YOUR CLASSICS
We love to see your acquisitions, regular rides and projects – keep ’em coming to the address above
SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO let ters@classicbike.co.uk
Vincent Rapide
My friend Bill Jenkins passed away in 2021. Bill had brought a Vincent Rapide over from the UK in 1969, but it was soon stolen. Since then, he had gathered parts to build another, but the project was never finished. I bought the stash from his estate, and set about making a bike from them.
Around 80% of the required parts were present, with some extras, in conditions varying from good to scrap. Frame and engine numbers don’t match, and are actually from different Vincent generations – the engine and upper frame were Series C, while forks and rear frame were Series B. Not fatal flaws when building a Vincent, though possibly it won’t win any concours trophies.
It took many hours of work, for which I didn’t charge myself and thus saved a lot of money, but the project finally came together. I discovered that it’s much harder to assemble a bike from parts which have never before been together – nothing fits perfectly without attention.
Restored
The result is worth it, though – after the usual fettling, it’s a fine ride. I think Bill would be pleased to see his project finally on the road.
Restored
Bultaco Metralla
I have been restoring and collecting Bultacos for over 25 years now, and thought you might be interested in this 1964 Metralla. It was originally bought in Seville by a US airman who subsequently brought it back to California. It apparently lost spark a few years later and was parked, languishing for over half a century until his widow parted with it. When picking it up, the shipper called to ask if I was aware: “this thing is a rust bucket?’. It certainly was, but I was able to save most all the original bits and restored it as it was when first registered, with all the European parts back in place. It has won a number of awards and is one of my most prized possessions.
Ridden
Francis-Barnett Falcon
This is my project from last year – a 1955 Francis-Barnett Falcon 70. Bequeathed to a friend of mine by her father, the bike had lain untouched in
