The mention of Frank Shillito by John Emmanuel takes me back at least 45 years to when I first met Frank. Frank was a CHARACTER and a very clever engineer. Lacking a lathe large enough to turn a Vincent cylinder head he used to weld the damaged exhaust port threads up and then clamp the head on the tool post and fit the thread cutting tool into a 4 jaw chuck. That way he could re-cut the thread. I remember going over there one day and he had just finished making a new clutch drum with lightening holes for Jim Smith of Pegsdon. The drum was made of vibrac and such is the small world of Vincents that when I bought the ex Cecil Mills bike, what should be in it but the same or a similar clutch drum.
For those who fancy their ability to set up an engine properly the following is a test which I have seen Frank perform many times on Rapides which he had set up. He used to get the engine warm, put the bike into first gear and then walk along side the bike with the clutch fully engaged and the engine ticking over. As Frank was about 5' 2" tall and round rather than whippet shaped this was a real test of both the clutch and the flexibility of the engine. A very competent man!
For those who fancy their ability to set up an engine properly the following is a test which I have seen Frank perform many times on Rapides which he had set up. He used to get the engine warm, put the bike into first gear and then walk along side the bike with the clutch fully engaged and the engine ticking over. As Frank was about 5' 2" tall and round rather than whippet shaped this was a real test of both the clutch and the flexibility of the engine. A very competent man!
