1952 Vincent Black Shadow
This 1952 Vincent Black Shadow was acquired by its previous owner in 2008 and was in partially disassembled non-running condition upon his passing in 2023. Recommissioning work that was carried out in preparation for the sale and performed at the seller’s shop, Madhouse Motors of Boston, Massachusetts, included the installation of a Francois Grosset electric starter, Tri-Spark digital ignition, and modern regulator along with rebuilding the Amal pre-Monobloc carburetors and clutch, deglazing the brakes, machining a kick-start shaft bushing, resealing the fuel tank, and replacing the wiring harness, battery, throttle, throttle cables, petcock, and tires. Finished in black with gold accents, the bike is powered by a 998cc OHV V-twin paired with a four-speed transmission and is equipped with polished aluminum fenders, a stepped two-up seat, a Girdraulic fork, quad drum brakes, Smiths Chronometric instrumentation, four stands including dual side props, and a two-into-one exhaust system with a Burgess-style muffler and perforated fishtail finisher. This Series C Black Shadow is now offered by the seller on behalf of its late owner’s family with service records, a copy of the Works Order Form, a VOC verification email, a tool roll, a Craven Equipment pannier rack system, spare parts, and a clean Massachusetts title.
The bike is finished in black with gold pinstripes and graphics, and the fuel tank has been internally epoxy-coated with Caswell sealer. The black-painted frame system, in which the engine is treated as a structural element, features an upper member consisting of a fabricated steel box that doubles as an oil tank.
Equipment includes a stepped two-up seat and polished aluminum fenders, the rear of which is hinged, as well as a pedestrian-slicer front number plate, a front guard bar, a Lucas Altette horn, folding passenger foot pegs, a rear lift handle, and four props consisting of dual side stands and both center and rear-wheel stands. Close-up photos that depict paint chips on the left side of the fuel tank and the frame can be viewed in the gallery.
Black- and red-center–striped chrome rims measuring 19″ up front and 18″ at the rear are laced to dual drum-brake hubs, the fronts of which feature Black Lightning-style aluminum backing plates with cast-in vent covers. The seller mounted Avon Speedmaster MKII and Safety Mileage MKII tires at the front and rear, respectively. Suspension consists of a Girdraulic fork and a triangulated swingarm, both of which are fitted with hydraulic dampers. The seller notes that the tires should be replaced and that the brakes are in need of de-glazing.
A black-finished flat handlebar equipped with barrel-style grips, a starter button, a twin-pull twist-grip throttle assembly, and a left-side bar-end mirror is clamped ahead of the adjustment knob for a friction-plate damper in the steering stem. Instrumentation consists of a Smiths Chronometric 150-mph speedometer, a matching 8k-rpm tachometer, and a Miller ammeter recessed atop the headlight bucket. The five-digit odometer shows 8,500 miles.
The 998cc OHV V-twin breathes through a pair of Amal pre-Monobloc carburetors and a two-into-one exhaust system that features down-turned headpipes flowing into a low-mounted Burgess-style muffler with a perforated fishtail finisher. The bike has been fitted with a Francois Grosset electric starter while a Tri-Spark digital ignition module and a modern regulator complete the 12-volt conversion. The carburetors were rebuilt, and the wiring harness, battery, throttle, and petcock were replaced.
Power is transmitted to the rear wheel by way of wet clutch that was rebuilt with modern plates as well as a four-speed gearbox and a drive chain. Shifting occurs on the right with a one-up, three-down shift pattern.
Upper frame member number RC10628B stamped on the steering neck matches the number stamped on the rear frame member, a photo of which can be viewed in the gallery. Engine number F10AB/1/8728 aligns with an email verification from the Vincent Owner’s Club, a copy of which can also be viewed in the gallery.
The bike is accompanied by a Craven Equipment rack and panniers as well as a copy of the Works Order Form, service records, a tool roll, and spare parts.
A collection of spare parts is included in the sale.
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| Current Bid | USD $30,000 by jagracer15 |
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Thursday, January 2 at 10:15am PT
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BaT Essentials
- Chassis: RC10628B
- 8,500 Miles Shown
- 998cc OHV V-Twin
- Dual Amal Carburetors
- Francois Grosset Electric Starter
- Tri-Spark Digital Ignition
- Four-Speed Transmission
- Black Paint w/Gold Accents
- Polished Aluminum Fenders
- Stepped Two-Up Seat
- Smiths Chronometric Instrumentation
- Girdraulic Fork
- Quad Drum Brakes
- Chrome 2-Into-1 Exhaust System
- Dual Side Stands
- Center and Rear-Wheel Stands
- Craven Equipment Panniers
- Copy of Works Order Form
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