Vin Single at Chimay

[bmetcalf]

At http://thevincent.com/ a Flash (or replica) is shown. The owner (I assume), Mike Hawthorne, has made a brake mod with only one shoe pivot to cure the 'pivots in the wrong place' issue. The bike beat Manx Nortons! We need a good Tom Gaynor analysis of that.

The bike also has the elusive special pushrod tube gland nuts, as did the previous feature bike, Tom Gross' Norvin. I can't remember if the restored Gunga Din has them. Maybe Somer Hooker will see this and chime in.

 

[Peter Holmes]

Is Mike a club member, with a result like that he must have a lot of Vincent knowledge, I don't think in their day Grey Flash's ever held a candle to Manx Nortons or G50's etc, so he must be doing something a bit special, information please?

 

[vibrac]

Vincent against Manx?
In short circuit racing It all depends on the circuit and the gearing get It right when others get it wrong and bingo its a win. The only time Ben trounced a Manx (Smiths Molnar) was at that joke circuit 3 sisters and his rear sprocket was almost grinding out on the corners. (what is that called a pirric victory?).

Of course in proper racing IOM style the Vincent single never stands a chance ask Roger Slater and his attempt (The valve seats fell out)-and he sure knew how to screw a Vinny together

Having said all that and having owned and raced both I'd rather ride a Vincent
And dont forget the first time Surtees road a manx after his 21" wheeeled comet special he fell off....

 

[Len Matthews]

Reay McKay got a Bronze Replica riding a Comet in the (I think) 1968 Senior TT. Not as fast as the Nortons or G50's perhaps but he (and the Comet) survived six laps-some achievement!

 

[vibrac]

Yes I think it was the next time when the seats dropped in-I must reread my books

 

[davidd]

I do not think Mike is a member. I first saw him at Daytona in 1997, I believe, and I remember him being very fast. Vincents are not competetive with the Manx or G50, but Mike is more competetive as a rider than their riders, I suspect.

The idea for adjustable angle pushrod tubes were seen in the speedway series A motor using pre war cases and post war head, as well as using the Big Port Head which had different valve angles than the stock head. At least some Big ports head will work with standard push rod tubes as mine was raced that way for years. They may be easier to seal up than the standard push rod tubes when working in the pits, but it is a reasonably complex design that was used for competition engines and not pruduction engines.

I heard about the incorrect geometry of the brake plates many years ago during the midst of the drawing program. I was not privy to the details, but I have noted that when Carleton Palmer was setting up his brakes and trued the linings, one lining would be consideably thiner than the other. I assumed the cause was the pivot placement, but I do not know for certain. I do not think the problem was continued on the Club's new racing brake plates which would have been manufactured pursuant to the new drawings. I would love to know from someone who knows.

David

 

[ET43]

If I may be so bold, and hopefully I will not get a thick ear, Peter Gerrish raced a Comet outfit in the 1967 sidecar TT, and I was there watching him too. He told me that his outfit with passenger did 102mph down the hill somewhere after Kates Cottage, and that it did 88mph on the flat. That is going some! ET43

 

[Len Matthews]

[[/ATTACH]

If I may be so bold, and hopefully I will not get a thick ear, Peter Gerrish raced a Comet outfit in the 1967 sidecar TT, and I was there watching him too. He told me that his outfit with passenger did 102mph down the hill somewhere after Kates Cottage, and that it did 88mph on the flat. That is going some! ET43

Yes, quite right Phil. I should have remembered Pete Gerrish's ride in the sidecar TT because I was there too. The story goes that Pete was originally entered on a DMW two stroke twin outfit but when that proved troublesome, rather than miss the chance to compete on the Island, he hastily prepared the Comet. The DMW engine eventually found it's way to Roy (The Mechanic) Martin and turned into a solo racer, recently sold at the Stafford auction. (hope that's correct).
I've found this photo of Pete Gerrish on his TT Comet outfit. sorry about the poor quality!

 

[clevtrev]

I do not think Mike is a member. I first saw him at Daytona in 1997, I believe, and I remember him being very fast. Vincents are not competetive with the Manx or G50, but Mike is more competetive as a rider than their riders, I suspect.

The idea for adjustable angle pushrod tubes were seen in the speedway series A motor using pre war cases and post war head, as well as using the Big Port Head which had different valve angles than the stock head. At least some Big ports head will work with standard push rod tubes as mine was raced that way for years. They may be easier to seal up than the standard push rod tubes when working in the pits, but it is a reasonably complex design that was used for competition engines and not pruduction engines.

I heard about the incorrect geometry of the brake plates many years ago during the midst of the drawing program. I was not privy to the details, but I have noted that when Carleton Palmer was setting up his brakes and trued the linings, one lining would be consideably thiner than the other. I assumed the cause was the pivot placement, but I do not know for certain. I do not think the problem was continued on the Club's new racing brake plates which would have been manufactured pursuant to the new drawings. I would love to know from someone who knows.

David

Refer to MPH 499.

 

[davidd]

Thanks Trevor!

I received a note from Mike Hawthorn, who in not a member as his user ID is in red: "mike13", but he is reading this post and is having dificulty posting.

David