1953 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow Series-C, Frame no. to be advised Engine no. F10AB/1B/9681

1953 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow Series-C
Frame no. to be advised
Engine no. F10AB/1B/9681
Rear frame no. RC11581B/B
Crankcase mating nos. G25G.

• Previously in storage for many years
• Believed-genuine 14,804 miles recorded
• Running and riding condition
• Registered in New York

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 Black Knight and Black Prince, Philip Vincent's stress on appearance and performance is legendary. His machines bristled with innovative features, offering adjustment of brake pedal, footrests, 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. The appeal of the Vincent, and the Black Shadow in particular, lay in its ability to out-perform just about every other vehicle on the road, and in the early post-war years there was nothing to compare with it. This was a time when the average family sedan was barely capable of reaching 70mph, and not until the advent of Jaguar's XK120 was there a production sports car that could live with the thundering v-twins from Stevenage.

Indeed, when it was introduced in 1946, the Vincent-HRD Series-B Rapide was immediately the fastest production motorcycle on sale anywhere, with a top speed of 110mph. The basic design clearly had even greater potential though, as was demonstrated by the tuned Rapide known as 'Gunga Din', ridden by factory tester George Brown, that proved unbeatable in UK motorcycle racing in the late 1940s. Private owners too had expressed an interest in extracting more performance from their machines, all of which convinced Philip Vincent that a market existed for a sports version. Despite opposition from within the company's higher management, Vincent pressed ahead with his plans and together with Chief Engineer Phil Irving, clandestinely assembled a brace of tuned Rapides. The prototypes incorporated gas-flowed cylinder heads, Comet cams, polished con-rods and larger carburettors, these changes being good for a maximum output of 55bhp despite a compression ratio limited to only 7.3:1 by the 72-octane petrol that was the best available in the UK at the time. Ribbed brake drums were fitted to cope with the increased performance, while in a marketing masterstroke Vincent specified a 5"-diameter '150mph' speedometer and black-finished engine cases for his new baby: the Black Shadow. With a claimed top speed of 125mph, soon born out by road tests, the Vincent Black Shadow was quite simply the fastest road vehicle of its day. Deliveries commenced in the spring of 1948 and only around 70-or-so Series-B Black Shadows had been made before the improved Series-C's introduction at that year's Earl's Court Motorcycle Show.

The Black Shadow was indeed a legend in its own lifetime, and in the 60-plus years since production ceased, the esteem in which this iconic motorcycle is held has only increased, fuelling the demand among discerning collectors for original examples of the marque, such as that offered here.

This particular Series-C Black Shadow was purchased in New Hampshire having been in storage for many years. Its previous history is not known. Currently displaying a total of 14,804 miles on the (working) Smiths 5" speedometer, the Vincent appears substantially original apart from the striping on the fuel tank, possibly indicating an earlier repaint. Indeed, the machine's condition would seem to indicate that the mileage total may very well be genuine. There are some original tools in the tool tray, and the carburetors are correct, the front instrument retaining the brass float chamber.
Interestingly, the wheel rims are painted black, possibly reflecting the shortage of certain metals caused by the Korean War, which led to many British motorcycles of the 1952/1953 period leaving the factory with painted rather than chromed rims.

Presented in running and riding condition, this Black Shadow represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire an example of Vincent's iconic and much sought-after superbike preserved in unusually original condition.