Two Vincents were brought there for this expensive enterprise, one being an ordinary Black Shadow for practice by the several riders to become comfortable on this track. The other machine being a very specially built Black Shadow called by the factory, quite tongue in cheek, a "standard Black Shadow" but with enough footnoted exceptions in fine print on its official announcement poster to choke a horse. Records show this special "standard" Shadow to have been produced with a large capacity fuel tank to reduce pit stop time, lowered 150mph SMITHS speedometer and headlamp for reduced wind resistance and the removal of the front brakes, the rearmost mudguard section and more in the hope of weight savings.

The engine was anything but the "standard American Black Shadow" specification. Just what the racing department built was, the truth be told, a Black Lightning racing engine except for an 8:1 compression ratio. All else, camshafts, ported and polished heads, hand-crafted short alloy inlet manifolds of larger size to mate the AMAL TT racing 1 5/32" carburettors to the two front (Lightning) cylinder heads. On the exhaust side, 2" straight pipes were called for as was customary for the Black Lightning. In the cellar, the engine boasted fully polished flywheels and connecting rods. As photos of this "standard" Black Shadow were always from a distance and never from the side having the obvious" racing straight pipes, it was evident that they hoped no one would notice the other racing equipment visible on the left side. Riders were shown grouped tightly around the bike to draw attention from the Shadow true personality.

No camouflage was needed inside the racing engine. Along with the Lightning equipment already noted, were specially built engine cases, both the main left and right inner crankcase halves, ET 1 and ET 2 and the outer covers such as the timing cover on the left and the primary cover on the right. The small ATD cover was also modified. These parts were so much different from even Lightning parts that the works marked their raised casting part numbers with a "/ 1", denoting a first change to the basic design. It can be guessed that the factory, spending money it could ill-afford to waste, wanted to be guaranteed to set the sought after records and thus to insure this success, it built a racer it knew would have the speed and with the presumably enlarged oil passages of the "/1" parts, it would last the distance. Success was best not left to chance. View these marks on the images provided.

Also at the track, was a spare engine of the exact same specification as the one installed in the record machine in the event the first expired. This spare "standard" Shadow engine unit was shipped to the Vincent importer in France, Mr. Garreau, in a crate at Montlhery. Before shipment, this "engine only" special engine had to be tested. Therefore, the factory assembled it into a motorcycle and gave it the usual tests, which it passed and the racing pipes and the Black Shadow frame was removed before shipment. I am informed that this was likely the last "engine only " built and that as such, the VOC considers any frame into which it is installed to be the matching frame. Nevertheless, we have found frames, front and rear with Black Shadow numbers. Logic dictates that one understands that there never were matching frame members produced by Vincent corresponding to the engine number.

Notwithstanding this activity, the spare engine in the crate was evidently not installed at the record-setting primary bike which was very successful in setting some astonishingly high average speeds over long periods of time, proving the factory's point about the durability at extreme speeds for its Shadow motorcycle. This engine, F10AB/1B/9203, somehow traveled to Vietnam, still in its original wooden crate. Like a lot of things and people, it got muddied and knocked around a bit in Vietnam, at one time having a slight line of pitting across its flywheels from rice paddy water or the like inside the bottom of the cases which we left as a reminder of its history along the way. Its next documented appearance was in Vietnam, in 1969, in the hands of a enthusiastic Vietnamese motorcyclist who bargained his way with an American pilot to a swap for a Marantz stereo system and more. For a fuller account of this, refer to the recently published, VINCENT IN THE BARN, Great Stories of Motorcycle Archaeology, by Tom Cotter, 2009, Motorbooks Int'l.. It quickly became known to the Vincent Owners Club as The Vietnam Black Shadow and the Club's MPH newsletter mentions it more than once. Refer to some of that reference in the pages shown here. This is a great bike and great bikes have great stories-and often long ones.

At this time, 1969, its owners were still quite unaware of its supporting role in the great record setting venture in France, May, 1952. The actual record setting Vincent motorcycle (to the constant dismay of some older member of the Club with fuzzy memories, there was only ever one special Shadow built and the one spare engine as documented in MPH) made its way into the hands of a young British rider who later wrote a confession of how he comprehensively disposed of both the engine and chassis, part by part. Lost for all time, not unlike the real story of Gunga Din. His story is reproduced from the magazine of its publication below.

So, today, besides the track, all that remains of the wonderful records set in 1952 are the first-hand accounts of the effort written by Paul Richardson, Vincent's service dept. manager and published in the July, 1952 edition of MPH and blessedly, this spare racing "standard" engine which is forever preserved in this wonderful Vincent Racing Black Shadow offered here.

The 9203 engine, when first disassembled by us, retained its original SPECIALLOID E7/8, 8:1 racing pistons as used in the day, the original, "S" cylinders, original Lightning two-front head specification, with the same valves, seats and guides as original. The factory had specially-cast, twin short, but high-flow alloy inlet manifolds, unique to this bike and its sister bike for the flange-mount AMAL TT racing carbs of the day, 1 5/32" units. Carefully polished flywheels and rods are shown in the photographs we took in 2006 with trembling hands. Polished bottom end pieces were exclusive to the Black Lightnings and special engines of this sort. King Tut's tomb created no more nervous openers than us upon the disassembly of 9203's inner most chambers. The same fasteners, gears, clutch and more are all there. Just as in 1952 at the track.

Ordinarily, HVG does not engage in the customization of Vincent motorcycles, preferring to defer to the original makers' vision of what one should look like. Here, the Vincent works itself was a customizer of the record bike and so we carried this on with the spare.

Note how the headlamp fits much closer to the forks, much as shown in the images of the first bike. Diminished wind resistance was clearly the intent. As well, the 150 mph SMITHS speedometer and its mounting piece, trademark of the Black Shadow was also massaged and so we have altered the mount somewhat to bring down the height to again, reduce wind resistance. This work is somewhat subtle and can best be appreciated when comparing it to a standard Black Shadow in profile.

The petrol tank of 9203 is very much adapted to the needs of the racer. Firstly, we thinned its height by about 1 ½" to give it a look of greater speed. The original tank of the record bike was enlarged for longer periods between pit stops, but we had no such constraint. Moving in the other direction, the line of the top of the tank very much picks up the seat top line making the bike more continuous. The surprising thing about this metal work is that after being thinned, the tank still holds approx. 3 ½ gallons of fuel! It amazed us, but 3 ½ gallons is more than most modern motorcycles offer and more than enough for some fun rides. Real gold leaf lines are used and the heavy and hand-sanded black paint is covered by several protective coats of clear-coat to protect the graphics from the effects of any fuel spills during refilling. Of course, the inside of the tank is coated to prevent rust.

All record setting Vincents, ones intended for new world's or national speed records, were treated to four (4) fuel taps so as to insure ample fuel flow at full throttle preventing starvation an engine damage. Here, we have given 9203 that same treatment, even used the racing type of tap as opposed to the street EWARTS taps.

The left side of the motorcycle is visually dominated by the two big AMAL TT racing carburettors, finished in AMAL, fuel-proof paint with float chambers and necessitated by the original specification calling for two front heads. A front head, it was believed, flowed mixture slightly better than a rear head, hence the change from stock. Lightnings used two front heads and since this is really a Lightning engine, so does 9203. These are the original cylinder heads, from the Vincent racing dept., ported and polished by the factory for the records at Montlhery, cleaned up, repainted and treated to a fresh set of springs of course by HVG.

The exhaust is as the factory intended, 2" straight pipes with original Lightning exhaust nuts and you recall that it was tested with a set of these before being dispatched to France for racing. The set on 9203 is a genuine set of Lightning pipes and the walls are very thin for weight reduction. We spent a great deal of time in fitting these around the engine and transmission covers and have them out of the way for cornering. Most 2" exhaust Vincents have little cornering clearance on the right when fitted this way, but since 9203 is expected to perform duty on public roads, we felt this effort was necessary.

Other restorers have sold the myth that the Vincent clutch is not a great piece of design and use this as an excuse to install Ducati or Suzuki clutch copies. We believe that Vincent was a genius of design. He and Irving gave us a clutch that works superbly, easily disengages and holds to about 100 hp by design. Your 9203 clutch is the original, Vincent clutch as fitted to the record machine. Not a substitute. As no kick starter can be fitted to a racing Vincent on the right, we considered several possible solutions, but settled on an electric starter system. This provides fast turnover and thus better sparks from the magneto. We have experience in the installation of these systems and starting a racing engine is more difficult than one might want with only a kick starter. So, the 12V Francois Grossett-built, French and very fine electric starter is added, showing only as a bulge underneath the gearbox cover. This item can be removed and a regular starter fitted should the owner so require.

Drawing voltage for the starter's task leaves little left for an electronic ignition system. These systems are of course a modern development and the performance of this engine was had with a LUCAS KVF magneto as originally built. Our magnetos are built to a very high level by our specialist in Britain, Mr. Dave Lindsley and thus, one is installed here. In a pinch, the bike can be push started even with a dead battery. Activating the starter is a matter of barely flooding the float chambers when cold and using the original LUCAS handlebar button, originally used for the horn. You will be absolutely thrilled to start your racing Vincent this easily when those around you sincerely hope your new machine won't start. This probably will include your neighbors.

On the handlebars of 9203, you will find not only the start LUCAS button mentioned, but next to it, an identical button for the kill switch. On the other handlebar, there is a third one, this one controlling the LUCAS ALTETTE original equipment horn. Original levers are used after being show-chromed and the throttle is a twin-pull in view of the twin racing carbs. Grips are per original and the dimmer switch is also original. Note also on the tank top that the petrol tank cap is of the original type and the oil tank cap is a refinished original one bearing the types of the recommended oils of the day.

Before moving to other areas, note the clear-coated graphics on the tank top. This is based on the original factory poster of the records with the yellow background dropped out. The tale is best told in Vincent's own words and we have added a mention of the bike being produced for you at HVG using the actual spare engine of the records at Montlhery in 1952, of which the factory and its workers were very proud.

Lightnings used smaller mudguards than other Vincents for decreased weight and wind resistance. The first production Black Lightning, in 1948, appearing at the Earls Court show in London had these alloy items painted black, a look we think goes particularly well on a Vincent Black Lightning. This is especially true since alloy racing wheels are used, offering the viewer even more expanse of polished aluminium. You can have too much shiny metal, so 9203 has the earlier look with black mudguards. I think you might characterize it as a Vincent in a tux!

No less an expert than BUCHANAN'S in Los Angeles provided the polished stainless steel spokes and nipples for the 40-hole wheels in 20" front and 19" wheels. Hubs are polished original Vincent with the correct 10-holes used in each side of the rear hub to cope with the tremendous loads imposed on it by virtue of the engine's extreme power and the long hours at speed expected at Montlhery. As the factory always used AVON tyres, so too does 9203 rely upon the same. Up front, we have been certain to add the reinforcement piece to the braking beam as Lightnings always had.

The front forks, genuine and original Girdraulics, their springs, spring boxes and covers are all original factory and not reproductions. In the rear, the spring boxes and their springs are also original Vincents. Alone among restorers of Vincents, we rebuild the hydraulic dampers (shock absorbers) used front and rear, using modern internal seals to prevent loss of fluid. Others rely on after-market Konis, etc. which are not original to Vincents.

Your racing, Lightning saddle is really a work of art by our exclusive maker, MICHAEL MAESTAS of California. The paint on the underside of the seat, on wood no less, is better than the paint on the hood of some new cars. You can see a close-up of the covering, as original on street seats and the precise stitching he uses. The long Lightning saddle allows the rider to move back to get down "under the paint" for top speeds and for finding the most comfortable of positions when you choose to ride your record setter on the street.

Brakes are genuine and original Vincent, Black Lightning brakes, complete with air scoops to cool and the finned drums you expect. We use original "green stuff" lining, though this disappeared from the market many years ago. Note the tail light. It uses LEDs for a more modern and bright beam in today's traffic, though the light is still from an age of much slower traffic and you are cautioned to stay well ahead of traffic. Up front, we have given the racer a unique headlamp. At the track, local experts visited with the Vincent team and among other tips, suggested that the MILLER 6V headlamp was probably inadequate at speeds well over 100 mph at night. History records their advice and so we have located and installed what surely was used by the team, a genuine, French MARCHAL Equilux of the type used by early Ferraris and other high-speed cars. This unique lamp uses a metal forward reflector you can see along with the metal MARCHAL crest and we have installed the correct French, yellow bulb used at the time. Check with your state's officials to see if a yellow bulb is still legal, but it is glorious and even when switched off, it gives the reflector a golden glow.

A final word about the engine internals. While we use original Vincent cams, refinished in our engines, the original Lightning cams and followers are original to this engine. You will be riding a bike with the actual performance they built into their record-setter, so you should savor the great history of your bike along with its extreme performance as a street machine with probably 135 to 140 mph performance. It may be 58 years old, but it doesn't act its age. (Like any number of us).

Indulge yourself. Spend time clicking on the various images and magnifying them to see the superb detail of this unique bike. I didn't have time to really clean the engine fins and so forth, but this is the ultimate Vincent. So historically significant, it could be a headliner in any motorcycle museum and yet, so capable on back roads today, it gives you a quick check to be certain your adrenal system is up to peak performance.

No, it's really not for everyone. It's for the man who wants it all. History, concourse condition and top Vincent performance only a works rider knew.

The motorcycle is sold on a Texas Certificate of Title, easily transferable to your state's title system. As with most other old motorcycles, the engine number is used as the VIN or titling number.

This item cannot be purchased from the website. Please contact Harris Vincent Gallery to make purchase arrangements.