wheel details

Nulli Secundus

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I knew a series A owner who I first met 28 years ago who bought his series A Meteor in 1945 2nd hand. Still had it when I met him in 1990. That bike is the reason my Dad bought the A Comet I now own. Anyway Johns bike had the back wheel fully chrome and the front wheel Black centre with red lines. John said it was corect as the Vincent factory rebuilt the front wheel with a C painted rim in 1952 when he crashed the A. He said the back wheel was always full chrome without any paint or lines.
That could go some way to explain why others follow the painted rim centres.
 

Robert Watson

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I have pictures of my A twin from the mid fifties..... No paint on the rims. I was always lead to believe that this was a post war only feature. In fact when I look at the two A's in Sammy Miller's museum I cringe as I believe that if one is going to present historic machines to the public, they should be right. I always makes me wonder how many liberties he has taken with the rest of the collection
 

Nulli Secundus

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I have pictures of my A twin from the mid fifties..... No paint on the rims. I was always lead to believe that this was a post war only feature. In fact when I look at the two A's in Sammy Miller's museum I cringe as I believe that if one is going to present historic machines to the public, they should be right. I always makes me wonder how many liberties he has taken with the rest of the collection
I cringe at the shade of red too.

As you say it is the presentation of wrong features to the public in a museum that is a worry because it should be a source of reference to other restorers or researchers. That is why I am not happy about the pre A Vincent Python with the wrong rim finish that is in a museum.
 

stevee

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Having looked at more photos I am convinced that davidd is right and this is a shadow effect - here are some pictures taken in front of the 'factory' white sheet of the same back wheel on the same bike on the same day - an "A" racer with high exhaust.
Screen Shot 2018-08-25 at 06.31.23.png

Screen Shot 2018-08-25 at 06.31.52.png
The illusion of a centrally painted rim disappears when the wheel is photographed at an angle. Apologies for trying to start a myth! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2008_season)#Episode_104_–_"NASA_Moon_Landing"
 

BigEd

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Having looked at more photos I am convinced that davidd is right and this is a shadow effect - here are some pictures taken in front of the 'factory' white sheet of the same back wheel on the same bike on the same day - an "A" racer with high exhaust. The illusion of a centrally painted rim disappears when the wheel is photographed at an angle. Apologies for trying to start a myth! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2008_season)#Episode_104_–_"NASA_Moon_Landing"
One of the first rules of journalism. (For the gutter press.) Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.
Moon landings are way off topic unless the Apollo moon landing gang left some original "A" bits behind.
 

A_HRD

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That could go some way to explain why others follow the painted rim centres.

True, and others paint them black/red because they like the look of the post-war wheels and don't really care about originality/concours.

As Robert said, here is the A Twin in Sammy Miller's Museum. The '35 A Meteor is the same. It's not just the rims - it's a complete mess. For example, 'jubilee clips' on the oil and petrol lines:eek:, a solid block of steel where there should be a small, grooved, rotating wheel operating the rear brakes:eek:. I could go on but I won't - it upsets me too much. :mad:

Peter B
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