who can rebuild one , it would be great !
Anyway, it is great bike in this condition
what it is funny: there is no B at the end of the number stamped on the UFM, mine (as on a Rapide and I gues it is the same on Bob Culver first one...note sure) , but there is a mention on one among the two documents : a B is added on a document but not written on the other (on the Works Order Form the B is written, but not on the Engine Specification Sheet, mentioned as a Rapide !!!)
On the 2 documents, even it is a Shadow (F10AB/1B/ 000) it is noted as a Rapide B , so I Wonder if they could wait for the decision of a right new name to promote these first new models...
I would like to know if there are the same difference on the first one.
 

vibrac

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The original name was the Vincent Sports Rapide this was used in original promotional material, but I suppose after the debarcle with the poor castings that resulted in them being painted black (see Bananamans explanation originally on this forum that he expanded on in my book) the name Black Shadow came to mind as being more sucint and descriptive, as to when that decision actually occurred within a margin of months I was unable to find out
 

TouringGodet

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I’ve seen Black Shadow Sports Rapide in some early advertisements. Had not heard of Vincent Sports Rapide before.

I think the Black Lightning name was shown as Black Lightning Racing Rapide early on, quickly shortened as well.
 

Dominique2

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I’ve seen Black Shadow Sports Rapide in some early advertisements. Had not heard of Vincent Sports Rapide before.

I think the Black Lightning name was shown as Black Lightning Racing Rapide early on, quickly shortened as well.
Thank you ! I have only seen some advertisements made by the French Importer Clément Garreau, without "Sport Rapide" mention... he only advertised about his own shop and was Norton importer too (his main job I guess). On this January 1949 advertisement the bike is called Black Shadow (7th of January 1949, so made at the end of 1948) Moto Revue janvier 1949, with road test of the Black Shadow (206 km/h advertised on cover). We can notice the short exhaust pipe that we saw on different bikes as Rapide when Garreau share them for test on magazine.
the WW means it is a work shop registration, so the bike is not sold.
So it would be great to have some picture about the English early advertisement as well (I never saw any one) with Sports Rapide mentions
 

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vibrac

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You need a copy of this
Vincent And H R D Motorcycles How They Were Promoted And Sold (David Wright Book)
there may be one on ebay
 
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