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1955 Vincent Black Prince

Story and History

1955 Vincent Black Prince - Fully Restored Condition

Phil Vincent decided to build motorcycles in his 20's and had already designed his own cantilever rear suspension arm

He purchased the trademark, goodwill and remaining components of HRD for £450 in 1928 and from now onward Vincents' name was listed above the HRD name on the tank

After the second war, and with a keen eye on exports, manufacturers were encouraged to sell abroad to boost the economy, and Vincent looked at the America's, naturally

Indeed so well acknowledged were the motorcycles by then, the Vincent Black Shadow or racing version the Lightning, were acknowledged as the Fastest Bikes on the Road

While the Vincent Black Lightning shares its lineage with the Shadow, which Hunter S. Thompson immortalized in his 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, it's a legend in its own right

One such modified Black Shadow was used on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1948 and the swimming trunk clad rider, Rollie Free, took her to 150mph - an astonishing figure back in those days

These chaps we so brave and hearty and Rollie richly deserves his name in the record books

Back to the bikes again, built between 1948 and 1952, the Lightning was the racing version of the Shadow, and it was the fastest production motorcycle of its era, as mentioned above

Vincent built fewer than three dozen Lightnings, and of those, 19 matching-numbers examples survive

For the record, the most expensive Motorcycle sold in Auction was one such Black Lightning, in immaculate condition - the Holy Grail one could say

Bonhams clacked the gavel down in January 2018 and with premium she rocketed to $929.000

Following on from the Shadow, Vincent wanted to produce the "2 wheeled Bentley" so he developed and then launched in 1954 The Black Prince with an all new aerodynamic body kit to cloth his existing 998cc V twin engine and suspension

Only around 132 were ever produced when production ended in December 1955 when the Company folded

Our example is already a World Record Holder for she was hammered down by Bonhams (again) at £91.100 in June 2014 ........... only on this ocassion she was just a box of bits (she pictures in the gallery)

After only 5 intervening years she is Factory Fresh, and really a joy to behold

I really like the 150mph speedometer ........... although not sure I would like to copy Rollie's exploits

The well known BTCC Race Engineer Mick Cook tackled restoration the job single handed, and really I can't describe to you how magnificent a job he has crafted

Probably the best you could find, one would suggest and priced well below the cost of the restoration

More a piece of Art than a mere Motorcycle, I would suggest she would look as good in an office foyer as in a Motor House sitting next to an 'R' Type Continental

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Specifications

Status
Previously Sold
Engine Size
998cc
Transmission Type
4 Speed Manual
Miles Recorded
54,450
Chassis Number
FF401.63858.5
Finance