Philip Vincent designed and built his first motorcycle in 1924, beginning a tradition of fast, handmade, expensive machines. The Black Shadow was launched in 1948, and was the fastest production motorcycle in the word.
John Parkinson of Launceston purchased this Vincent new, keeping it for approximately eighteen months before it passed into the hands of Graeme White, who raced it for a time.
The engine was then sold to Lex Sternberg of Burnie, who fitted a supercharger and used it in a hill climb car. Graeme White, meanwhile, retired the Vincent from competition, fitted a Rapide engine, and kept it for the rest of his life.
Following Graeme White’s death in 2003, the Vincent was sold the current owner, who was charged with the near-impossible task of locating the original engine.
As chance would have it, the Vincent was on display at the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania when a visitor from Queensland was able to pass on information, which eventually led to the discovery of the crank cases in Brisbane. The motorcycle and crank cases were reunited, and local Vincent enthusiast Ray Andrieux recently completed a comprehensive restoration.
