Paul, what a great journey you have taken us on! I remember meeting you at the Vincent Mara Lake Rally back in 1996. Your bike was considered exotic, one-off and well , weird and outrageous by many of the traditional Vincent crowd at the time, but your personal quest for innovation was strong. And no kickstart!... thanks for the memories.
I wore the cams down getting to Mara Lake, and then set the tappets when the engine cooled. It the morning it was very hard to start (wonder why...) and there was a lot of backfiring in the first 20 miles. Then it kind of settled down. Back in the shop new cams got installed. Thanks for watching!
I got the urge to own a Vincent in 2003. I bought a Rapide from Oz, sight unseen. It ran fine but smoked a bit( no valve seals) I took the engine to John McDougall in order to have valve seals fitted. He insisted on rebuilding the entire top end and also went through the timing chest. The crank was OK as was trans and primary ( V3 clutch) I thought that was all a bit uneccesary, however John wouldn't let it go without making everything perfect. Here we are 55,000 miles later with zero problems. We've done multiple big trips to Oregon, Ca., Wyoming, Alberta plus a tour of the UK including a wild lap of the IOM in 07. I think I really lucked out by taking that engine to John for valve seals. As a young kid, I used to buy Ossa parts from Denis.
Yes, John helped me out several times. He rebuilt the cylinder heads and said my valve springs were much too weak, put in stronger springs which wore out my cams. Overall though, I think he was a very good mechanic who understood Vincents. I guess you know he passed away a few years ago? :(
@@paulbrodie Yes, that was a big loss for the WestCoast Vincenteers. A few years ago I was at a rally in Oregon where 12 of the 17 Vincents had McDougall rebuilt engines. The 5 that he had not rebuilt were all trailered in! I've got the strong springs in my Rapide (RD), no probs to date. Although these aren't setup with higher pressure, still about 100 lbs seat pressure. The advantage to the RD is they maintain their spring pressure whereas the club springs go limp pretty quickly. But there were also lots of bad cams and bad followers around in the bad old days!
Paul, just joined your ‘school’, you frequently compare Japanese bikes with British. Im sure that you are aware that the comparison misses a lapse of almost twenty years in design philosophy. The difference allowed the Japanese to improve and overwhelm the stagnant and the British motorcycle market. I’m 81 and have fond memories of the old bikes. As a boy my friend Geoff Baines and I spent hours in his dads back garden where he had a veritable treasure trove of old bikes. Geoffs mum called it a tip. But I clearly remember Brough superiors with Austin seven shaft drive engines adapted for side car use, black shadows and Knights and a host of other barely recognisable old marques. The only bike he had that was roadworthy was a Rudge ulster with desmodromic valve gear. We spent hours rummaging through junk that today would be priceless. Gloriously happy days for a fourteen year old. Thanks for the memories , Ron.
Ron, That's so cool you got to play with really old "priceless" bikes when you were so young. I doubt if that sort of thing happens much any more, if at all. We all have to remember that what is happening is like a snapshot in time and may never be repeated. Thanks for watching! 😉
I had an old friend who collected Vincents ( his wife still has the collection I believe) in the 80s he put a Black Shadow engine in a Ducati 750 frame, it looked amazing and apparently rode real good, Don was in Australian Vincent owners and through him I got to meet Phil Irving, the engineer behind the vincents.
I’ve seen pictures of a couple Vincent engines mounted in Ducati 900SS chassis, out of Australia. And an American Vincent expert, known as Big Sid, put a Vincent engine in a Ducati 900 roadster chassis. Made a good looking bike. He and the Australians called them Vincatis. I think someone wrote a book about Big Sid and his Vincati. Let’s be careful out there.
In 1973, I came close to spending my $900 nest egg for a running 1950 Black Shadow. I arrived with the cash and a friend's van ready to git it. Deciding parts would be the issue, I went home and ended up building a CB750 cafe racer with Reg Curley and John Tickle parts and had a ball. Since then many bikes have taught me mechanical skills that may have been useful on that Vincent, but this video made me happier about my choice long ago. Thanks for sharing so much.
Thanks Paul and Mitch. This is such a great of example of how sometimes, you need to get in there and start building something to learn. Even if you're afraid it might not work. Very nice work, nice bike and thanks for telling the story!
I'am building a Buell s1 a KTM 660 supermoto a Wood rotax and a Knight honda in a 20ft shipping container hear in the UK no electrics it helps when the weather is bright and mild you work with what you have.
I was around in them days racing vintage with Alan demet we had a triumph t 160 yes the good days , but there was a guy racing black shadow he lived on the island he was a lawyer I think ps John was a good racer he was racing a Norton right. Anyway the factory said he would not get any more speed out of Vincent but he did top speed was162 mph old story. I have been watching all of your videos fantastic work thank you.
As your probably aware, some Australian Engineers Re-Created the Vincent for Classic Road Racing called the 'Irving Vincent' the latest version is 1600cc making 200hp! It's a work of Art! Cheers👍
Hi Paul, well you have most certainly put yourself through the mill of trial and error! If you don't first succeed, try, try again! Sometimes this is the only way to get it right. I do admire your tenacity, you are a real tryer. Thank You again for your honest approach to life, showing the good and the bad. When I was young, I liked the big J.A.P, 998cc OHV engines, and my friends liked the Vincent, telling me that it was far better, but thanks to You, I now know I was right.
Labours of love are the best projects and personaly I bet it was hard for you sell the bike as you must have had a big attachment to it, thanks for sharing the journey Paul, I enjoyed it.
Thank you, for coming out... allowing the rest of us to finally admit that we too, have all had (or still have) similar projects, that have bordered on the edge of embarrassment, because of their never finished state! Great video (as always), and look forward to more work from you guys...
Learned a long time ago about toilet-gasket-wax as a Fiberglass mold release. I’d add more beeswax to the toilet-wax now, then paint the stuff onto a warmed plug with the goal of perhaps .015 build. When you’re done, you warm up the piece and the form comes out easy. I recall doing a centrifugal blower housing that way.
@@paulbrodie comes in handy when you use plug molds more or less exclusively. Important thing is that you can put undercuts and draft into the wax readily, then melt out the wax and preserve your tooling.
You shared so many gems worth laughing at, empathise with, learn from and reminisce over! I think that had you been born before the wheel you would have been the storyteller that wandered from village to village enthralling all the good folk with tall, but true, tales. ...... hindsight ..... invented by a higher being to torture we mere mortals. Of that I am sure. Thank you, as always, for todays video.
@@paulbrodie In our own ways, we are all I little crazy. Some more than others, and hopefully in good ways. You are an absolute inspiration. Showing all people that if you stick with it, you can achieve almost anything
Hi Paul! In the 80's I was walking by a yea olde bike shop in Hamilton that was closing down. On their greasy work table sat a Vincent motor. I had never seen or heard of Vincent at that point but I knew I had to have it. I asked the old owner what he wanted for it and he said $200. I told him I would have it and went to beg, borrow and if necessary roll pedestrians to get the cash. By the time I got back loot in hand the shop was closed and I could never track down the owner. From your story he may have saved me years of fruitless distraction... it is a cool thing still.
Francis, you have a great story too! If you had bought it your life could have taken a turn and gone a different direction. Those are the things we'll never know. Thanks for watching!
@@paulbrodie Yes the road not travelled but I have had quite a few other distractions. I appreciate anyone who can rebuild a Vincent clutch. Keep up the great content.
@@francisrampen9099 If I remember, there were 3 or 4 of us standing around in my shop looking at that clutch. Smart friends. After a while we figured out that there were 3 separate issues going on with that clutch all at the same time!
@@paulbrodie I had a buddy who made himself a Norvin. Having never ridden the stock design I have no idea whether it was an improvement and whether this was a good move. His bike was a good one and was remarkably reliable. I helped him rebuild the clutch and it was a real engineering education.The Vincent seemed to be solutions looking for problems.
That was great, it makes me feel better about my so-called waste of time projects, which I shall now call - my learning experience!! I too have to always be making something, anything. It must be pent up genius.
Great to hear your stories, Paul. My late uncle Brian had a Rapide (and a single-cylinder Comet, and most of a Meteor too). Only the Rapide Series C got completed in his lifetime, but it was a fabulous machine. He had stainless spindles made up for the Girdraulic forks, but they were too snug in the blades of the aluminium fork, galled & seized on the rippled tarmac of London's South Circular and the bike spat him off down the road. Both Brian & the Vincent are long gone, but I still wear his Lewis Leather jacket, bearing the patches which were sewn on after the event.
Wow that's a cool story. Vincents don't always have the best reputation for handling, and some say they even have a "hinge in the middle" when pushed hard. Thanks for watching!
Great story, but after 25yrs no kickstarter. But, I knew back in 72 when one was up for sale for $800.00, that was looking like a flat tracker, but would run, one look I could tell it was way too complicated and parts were unobtainable so passed on it. Bought my 73 MG 750 Sport and have been riding it ever since.
Shouda/coulda/woulda...... When I was in my late teens/earlty twenties, I spent every Thursday scanning Motorcycle news for Vincent motors. I wanted to build an Ogri Norvin. Once I came across most of a motor that had been run in a drag bike but it was missing casings and so many other unicorn-poop parts that I declined. Many years later, 92 or 93, I had a chance to get a complete Shadow for CAN$20k but it was bad timing for me, new job, buying a house. Too late now. I watch them on videos like this. 'Still have a copy of the parts manual! The right side of the Black Shadow motor is, in my humble opinion, the best looking bike motor that ever existed.
Yes, it's a bit like the housing market I think. $20K for a Shadow is a deal nowadays. I hear they go for uo to $100K now. Oh well, we all makes decisions that might be regretted later. Thanks for watching!
To have a small workshop with few tools we have all had I still have one that is 2.5x2 m but also friends with more equipment. My dream is a bigger place again so I can do bigger things but one day so. When I was younger I knew that there had been a Vincent where I grew up, I liked how the engine looks and searched for a long time but it was gone.
I really enjoyed your story. The way it came to you in a filtered box reminded me ruefully of the '56 Triumph 500 5T that I bought in a box while I was in high school in the Okanagan in '64. Money was tight and I guess I was too enthusiastic or whatever to figure out that my box had lost it's best parts also. The polished engine sat under my bed while I saved up for each new part. I remember I bought each of the new pistons separately for $9.00 as finances allowed. I did ride it, all painted and shiny but never did get Lucas smiling. I admire your determination.
I our community of builders in Ottawa in the 60's we had a genius. He managed to up his Black Shadow's displacement to 1600. He raced it at Mosport. He also put a small block Chevy in the back seat of a VW Beatle and one in an Austin-Healey. Lost track of him when he went to work for OMC.
An interesting project, and I’m sure most of the learning has paid off in later life. It’s easy to forget the time it was done, and so could be construed as not so good quality, but as we were all limited by technology and our own finances, I’m sure it would’ve been far ahead for its time. Hindsight does discolour our history, thanks for sharing 👍🏻
Brilliant! Education is expensive in both treasure and time. I've had my own "learning experience" projects. You make me feel better about the money "invested"... not "lost".
I'm 36 in the states and certainly the youngest I know to have a Vincent. Absolutely love the bike. great video. Funny to hear about the parts not fitting, EVERYTHING has been a struggle and was just talking about fitting headers being my least favorite part.
My mate had a VINCENT engine that used to be raced in a Speedway sidecar. It ran on methanol - had Carrillo rods - BIG cam etc etc - not sure if a capacity increase. It was a beast of an engine - not sure where it is these days - my mate died some 23-years ago. Thanks for sharing your story Paul - NEATO build back from the era before CNC parts etc - HA - not sure about those blue carbs though. I can remember those days well, I had to make everything - widen everything - weld everything - hand shape everything etc etc - now - HA - a parts catalog saves a LOT of time = better as I am getting older for my 'unfinished projects'. CHEERS from AUSTRALIA.
A-Mazing! What a cool story. I got the same disorder where I can't leave anything stock. Got a XS650 and try to make all the parts myself. Thanks for sharing this story
I was wondering what you were about,listening to your story I realised you are quite a gifted engineer, sacrilege to modify a Vincent but your bike and you did what you wanted to it . I have a 57 cub and restoring it, also a 65 ss80 and a 61 super rocket, enjoy your videos
I am in love with the form of that engine. I wouldn't refuse a stock bike, but I could make do with just the engine, as now I'm a cyclist. I live in Brisbane Qld, and recently went to the GOMA exhibition (twice).; a little rich in Humpha-Dumphas for my taste but the Vincent and Brough Superior were the stars for me. ps Riding around Stanley Park on a borrowed bike cured the click in my knee and got me back into cycling.
A great video to go with your fascinating story. Love it that you included the actual mileage as you continued to work on it and the way you reflected on the journey you were on ... Vincent was motivation but the bike was product of developing your skills - certainly makes me feel better about frustrations I have with my own projects but don't realise how much I've learnt and applied elsewhere.
Paul, Those who criticize..... cannot do ! That was one heck of a learning curve on that Vincent..... enjoyed every minute of It ! I've still got that Van Tech Frame I got off of you . Keep doin the Kool Stuff that your doin !! Steve
Thank you Ekim. Yes, I got a lot of flak back then. Now, one of the "main" Vincent guys is putting fuel injection on his Vincent from an SV650, so times have truly changed.
Admire the balanced viewpoint in retrospect. Although with far, far less talent and fabrication, I had done 2 long term motorcycle projects - Laverda RGS and a more recent Harley Softail. Wrenched far more than rode too. Learning experiences is very appropriate ... can relate to 'listening' very closely rather than enjoying the trip. Don't want to discourage anyone, but there is a lot of subtlety between the lines of this experience. Can't speak for you however been bitten by mystic and legend more than once... and well, not all the rides live up to the dream. Having said that, still get emotional and silly about a Vincent Comet ... perhaps one day. Thank you for sharing your fabrication techniques, experiences and guidance - very much appreciated.
Dave, thanks for commenting. Yes, not all rides live up to the dream. So true! Hope you get your Comet, even though some people refer to them as "Half a Vincent".
When your motor(cycle) becomes your existence, your existence becomes your motorcycle. I have the same issue. Bought used I. April 2000, has changed forms 5 times. Still a work in progress. It's a passion. I'm never satisfied. My goal is it must look cool but still be functional.
Outstanding unique 2.5 decade learning project. I wonder where it is now and what it looks like. I have a very dilapidated Honda CBX550 similar to Megan’s. The idea was to do a café racer. But café racers are more passé racers these days. But since I don’t like breaking bikes, it’s still sitting there with the two CB-1s, the CBR125, the two VF750Fs (one USA model Interceptor and one European in boxes) and a 125 Varadero - all begging to be restored. So I have a worse case of what you had. Great vid. Thank you for sharing
paul brodie Cheers Paul. Right now my time is preoccupied with caring for my Mum who’s 90 and recovering from some health issues. All the bike stuff is on hold - except in my head.
Wow, what a journey of experimentation and craftsmanship! Doctoral work in motorcycle engineering. It was definitely a Brodie by the time you did all of that. Great story great effort.
My first Vinni I walked to start with the valve lifter pulled it was super easy.....it started pulling faintly after a few steps , then one just let go of the lever.....I also hear u succumbed to the period of badly hardened vinnie parts, frustratring that . FAR better today.....I still have a set of those self destructing camfollowers in a wee box somewhere .........
I think this project is the dream of a lot of guys out there. (and a few women) Good luck ever finding even a basket case Vincent ever again.. at least under $10k. We've got a basket case 1946 Indian Chief that's missing a lot of parts and has some rust issues from being flooded repeatedly in Mississippi. My late grandfather helped my dad buy it (loan of course) because he worked on them in the US Army in WW2. Unfortunately almost 30 years later it's still never really had anything done to it other than some guy in MS blasted and painted the frame (without pulling the headstock bearings -.-) my sister and I did a lot of sanding on that thing, until we bled, sitting on our back porch while it was raining in 1993/4. Almost everything was destroyed by the floods, the bottom of the frame has rust (not that bad but it's there) the bars had no nickel left, the seat pan was gone, the floor boards were completely rusted, the fenders were gone, the trans was rusted solid, the internals of the engine were rusted badly.. the pistons look usable but the rings are broken and rusted solid to them so they'll just go in my piston collection. The outer hoops of the rims were junked but the hubs were salvageable. All in all that numbers matching bike has very little left of it.. Personally I'd do similar to you with the Vincent.. it'll never be original again so why try to make it so? I'd do what I'd do to anything.. hot rod it and make it rideable. I'd figure out how to put disc brakes on the front and a bigger Harley drum out back. I'd bore it out and stroke it and up the compression and get a good set of cams and carbs for it. I'd make a good exhaust that looked like the old racing exhaust and put some small fenders on it. I'd also get an early Harley trans from Baker that's got their 5 or 6 speed kit in it and run that, my point is make it rideable at modern speeds, or at least make it handle and stop better than a Harley. The only thing off that bike that was in immaculate condition was the tanks. They just need cleaned and painted and a set of badges found for them. It'd be one hell of a video series to put up on CZcams if I could. Unfortunately the reason it's never really been touched in 28 years is.. I'm autistic and have a bunch of medical issues, working is almost impossible. My dad's a retired US Air Force MSgt that doesn't really have any money, his back and a couple other issues forced him to pretty much retire at like 52 and at 64 all he has is his disability pay. We've unfortunately never had extra money, and never will.
@@paulbrodie if only I had money.. like everything else in my life. I'm 37 and still live at home with my parents and don't even own my own car.. Hell I'm sleeping on a 14 year old mattress because I can't afford another.. and I own 1 pair of jeans.. and honestly they're too big for me since I lost weight. (by about 4 inches)
I'm only half way done the video and gotta stop to leave a comment, this is so great Paul, such a great story! I love the photo of your old basement workshop, with the Beach tool boxes and that stache! Bring it back!?
They also made a single cylinder 500cc bike called the Comet. When I was a teenager it was the thing to fit the 1000cc twin engines into Norton feather bed frames..They were amazing looking bikes, but to me the engines were over complicated things. The suspension dampers were more or less under the saddle, they were to say the least an odd sort of bike..
Yes, an odd sort of a bike, but highly collectible. The Comet was not well thought of. Sometimes referred to as a Vomet, also known as "Half a Vincent". All the problems of a Vincent, with only half the performance. Thanks for watching and commenting..
What a great journey, wonder if the Vincent is now a bitsa stock restored shadow. Rear chain adj on B50 had the eccentric disk concept. I met a guy on Fraser that had BSA's started my 441 b50 riding of 35 years after that and I modded the same 441 to 12-1 compression. At one point in '92 went to San Francisco and back via Napa, Redding chasing a 750 Duc and 650 DR. Life is about challenges, motorcycling old stuff is at best mechanical witchcraft.
Just lovely! Thank you for sharing. Wow, what a project, in fact, I may have my wife watch this video because it makes my projects look so very reasonable. I'm impressed at your commitment to the bike, and the iteration and development.
Paul, Love it! Thanks for the videos!!! I suffer under the same journey, LOL. I appreciate and can relate to the effort. Keep up the great work. I currently on a quest to keep my old custom (continually modding) Harley going and a 20 plus year build on a vintage Stingray racer. Long live the doers! Down with the naysayers! S
Love the story! 13:00 I have a similar Beach tool box, I think it's Beach. I got it from my Grandfather, but mine has one more row of narrow drawers. I am waiting for my Dad to hand down his Kennedy machinist tool box :)
Paul, what a great journey you have taken us on! I remember meeting you at the Vincent Mara Lake Rally back in 1996. Your bike was considered exotic, one-off and well , weird and outrageous by many of the traditional Vincent crowd at the time, but your personal quest for innovation was strong. And no kickstart!... thanks for the memories.
I wore the cams down getting to Mara Lake, and then set the tappets when the engine cooled. It the morning it was very hard to start (wonder why...) and there was a lot of backfiring in the first 20 miles. Then it kind of settled down. Back in the shop new cams got installed. Thanks for watching!
I got the urge to own a Vincent in 2003. I bought a Rapide from Oz, sight unseen. It ran fine but smoked a bit( no valve seals) I took the engine to John McDougall in order to have valve seals fitted. He insisted on rebuilding the entire top end and also went through the timing chest. The crank was OK as was trans and primary ( V3 clutch)
I thought that was all a bit uneccesary, however John wouldn't let it go without making everything perfect.
Here we are 55,000 miles later with zero problems. We've done multiple big trips to Oregon, Ca., Wyoming, Alberta plus a tour of the UK including a wild lap of the IOM in 07. I think I really lucked out by taking that engine to John for valve seals.
As a young kid, I used to buy Ossa parts from Denis.
Yes, John helped me out several times. He rebuilt the cylinder heads and said my valve springs were much too weak, put in stronger springs which wore out my cams. Overall though, I think he was a very good mechanic who understood Vincents. I guess you know he passed away a few years ago? :(
@@paulbrodie
Yes, that was a big loss for the WestCoast Vincenteers.
A few years ago I was at a rally in Oregon where 12 of the 17 Vincents had McDougall rebuilt engines. The 5 that he had not rebuilt were all trailered in!
I've got the strong springs in my Rapide (RD), no probs to date. Although these aren't setup with higher pressure, still about 100 lbs seat pressure. The advantage to the RD is they maintain their spring pressure whereas the club springs go limp pretty quickly.
But there were also lots of bad cams and bad followers around in the bad old days!
Paul, just joined your ‘school’, you frequently compare Japanese bikes with British. Im sure that you are aware that the comparison misses a lapse of almost twenty years in design philosophy. The difference allowed the Japanese to improve and overwhelm the stagnant and the British motorcycle market. I’m 81 and have fond memories of the old bikes. As a boy my friend Geoff Baines and I spent hours in his dads back garden where he had a veritable treasure trove of old bikes. Geoffs mum called it a tip. But I clearly remember Brough superiors with Austin seven shaft drive engines adapted for side car use, black shadows and Knights and a host of other barely recognisable old marques. The only bike he had that was roadworthy was a Rudge ulster with desmodromic valve gear. We spent hours rummaging through junk that today would be priceless. Gloriously happy days for a fourteen year old. Thanks for the memories , Ron.
Ron, That's so cool you got to play with really old "priceless" bikes when you were so young. I doubt if that sort of thing happens much any more, if at all. We all have to remember that what is happening is like a snapshot in time and may never be repeated. Thanks for watching! 😉
I had an old friend who collected Vincents ( his wife still has the collection I believe) in the 80s he put a Black Shadow engine in a Ducati 750 frame, it looked amazing and apparently rode real good, Don was in Australian Vincent owners and through him I got to meet Phil Irving, the engineer behind the vincents.
I’ve seen pictures of a couple Vincent engines mounted in Ducati 900SS chassis, out of Australia.
And an American Vincent expert, known as Big Sid, put a Vincent engine in a Ducati 900 roadster chassis.
Made a good looking bike. He and the Australians called them Vincatis.
I think someone wrote a book about Big Sid and his Vincati.
Let’s be careful out there.
Gee! I read most of Phill's books as a teenager In Australia.
That tool box in the old shop looks like like my Crappy Tire Mastercraft box circa 1985 that i still use today - great investment that was.
I have had all my toolboxes many, many years. They can last a long time :)
Older and wiser. What a journey. Thanks Paul.
Thank you very much... 😉
In 1973, I came close to spending my $900 nest egg for a running 1950 Black Shadow. I arrived with the cash and a friend's van ready to git it. Deciding parts would be the issue, I went home and ended up building a CB750 cafe racer with Reg Curley and John Tickle parts and had a ball. Since then many bikes have taught me mechanical skills that may have been useful on that Vincent, but this video made me happier about my choice long ago. Thanks for sharing so much.
Good story, Stan. Vincents look great, but can be a handful to work on and keep running. Thanks for watching and commenting.
A match made in heaven ..
Thanks Paul and Mitch. This is such a great of example of how sometimes, you need to get in there and start building something to learn. Even if you're afraid it might not work. Very nice work, nice bike and thanks for telling the story!
Thank you. Yes, I did learn an awful lot working on that Vincent...
Great story, great memories, I bet a lot of sleepless nights over that project. Thanks for your journey.
Creighton in Hillsboro NH 🇺🇲
I'am building a Buell s1 a KTM 660 supermoto a Wood rotax and a Knight honda in a 20ft shipping container hear in the UK no electrics it helps when the weather is bright and mild you work with what you have.
I wonder if the Buell Blast bodywork designers saw this bike. I admire your dedication to a long term project.
The depth of mystique swirling around Vincent motorcycles is almost as fantastic as the bikes themselves. 👍🏁
Yes, Mystique with a Capital M.
@@paulbrodie More like a capital £ !
Thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of a fellow wrenchbender.
Mark, thanks for watching.
I was around in them days racing vintage with Alan demet we had a triumph t 160 yes the good days , but there was a guy racing black shadow he lived on the island he was a lawyer I think ps John was a good racer he was racing a Norton right. Anyway the factory said he would not get any more speed out of Vincent but he did top speed was162 mph old story. I have been watching all of your videos fantastic work thank you.
Thanks Eric. I really do miss hanging around race tracks with my friends. A lot of great memories.
Wow, I could never do a project that long. Kudos to you for sticking with it.
Yes it was hanging over my head for quite some time. Glad I finished it. Thanks for watching!
My 6yo son in the background "We're not buying that guy coffee!" Lmao....
Oh well, maybe someone else will buy us a coffee :) Thanks for watching!
As your probably aware, some Australian Engineers Re-Created the Vincent for Classic Road Racing called the 'Irving Vincent' the latest version is 1600cc making 200hp! It's a work of Art! Cheers👍
Yes, I have seen the video. It really is quite remarkable what they have achieved. Thanks for watching! 😉
I am living the same process. It makes me feel good that I'm not crazy. Thanks for your insights. Greetings
I think it's ok to be a little crazy... in the right way.
@@paulbrodie totally agree. Thanks!
Moral of the story, if your friends don't have useful machinery, they're not friends worth keeping. ;)
Not sure if I agree with you.
What a great narrative. You are either a natural fabricator or not. It's something you cannot teach someone. Very impressive.
Thank you very much. I have been making things out of metal for 56 years. You decide if I am a natural fabricator....
@@paulbrodie Nothing to decide!
We're staring at my son's completely disassembled '94 RM125 when he asks, "What would Paul Brodie do?"
"TT-sshirt". So close.
That's so funny. When I was learning how to build bicycle frames, I would always ask myself, "What would Tom Ritchey do?"
WWPD?
Hi Paul, well you have most certainly put yourself through the mill of trial and error! If you don't first succeed, try, try again! Sometimes this is the only
way to get it right. I do admire your tenacity, you are a real tryer. Thank You again for your honest approach to life, showing the good and the bad.
When I was young, I liked the big J.A.P, 998cc OHV engines, and my friends liked the Vincent, telling me that it was far better, but thanks to You,
I now know I was right.
Chris, thanks for your comments!
Labours of love are the best projects and personaly I bet it was hard for you sell the bike as you must have had a big attachment to it, thanks for sharing the journey Paul, I enjoyed it.
Thank you Jeff!
Thank you, for coming out... allowing the rest of us to finally admit that we too, have all had (or still have) similar projects, that have bordered on the edge of embarrassment, because of their never finished state!
Great video (as always), and look forward to more work from you guys...
Ian, thanks for watching!
What fun. As a friend told me today "Remember its all self inflicted"
Yes, I have no one to blame but myself.
Learned a long time ago about toilet-gasket-wax as a Fiberglass mold release. I’d add more beeswax to the toilet-wax now, then paint the stuff onto a warmed plug with the goal of perhaps .015 build. When you’re done, you warm up the piece and the form comes out easy. I recall doing a centrifugal blower housing that way.
Sounds like you have invented your own form of mold release!
@@paulbrodie comes in handy when you use plug molds more or less exclusively.
Important thing is that you can put undercuts and draft into the wax readily, then melt out the wax and preserve your tooling.
Nice story!
Great story. I always admired the contraption vibe the Vincents gave. They remind me of ironhead Sportsters, a bunch of parts that almost fit.
Thank you Kevin.
Ah I remember those times and all the things everyone thought of as I need those! Definitely must have's and entirely reasonable!
You shared so many gems worth laughing at, empathise with, learn from and reminisce over!
I think that had you been born before the wheel you would have been the storyteller that wandered from village to village enthralling all the good folk with tall, but true, tales.
...... hindsight ..... invented by a higher being to torture we mere mortals. Of that I am sure.
Thank you, as always, for todays video.
Thank you Mac Cat :)
"That's a fine motorbike" 😊
A girl could feel special on any such like.
An epic hoot....hats off to you....
Over the entire time that you owned this Vincent , you have shown us in spade’s your dedication.
I think 99% of people would of thrown in the towel.
I will admit that I am possibly a little crazy, but in a good way :)
@@paulbrodie
In our own ways, we are all I little crazy. Some more than others, and hopefully in good ways.
You are an absolute inspiration. Showing all people that if you stick with it, you can achieve almost anything
@@leithmurray736 I don't like to give up. There's aiways a way.
Hi Paul! In the 80's I was walking by a yea olde bike shop in Hamilton that was closing down. On their greasy work table sat a Vincent motor. I had never seen or heard of Vincent at that point but I knew I had to have it. I asked the old owner what he wanted for it and he said $200. I told him I would have it and went to beg, borrow and if necessary roll pedestrians to get the cash. By the time I got back loot in hand the shop was closed and I could never track down the owner. From your story he may have saved me years of fruitless distraction... it is a cool thing still.
Francis, you have a great story too! If you had bought it your life could have taken a turn and gone a different direction. Those are the things we'll never know. Thanks for watching!
@@paulbrodie Yes the road not travelled but I have had quite a few other distractions. I appreciate anyone who can rebuild a Vincent clutch. Keep up the great content.
@@francisrampen9099 If I remember, there were 3 or 4 of us standing around in my shop looking at that clutch. Smart friends. After a while we figured out that there were 3 separate issues going on with that clutch all at the same time!
@@paulbrodie I had a buddy who made himself a Norvin. Having never ridden the stock design I have no idea whether it was an improvement and whether this was a good move. His bike was a good one and was remarkably reliable. I helped him rebuild the clutch and it was a real engineering education.The Vincent seemed to be solutions looking for problems.
@@francisrampen9099 You are so right, " Solutions looking for Problems".
Interesting story. Wish you had kept it. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Hugh. I was always working on it and not doing enough riding. That was the problem.
That was great, it makes me feel better about my so-called waste of time projects, which I shall now call - my learning experience!!
I too have to always be making something, anything. It must be pent up genius.
Wonderful, you made me laugh. Thanks for watching!
Great to hear your stories, Paul. My late uncle Brian had a Rapide (and a single-cylinder Comet, and most of a Meteor too). Only the Rapide Series C got completed in his lifetime, but it was a fabulous machine. He had stainless spindles made up for the Girdraulic forks, but they were too snug in the blades of the aluminium fork, galled & seized on the rippled tarmac of London's South Circular and the bike spat him off down the road. Both Brian & the Vincent are long gone, but I still wear his Lewis Leather jacket, bearing the patches which were sewn on after the event.
Wow that's a cool story. Vincents don't always have the best reputation for handling, and some say they even have a "hinge in the middle" when pushed hard. Thanks for watching!
Ed, might that have been Brian King by any chance?
@@andyspencer6308 No....Brian Clark.
Great story, but after 25yrs no kickstarter. But, I knew back in 72 when one was up for sale for $800.00, that was looking like a flat tracker, but would run, one look I could tell it was way too complicated and parts were unobtainable so passed on it. Bought my 73 MG 750 Sport and have been riding it ever since.
Shouda/coulda/woulda...... When I was in my late teens/earlty twenties, I spent every Thursday scanning Motorcycle news for Vincent motors. I wanted to build an Ogri Norvin. Once I came across most of a motor that had been run in a drag bike but it was missing casings and so many other unicorn-poop parts that I declined. Many years later, 92 or 93, I had a chance to get a complete Shadow for CAN$20k but it was bad timing for me, new job, buying a house. Too late now. I watch them on videos like this. 'Still have a copy of the parts manual! The right side of the Black Shadow motor is, in my humble opinion, the best looking bike motor that ever existed.
Yes, it's a bit like the housing market I think. $20K for a Shadow is a deal nowadays. I hear they go for uo to $100K now. Oh well, we all makes decisions that might be regretted later. Thanks for watching!
To have a small workshop with few tools we have all had I still have one that is 2.5x2 m but also friends with more equipment. My dream is a bigger place again so I can do bigger things but one day so.
When I was younger I knew that there had been a Vincent where I grew up, I liked how the engine looks and searched for a long time but it was gone.
I really enjoyed your story. The way it came to you in a filtered box reminded me ruefully of the '56 Triumph 500 5T that I bought in a box while I was in high school in the Okanagan in '64. Money was tight and I guess I was too enthusiastic or whatever to figure out that my box had lost it's best parts also. The polished engine sat under my bed while I saved up for each new part. I remember I bought each of the new pistons separately for $9.00 as finances allowed. I did ride it, all painted and shiny but never did get Lucas smiling. I admire your determination.
Ken, thanks for watching and commenting.
I our community of builders in Ottawa in the 60's we had a genius. He managed to up his Black Shadow's displacement to 1600. He raced it at Mosport.
He also put a small block Chevy in the back seat of a VW Beatle and one in an Austin-Healey.
Lost track of him when he went to work for OMC.
Irving Vincent in Australia still sell a racing 1600cc version
An interesting project, and I’m sure most of the learning has paid off in later life. It’s easy to forget the time it was done, and so could be construed as not so good quality, but as we were all limited by technology and our own finances, I’m sure it would’ve been far ahead for its time. Hindsight does discolour our history, thanks for sharing 👍🏻
And I thought that I was the only one doing , re-doing, trying again... but it's more about the process than the end result.
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your life, Paul.
Thank you Justin.
Brilliant! Education is expensive in both treasure and time. I've had my own "learning experience" projects. You make me feel better about the money "invested"... not "lost".
Will, thanks for watching and commenting.
Straight Ahead ! ✌😎
I'm 36 in the states and certainly the youngest I know to have a Vincent. Absolutely love the bike. great video. Funny to hear about the parts not fitting, EVERYTHING has been a struggle and was just talking about fitting headers being my least favorite part.
Dan, thanks for watching and commenting.
My mate had a VINCENT engine that used to be raced in a Speedway sidecar. It ran on methanol - had Carrillo rods - BIG cam etc etc - not sure if a capacity increase. It was a beast of an engine - not sure where it is these days - my mate died some 23-years ago. Thanks for sharing your story Paul - NEATO build back from the era before CNC parts etc - HA - not sure about those blue carbs though. I can remember those days well, I had to make everything - widen everything - weld everything - hand shape everything etc etc - now - HA - a parts catalog saves a LOT of time = better as I am getting older for my 'unfinished projects'. CHEERS from AUSTRALIA.
Hello Australia! Thanks for the story. Maybe that motor is now waiting to be found in an old barn? It's all possible!
A-Mazing! What a cool story. I got the same disorder where I can't leave anything stock. Got a XS650 and try to make all the parts myself.
Thanks for sharing this story
In a run of great videos, this one is, in my opinion, the best to date.
Thank you.
Paul Brodie PhD Vincent Studies...😂😂😂
Thanks for the origin story of your very unique Vincent motorcycle ... a great bike, with a great story !
Thank you Jurgen.
What I love about this is it really has very little to do with any Vincent and everything to do with experiential learning and autonomy.
Yes, it really was a big part of my Motorcycle engineering learning experience. Thanks for watching!
That was a wonderful insight into Vincent's and constructing a cafe racer.
Thank you John.
I was wondering what you were about,listening to your story I realised you are quite a gifted engineer, sacrilege to modify a Vincent but your bike and you did what you wanted to it . I have a 57 cub and restoring it, also a 65 ss80 and a 61 super rocket, enjoy your videos
Thank you Mike.
I am in love with the form of that engine. I wouldn't refuse a stock bike, but I could make do with just the engine, as now I'm a cyclist. I live in Brisbane Qld, and recently went to the GOMA exhibition (twice).; a little rich in Humpha-Dumphas for my taste but the Vincent and Brough Superior were the stars for me. ps Riding around Stanley Park on a borrowed bike cured the click in my knee and got me back into cycling.
Yes, the shape of a Vincent motor is very alluring. I know I got taken with it. Thanks for watching!
All I can say is that I am extremely jealous. You are one of the few fortunate folks who have one of those iconic bikes.
I sold my Vincent in 1999. No regrets!
@@paulbrodie at least you can say you had one.
I treat MY looking back as THE learning Experience that I have now. No regrets just smiles!
Attitude is everything!
A great video to go with your fascinating story. Love it that you included the actual mileage as you continued to work on it and the way you reflected on the journey you were on ... Vincent was motivation but the bike was product of developing your skills - certainly makes me feel better about frustrations I have with my own projects but don't realise how much I've learnt and applied elsewhere.
Yes, the Vincent really was a great learning experience for me. That's great you have your own projects too. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
Paul,
Those who criticize..... cannot do !
That was one heck of a learning curve on that Vincent..... enjoyed every minute of It !
I've still got that Van Tech Frame I got off of you .
Keep doin the Kool Stuff that your doin !!
Steve
Hi Steve, I'd forgotten all about that Van Tech Frame! Thanks for watching :)
wow! that was some learning experience.
When I was a teenager i always thought the Vincent was the ultimate motorcycle.
Me too!
@@paulbrodie Yeah, but you know that 1st hand.
OK! I see a Parilla Hi-cam on the shelf. Pretty great.
Yes. My friend Fritz gave that to me. Empty cases...
Thanks for sharing. I remember lots of the story on that bike. That was very interesting.
Great film again Paul! Thank you.
A fantastic story, well told. I was one of those that would have hated all over your custom Vincent back then. So glad I've grown up a bit since.
Thank you Ekim. Yes, I got a lot of flak back then. Now, one of the "main" Vincent guys is putting fuel injection on his Vincent from an SV650, so times have truly changed.
Wonderful stories, thank you for sharing
Amazing, thank you again for this!
Thank you Murray! 😉
Admire the balanced viewpoint in retrospect. Although with far, far less talent and fabrication, I had done 2 long term motorcycle projects - Laverda RGS and a more recent Harley Softail. Wrenched far more than rode too. Learning experiences is very appropriate ... can relate to 'listening' very closely rather than enjoying the trip. Don't want to discourage anyone, but there is a lot of subtlety between the lines of this experience. Can't speak for you however been bitten by mystic and legend more than once... and well, not all the rides live up to the dream. Having said that, still get emotional and silly about a Vincent Comet ... perhaps one day. Thank you for sharing your fabrication techniques, experiences and guidance - very much appreciated.
Dave, thanks for commenting. Yes, not all rides live up to the dream. So true! Hope you get your Comet, even though some people refer to them as "Half a Vincent".
Thanks paul for sharing your vinnie experience with us.
When your motor(cycle) becomes your existence, your existence becomes your motorcycle. I have the same issue. Bought used I. April 2000, has changed forms 5 times. Still a work in progress. It's a passion. I'm never satisfied. My goal is it must look cool but still be functional.
Outstanding unique 2.5 decade learning project. I wonder where it is now and what it looks like.
I have a very dilapidated Honda CBX550 similar to Megan’s. The idea was to do a café racer. But café racers are more passé racers these days. But since I don’t like breaking bikes, it’s still sitting there with the two CB-1s, the CBR125, the two VF750Fs (one USA model Interceptor and one European in boxes) and a 125 Varadero - all begging to be restored.
So I have a worse case of what you had. Great vid. Thank you for sharing
Yes, you certainly have a few projects to tackle :) I hope you find the motivation!
paul brodie Cheers Paul. Right now my time is preoccupied with caring for my Mum who’s 90 and recovering from some health issues. All the bike stuff is on hold - except in my head.
WoW, It is awesome how that bike evolve. I am a declared fan of that carbon Fiber insert on the gas tank. Great video and story as always!
Thanks for liking my carbon fibre gas tank insert :)
Awesome personal story!
Gee Whizz, thank you :)
Wow, what a journey of experimentation and craftsmanship! Doctoral work in motorcycle engineering. It was definitely a Brodie by the time you did all of that. Great story great effort.
Thank you very much!
Been following you since Exelcior that you've. You are so cool!
Terima kasih sudah menambahkan subtitle Indonesia!
Indonesia, thanks for watching!
Love your stories, thank you.
Slobodan, thanks for watching!
As a dress rehearsals 4 this vinnie I am now rebuilding my Thruxton Velo for Classic Racing.
Good luck Classic Racing. Keep the rubber side down :)
Thanks Paul! Good times. I was wondering if Dennis was still with us. I'm happy to hear he is.
Yes, when I talk to Denis on the phone he sounds exactly like he used to :)
Paul, you remember the used motorcycle parts shop on Boundary Road, North, Burnaby side. I bought my share of parts from them
I do remember it.
Thanks for sharing, quite the journey!
no custom bike is ever done :)
Very true.
My first Vinni I walked to start with the valve lifter pulled it was super easy.....it started pulling faintly after a few steps , then one just let go of the lever.....I also hear u succumbed to the period of badly hardened vinnie parts, frustratring that . FAR better today.....I still have a set of those self destructing camfollowers in a wee box somewhere .........
My cam followers were working fine until a friend suggested stronger valve springs, and that was not a great idea...
Great story, great history, thanks for sharing the evolution of Vincent and yourself.
Thank you very much.
oh i love the pulleys. today i would simply use a fc but what you got there is simply beautiful
Great stories!
Thank you Connor!
I think this project is the dream of a lot of guys out there. (and a few women) Good luck ever finding even a basket case Vincent ever again.. at least under $10k. We've got a basket case 1946 Indian Chief that's missing a lot of parts and has some rust issues from being flooded repeatedly in Mississippi. My late grandfather helped my dad buy it (loan of course) because he worked on them in the US Army in WW2. Unfortunately almost 30 years later it's still never really had anything done to it other than some guy in MS blasted and painted the frame (without pulling the headstock bearings -.-) my sister and I did a lot of sanding on that thing, until we bled, sitting on our back porch while it was raining in 1993/4. Almost everything was destroyed by the floods, the bottom of the frame has rust (not that bad but it's there) the bars had no nickel left, the seat pan was gone, the floor boards were completely rusted, the fenders were gone, the trans was rusted solid, the internals of the engine were rusted badly.. the pistons look usable but the rings are broken and rusted solid to them so they'll just go in my piston collection. The outer hoops of the rims were junked but the hubs were salvageable. All in all that numbers matching bike has very little left of it.. Personally I'd do similar to you with the Vincent.. it'll never be original again so why try to make it so? I'd do what I'd do to anything.. hot rod it and make it rideable. I'd figure out how to put disc brakes on the front and a bigger Harley drum out back. I'd bore it out and stroke it and up the compression and get a good set of cams and carbs for it. I'd make a good exhaust that looked like the old racing exhaust and put some small fenders on it. I'd also get an early Harley trans from Baker that's got their 5 or 6 speed kit in it and run that, my point is make it rideable at modern speeds, or at least make it handle and stop better than a Harley. The only thing off that bike that was in immaculate condition was the tanks. They just need cleaned and painted and a set of badges found for them. It'd be one hell of a video series to put up on CZcams if I could. Unfortunately the reason it's never really been touched in 28 years is.. I'm autistic and have a bunch of medical issues, working is almost impossible. My dad's a retired US Air Force MSgt that doesn't really have any money, his back and a couple other issues forced him to pretty much retire at like 52 and at 64 all he has is his disability pay. We've unfortunately never had extra money, and never will.
Sounds to me like the Indian Chief is a Project waiting to happen....
@@paulbrodie if only I had money.. like everything else in my life. I'm 37 and still live at home with my parents and don't even own my own car.. Hell I'm sleeping on a 14 year old mattress because I can't afford another.. and I own 1 pair of jeans.. and honestly they're too big for me since I lost weight. (by about 4 inches)
Very interesting story Paul, I have a similar story (in that it was a learning experience)that involves a 1972 Pontiac. Thanks for sharing.
I'm only half way done the video and gotta stop to leave a comment, this is so great Paul, such a great story! I love the photo of your old basement workshop, with the Beach tool boxes and that stache! Bring it back!?
I don't think it's coming back, sorry.
They also made a single cylinder 500cc bike called the Comet. When I was a teenager it was the thing to fit the 1000cc twin engines into Norton feather bed frames..They were amazing looking bikes, but to me the engines were over complicated things. The suspension dampers were more or less under the saddle, they were to say the least an odd sort of bike..
Yes, an odd sort of a bike, but highly collectible. The Comet was not well thought of. Sometimes referred to as a Vomet, also known as "Half a Vincent". All the problems of a Vincent, with only half the performance. Thanks for watching and commenting..
Hell of a bike story, and a Vincent at that! really enjoyed it, thanks for sharing
Edward, thanks for watching.
I can hear Phil Irving grumbling from his grave 😂. Ah, the folly of youth, but I'm sure you learned a lot.
Yes I did learn a lot. Thanks for watching!
What a great journey, wonder if the Vincent is now a bitsa stock restored shadow. Rear chain adj on B50 had the eccentric disk concept.
I met a guy on Fraser that had BSA's started my 441 b50 riding of 35 years after that and I modded the same 441 to 12-1 compression. At one point in '92 went to San Francisco and back via Napa, Redding chasing a 750 Duc and 650 DR. Life is about challenges, motorcycling old stuff is at best mechanical witchcraft.
I had a B50 but that big single was hard to start so I sold it to a friend. I think he still has it.
WOW,. Westwood, Mountain High Racing at its best. Go out there now and see if you can find it 😣
I did. Couldn't tell where the track used to be.
Just lovely! Thank you for sharing. Wow, what a project, in fact, I may have my wife watch this video because it makes my projects look so very reasonable. I'm impressed at your commitment to the bike, and the iteration and development.
I've heard from other viewers that their wives or girlfriends often watch with them :)
Paul, Love it!
Thanks for the videos!!! I suffer under the same journey, LOL. I appreciate and can relate to the effort. Keep up the great work. I currently on a quest to keep my old custom (continually modding) Harley going and a 20 plus year build on a vintage Stingray racer. Long live the doers! Down with the naysayers! S
Thank you Scott. Yes, I agree with your philosophy 100%! 😉
Love the story!
13:00 I have a similar Beach tool box, I think it's Beach. I got it from my Grandfather, but mine has one more row of narrow drawers.
I am waiting for my Dad to hand down his Kennedy machinist tool box :)
Real determination and very inspiring.
I'm so glad I finally finished that bike. Thanks for watching!