Beschreibung:

There is little need to recap the meteoric rise and fall of Philip Vincent’s Vincent-HRD concern between 1946 and 1955. It is, for most motorcyclists, sufficient to mention the word Vincent coupled with Comet, Rapide or Black Shadow for full comprehension, such is the charisma of the name. NDV 219 is, according to the machine’s papers, a 1952 Rapide, fitted with a desirable and stylish Steib 501 sidecar, a pairing popular then and now. This Rapide, though, is a rather famous one, its builder equally so. The late Tony Maughan, the ex-Navy originator of the Vincent spares business that carries his name, purchased this machine in 1958 and became devoted to the marque. His building, tuning and modifying of this machine formed the foundation for the Maughan expertise in Vincents. Indeed, so impressed was he that he kept a meticulous diary of the machine from 1958-1970, detailing every bit of attention, every replacement and much technical information, giving a valuable history of what it was like to run a Vincent in that period. In the 1970s, the Vincent took an important place in the expanding business and, in effect, became the Maughan development Vincent, a mobile test-bed as well as a concours machine, so polished that it was nicknamed ‘Ivanhoe’ because it, like the knight, was clothed in shining armour. In fact, so good was the machine that it was a three-times winner of the Vincent Owners’ Club Challenge Trophy and two-times winner of the BMF Graham Walker Trophy. Built at this period to ‘White Shadow’ internal specification with all stainless-steel cycle adjusters, fasteners and ferrules and Birmabright guards, the rebuilt sidecar fully equipped with screen, hood, tonneau and, of course, a braked wheel. All of the rear frame sprung seat parts incorporating a Series D-style toolbox were hand-made by Tony Maughan and all of the extras of this period remain in excellent condition, including the special sidecar-specification items such as the special wheels. In early 2000, the machine was rebuilt with an entirely new ‘White Shadow’ engine made with all-new castings and all-new internals, 80f which were made by the Maughans, the unit being VOC-approved and numbered. Since then, this lovely outfit has done barely 1000 miles and is not yet run-in, owing to Tony Maughan’s death and the family’s increasing business commitments. A sheet of the full internal technical specification is available on request. In excellent shape, save for a small amount of easily repaired damage to the sidecar upholstery, this important Vincent is expected to be in full running order by the time of sale. With the outfit come a V5C, NDV219’s detailed diary and other papers. With its full history yet to be documented, this is truly a unique outfit. Its new Maughan engine is a wonderful plus-point.