Dee, Atkinson & Harrison
Lot 1538
Vincent Comet Series C 500cc, registration number OFO 184, both frame numbers RC/1/7155, engine number F5/AB/2A/5255, both crankcase 64P. In 1928, Phil Vincent bought the name and rights to HRD, founded by popular racer Howard R Davies. HRD were an established brand and Vincent wasn't, so the most expedient thing to do was attach the latter to the former until the Vincent name had sufficient marketing gravitas to fly alone. At the 1935 Isle of Man Senior TT, three Series A HRD Vincents were entered, and although they didn't win, they all finished, respectively, in 7th, 9th and 12th place. The short-lived Series B engine had been designed during the Second World War. Post war, in 1948, two new bikes were launched: The Series B based Meteor and the Series C Comet. The Meteor was a touring roadster and was offered with a Brampton girder fork. The Comet, priced at £240, was aimed at the sporting market and was offered with a Girdraulic fork. They were replaced by the Series D in 1954 after some 3,900 were built; the company collapsed in 1955. The cantilever rear frame was a major selling point in its day and some other quality details are the standard quickly detachable wheels, a 50-watt Miller dynamo, footrests and pedals are adjustable and a side stand is fitted on both sides. In their day they were good for 90mph. This example, with matching headstock and rear arm frame and engine numbers was dispatched from the factory to Dealers Kings of Manchester on the 30th October 1950, who was the first owner is unknown but it was owned by Alistair Archer of Atherstone in 1968 with a registration number of LNE 442. What happened to it then is lost in the mists of time but in 1988 it was owned by a David McKenzie of Halshaw and he sold it to George Dinsdale of Brough in 1991, at this time it was registered PSU 301 and the old MOT lists the mileage as 38,889. George then commissioned the legendary Peter Autherson (you may remember he rebuilt the Matchless Silver Hawk sold by these rooms in March 2017 for £48,160) to rebuild the engine which included an Alpha big end assembly. Used sparingly he sold it to our vendor in 1998 as he was moving and could not store it; the mileage had only increased to 40,250, the registration had been changed, again, to OFO 184. Our vendor, being a modern Ducati enthusiast, rode it home and was unimpressed with the brakes at a roundabout so parked it up and there it remained until the cataloguer arrived. The mileage today is 40,332. Interestingly the "Vincent rule" of 1900 separating the frame and engine number does not always stand up for pre 1949 machines. Of the 11,000 made after the war some 1800 do not comply, some 50 odd post war machines had no correlation at all between engine and frame numbers as these were the first series B and were swapped around to get them complete. The factory then standardised on 1999 apart. Then due to the sale of a few "engine only" they went to 1990 apart and then around end 1948 this was altered again to 1900 apart. So most of the oddities are pre 1949. Offered with a wonderful patina, the VE60, a V5 (in George Dinsdale's name), various MOT's, paperwork, Riders Handbook, Spare Parts List and a tank cover. It will require gentle recommissioning before use due to the time it has stood. Our thanks to Simon Dinsdale, the VOC machine registrar for confirming the factory records and the "1900 rule".
