The Anthony R. East Classic Motorcycle Collection, 1950 Triumph 499cc Speed Twin

• Retains all its original paperwork from 1950/1951
• Known ownership history
• Restored throughout

This Speed Twin comes with an old-style buff logbook recording the date of first registration as 1st January 1951 and showing taxation continuing until 1967. The Triumph was supplied new by Putney Autos Limited to a Mr Edward Stillwell of Hammersmith, the first recorded keeper (and the only one in the logbook). Also on file is the purchase invoice dated 12th December 1950 listing a prop stand and pillion footrests as extras. The total purchase price was £189 19s 3d, which included a gallon of petrol and the engine oil! The machine also comes with its original certificate of insurance dating from 1950, and 21 tax discs for the period 1951-1968 (including the original).

A letter on file dated March 1990 addressed to a Mr Green (see below) from the original owner Mr Stillwell goes into great detail about Stillwell's ownership, including the day he bought the Triumph. The Speed Twin was meant to be an export model, but the factory had run out of rear mudguards; fortunately, Putney Autos had them in stock so the factory released it to be sold in the home market. The original clock is fitted and has never been altered. Stillwell was 'a motor mechanic in the London area and he took care of the machine'. For many years he did not ride it while he used a car, but it was his 'pride and joy, part of his life'. When he was in his 60s and in hospital in bad health, he took the decision to sell the motorcycle in 1985, the purchaser being a dealer. Mr Stillwell also supplies some technical information regarding what he did to the motorcycle.

Also on file is a handwritten note from Mr John Stevenson listing the ownership chain. Stevenson bought the Triumph in 1985 for £350 and sold it two weeks later for £550; Verralls then sold it to an unknown buyer in 1987, bought it back in 1988 and sold it again in 1989 to John Stevenson. He then sold it in January 1990 to David Booth, who was buying it for the aforementioned Mr Green. Tony East acquired 'LXE 793' in July 1995. Amazingly, the old- and new-style V5Cs have never been updated and still list Mr Stillwell as keeper!

The Triumph is presented in restored condition throughout and was last taxed to 31st May 2006. Additional documentation includes Bryan Small's invoice for an engine rebuild in 1996 totalling £798; a quantity of old MoTs; instruction manuals (x2); and a replacement parts list.