Gunga Din Video

davidd

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Gunga Dins Engine was put in the Vincent three wheeler, Ted Davis took it to Snetterton raceway in 1956 and was blown up in a big way only the heads could be used again a guy I knew was with Ted at the time she was left in that condition for some years, then was rebuilt with new parts I think the old heads were used I think it was rebuilt by George Rose the last time I saw Gunga Din in the UK 1958 was in Harpers Spares shop in Whinbush Road, Hitchin, which was five miles north of Stevenage the asking price was 250 Pounds, David

David,

Thank you for the information. I thought it might be 250, but I was trying to remember the story. I think it was Peter Gerrish who found the bike under a pile of canvas tarps and boxes. Peter was desperate to rescue the bike. I think he had 100 Pounds. He spent a considerable time soliciting everyone he knew in the Club arguing that this was the most important Vincent one could imagine. Nobody came up with the balance, which was, as you say, 250 Pounds. This was in the 1960's and I think he wrote a letter to MPH that conveyed his disappointment.

David
 

Bill Thomas

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In 1965, I bought a Vin' in bits from Africa, He said it was the only Vin' to have been Charged by an Elephant !! I wonder which bit he was talking about ?. Cheers Bill.
 

timetraveller

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The Vincent three-wheeler was eventually bought by Joe Karasek from the ‘Vincent’ works and then handed over to a body shop on the Kent/Sussex boarder who made a very fine job of rebuilding the whole of the bodywork. Joe had an interesting life. He was a German prisoner of war, held in the UK after being captured and put to work on a farm. He eventually settled down and married an English lady farmer and helped her to run the farm. However he was also a very fine optical grinder and would occasionally work for local engineering companies making components which had to be accurate to one tenth of a thou. in all dimensions and diagonals. Having bought the three wheeler he then proceeded to race it at Silverstone and other places and I and several other members of the Kent and Sussex section passengered for him at various times. Eventually he broke the primary drive chain which seriously damaged the drive side crankcase half. He bought another engine and fitted it to the bike and I bought the damaged crankcase as a spare as I was sprinting and racing at that time and new crankcases were not available. I had the crankcase half repaired and kept it for many years. In the meantime, Joe sold the three-wheeler to Roy Harper, who lent it to a car and bike museum near to Eastbourne. Here the whole thing was neglected and occasionally I would hear stories of parts of the engine being left lying around on the floor. After many years it was bought by Bob Culver who contacted me to see if I was prepared to let him have the original crankcases. As I have never been into Vincents for money all I asked for was another old crankcase in exchange. Eventually Bob offered me a DRAT crankcase in exchange and he ended up with the originals. He now has the whole thing as part of his collection of all things Vincent.
 

Albervin

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"Not a Lot" (as they say up north)but the story adds a lot to the price tag of a non matching numbered BITZER . The finish is fantastic when we saw it at 2011 international, wasn't around as I believe it was fired up.
Bananaman
Bananaman, I am only halfway with you on this. I used to think bikes like this were rich people's toys but....... Bar has really tried very hard to promote Vincents and also entertain the general public. Unlike some of the Ted Davis fakes out there this is a facsimile of Gunga Din with many "original" parts. The buyer will always determine the market (how much for Old Harry?) so comparing this to a bitzer is not fair. Yes, I did hear it at the last International and it was awesome. Now, I have a fully matching numbers Series A in original condition so .................
 

Somer

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I got to spend a lot of time with Gunga Din. The UFM had the correct number in it. No restamping. The RFM was a C unit but it had the same number stamped in it. It was probably pulled from stock at the works as were the EARLY style Girdraulics. I'd think that George Brown had some pretty good access back there? Cases were evidently replaced several times. Vincent wanted cases to say Vincent when it was shipped to Montherley,France . Later was run in Ireland where it did 143. Soon after Davis pulled engine and put in car and blew it. I guess he too had access to company stores and pulled down a new set of cases. There was a letter to Harry Bellvile (US Distributor) talking about the work on engine by Ted Davis. It sat in Harpers, unloved by all. The only factory racer there ever was. I got to look ove a bunch of the parts. Some were unique and were stamped EX. Heads were still B heads but trick. Still had big tank and cut down Feridax seat.
I gues if people want to start hurling the term Bitsa at it, it started with the Brown brother's and Irving. So if it was done at the factory, does that make it a bitsa ? Gunga Din Ireland.jpg
 

Somer

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Here are some links to uncompressed pix of GD. You can see early on that it had early Girdraulic and a C RFM.
George Brown in action. http://somer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Gunga-Din/i-CMhwQDd/0/X3/Gunga%2520Din-X3.jpg

Leaning against the wall in Harpers, rusting. http://somer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Gunga-Din/i-jXckbGS/0/X3/Gunga_Din-X3.jpg

On display at the works in 52?53? Big Sid shot. Note C RFM and prototype forks. http://somer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Gunga-Din/i-vhdbCzq/0/X3/Gunga_Din_LH-X3.jpg

The first few forks did not display the "Hour glass" around the spindle boss.
 

david bowen

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Ted Davis Raced his so called two Fakes" with excellent race results, for many years, and for his pains and efforts was made a honorary member of the Vincent Owners Club, if you check back on his story of Vincents he helped them to what they are today. ps.in 1952 Ted had 20 wins on his fake, (I have taken this from my thread on Gunga Din Video) Ted Davis raced his so called Fake ( replica lighntning) with excellent results for many years, and all of Teds private work was ok,ed by management and all the vincent staff help him, as the factory had a works rider (Geoge Brown ) they could not give company help, when George Brown left the company Ted was made development engineer,
 
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