1951 Vincent 998cc Rapide Series-C Rolling Chassis

Ever since the Series A's arrival in 1937, the Vincent v-twin has been synonymous with design innovation, engineering excellence and superlative high performance. From Rollie Free's capture of the 'world's fastest production motorcycle' record in 1948 on a tuned 'Series-B' Black Shadow to the final fully enclosed 'Series D' Black Knight and Black Prince, Philip Vincent's stress on appearance and performance is legendary. His machines bristled with innovative features including adjustable footrests, brake pedal, seat height and gear-change lever. The finish was to a very high standard commensurate with the cost of the machine, which was virtually double that of any of its contemporaries. But above all else it was the v-twin's stupendous performance that captivated motorcyclists, whether they could afford one or not. With a top speed approaching 120mph, and bettering it in the Black Shadow's case, the Vincent v-twin was the fastest road vehicle of its day.

The outbreak of WW2 in 1939 had brought production of all Series-A models to a halt, and when Vincent resumed production in 1946 it was with the all-new Series B. Its rear suspension aside, the Series-A Vincent-HRD had been conventional enough: tubular steel frame, girder forks, separate gearbox, etc but with the Series-B Messrs Vincent and Irving effectively established the marque's reputation for the defiance of convention in the pursuit of engineering excellence. For a start there was no 'frame' as such, merely a fabricated box attached to the cylinder heads, that served as the oil tank and incorporated the headstock and the attachment point for the rear springs. The gearbox was integral with the engine and the swinging arm pivoted directly in the engine/gearbox casings, features commonplace today but unusual 60 years ago. Only in his retention of the pre-war Brampton girder fork did Phillip Vincent appear to be lagging behind other manufacturers, almost all of which had switched to telescopics, but this apparent shortcoming would soon be addressed by the introduction of the famous Girdraulic fork on the Series-C in 1948. At that time the Vincent range began to be up-dated to Series-C specification but it would be 1950 before all Vincents left the factory in this form.

Purchased by the private vendor approximately 15 years ago 'as is', this rolling chassis consists of a 1951 Rapide Series-C upper frame member stamped 'RC9330/E' and an unstamped rear frame member. Other components include Girdraulic forks; headlamp; handlebars; front and rear wheels; saddle; fuel tank; and rear suspension: basically everything other than the engine/gearbox, engine ancillaries and speedometer. Sold strictly as viewed, the machine is offered with a copy Vincent H.R.D Owners Club Dating Certificate issued in 2020. Seldom does an opportunity arise to purchase everything required (minus engine) to build the ultimate Vincent v-twin.