Glitterguts

methamon

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
I was wide of the mark regarding my initial comments as Glitterguts was an A rapide. Is anyone able to give a comprehensive history of the beast including owners right up to the present day? It was obviously much revered even in the 60's as can be seen in Geoff Preeces book A Photographic miscellany.
Methamon
 

methamon

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Dear Phil,

Did you ever satisfactorily resolve your search for information on Glitterguts?
As I understand it, Glitterguts is a series A Rapide registered UJ9774 and once owned by Geoff Bibrook (or Billbruck) of Hillgate Motors.
I understand the red A Rapide referred to in another reply has the engine from Glitterguts.
Is anyone able to put me (VOC member) in touch with Geoff Billbrook?
Jeff
 
G

Graham Smith

Guest
Jeff

I'd offer to help you, but the Geoff Billbrook isn't a current Member, so I don't have access to the information you require.

If he's been a Member of the VOC in the past, you could contact John and Dawn Kennedy as they will have details of old Members, and might be able to put the two of you together.

Regards
 

Albervin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
All that glitters is NOT Glitterguts

In Australia, well NSW. There is a "B" Rapide that is chrome & polished alloy from front to rear. It has not seen the light of day for nearly 20 years but is a sight to behold. Chrome horns on chrome crash bars, chrome headlight & chrome Bramptons. Strangely enough, it actually looks really good. Is Mr. Grice out there??
Alyn:rolleyes:
 

clevtrev

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
In Australia, well NSW. There is a "B" Rapide that is chrome & polished alloy from front to rear. It has not seen the light of day for nearly 20 years but is a sight to behold. Chrome horns on chrome crash bars, chrome headlight & chrome Bramptons. Strangely enough, it actually looks really good. Is Mr. Grice out there??
Alyn:rolleyes:
Did you look at the picture I posted ?
 

a. boozer

New Forum User
Non-VOC Member
I owned Big Ed TPU362 for many years, before selling it in the mid eighties. It was a 1951 Rapide, originally owned by Terry Hart, who I understood had the majority of the chroming done in Germany, where he was in the RAF (cannot verify that).
I paid the princely price of £330.00 at the time of purchase. I well remember dropping the front exhaust valve in a state of over exuberance after leaving a VOC meeting at Stone (Greenhithe) and having to ride home on one pot !

My first Vincent was a Comet, which cost me all of £25.00, whilst my first Rapide was £110.00.
Once sold a complete Rapide engine/box with carbs and magneto for £35.00

Those were the days !!!
 

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Marcus Bowden

VOC Hon. Overseas Representative
VOC Member
A. Boozer my handsome, you have a certain time on your hands (I wonder why) 13 plus years ago. Yes Geoff Billbrook was the man who originated it and the proprietor of Hillgate Motors who kept Vincent spares and did chrome plating D.H. stuff too as a lot of Lancs & Cheshire lads had it done on the cams & exhaust pipes, I believe he also made pipes as I remember at a rally a customer was complaining about them not fitting and brought them to the rally in his sidecar so Geoff removed his old and fitted the new in very short order.
I never saw Glitterguts in one piece but do recall seeing bits lying around in the basement of Hillgate motors.
When I became the custodian of "Old Harry" when Harry Cox could no longer manage it, a Mr Tony Wilson got in touch and wanted all the lightweight racing bits, Webbs forks,21" wheel and composition brake drums, racing magneto, wraparound S/S oil tank and the 20"rear wheel with magnesium brake plates, I wanted a standard Rapide as not a racer but this bike did go well and John Waltham escorted Irving round in it in the eighties at an international with a Stieb sidecar. The arrangement was I'd have all the above plus a re-pop petrol / oil tank. The swap all took place at John Waltham's, the cheeky sod Tony charged me £400 for the tank. To save a scene Christine wrote out a check and poor Harry said after that was a bit much. Anyway Tony was telling me he had Glitterguts and also doing up a racing "A" Rap, was it Ginger Woods's? this was all in the late eighties in the nineties the bikes moved on and Glitterguts went to Sweden and the "A" racer not sure where that went, maybe the Motor Museum.
bananaman
 

billirwinnz

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I've only just noticed this old thread. Glitterguts UJ9774 (with a different motor) is alive and well in NZ. No longer red and no longer glittering but running nicely and being enjoyed. I haven't been able to track down the current owner of the original motor (V1005) but from the notes I got with the bike it was in a bike in Switzerland. The current motor is ex the Harold Pass Morgan racer.

The bike was built up by Tony Wilson and came to me via Jeff Smith. It has TT forks and brakes as specified in the original works build sheet.

It looks very well-used and has nearly all the correct bits on it. While it would be an easy restoration I intend to keep it looking as it does now.

IMG_1632 1 copy.JPG
 

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Really beautiful bike there Bill. Shame I am not going to make the annual rally.
I've only just noticed this old thread. Glitterguts UJ9774 (with a different motor) is alive and well in NZ. No longer red and no longer glittering but running nicely and being enjoyed. I haven't been able to track down the current owner of the original motor (V1005) but from the notes I got with the bike it was in a bike in Switzerland. The current motor is ex the Harold Pass Morgan racer.

The bike was built up by Tony Wilson and came to me via Jeff Smith. It has TT forks and brakes as specified in the original works build sheet.

It looks very well-used and has nearly all the correct bits on it. While it would be an easy restoration I intend to keep it looking as it does now.

View attachment 55312
 

jim burgess

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I saw Glitterguts back in 1990? ish. I can confirm that it was indeed a red series A Rapide with lots of extra shiny bits, details of which now escape me. I was buying a series B Rapide from the owner. I belive his name was Tony Wilson, but I may be wrong I often am, and it was a long time ago. The area was somewhere along the M4 corridor, Swindon area I think, possibly further west.
Cheers
Jim
 
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