Knew the feeling had, hand pay pack to mum you got the change,
Finding First Vincent Advice
- Thread starter Ben Langton
- Start date
Yes, my dear old mum acted as guarantor for the HP agreement. At that time 21 was the age at which one could be legally 'responsible' and I was only 18 or 19 at the time. Thinking about it, it might have been 1957 not 58.
This gives you some idea of values date 1961-62
I was riding my G3L matchless (clip ons etc) past Harrisons of High Wycombe and called in to their showroom, there in the room was a resplendent G45 racer with a footrest on a Castrol R tin and a registration plate on the back "How much?" asked I
"£120" said Mr Harrison
"How much for my G3L350"
"£80"
Home to mum
"I want to change my 350 Matchless for a 500, can you lend me £40" (I knew I was in her good books for a lot of jobs I had done)
Mum said she would lend it me at a certain pay back rate but decided she had better ring Mr Harrison to see if a cheque was OK (It was the early 1960's)
"Thats OK madam but you do know its a RACING matchless 500"........
My so-called mate bought the G45 for himself the next weekend, he knew I was mad about my lost sale, so He stuck a bit of 1/4" bent rod through the rear spindle of the G45 and with me on the bump seat took me doown to Monty and Wards in Twickenham there Geoff Monty fixed me up with a 1951 long stroke 7R for £50 with a bulb horn on the rear footrest and registered for the road, I sold the G3L for £65 and spent the next year riding that 7R everywhere (with push bike lights) I certainly got to know bump starting and when we went out with the 7R and the G45 to watch the Silverstone high speed trials we felt like the lords of creation only one thing ever overtook us a certain black beast with a box of groceries on its tank, but thats another longer story which hasent ended yet.
I was riding my G3L matchless (clip ons etc) past Harrisons of High Wycombe and called in to their showroom, there in the room was a resplendent G45 racer with a footrest on a Castrol R tin and a registration plate on the back "How much?" asked I
"£120" said Mr Harrison
"How much for my G3L350"
"£80"
Home to mum
"I want to change my 350 Matchless for a 500, can you lend me £40" (I knew I was in her good books for a lot of jobs I had done)
Mum said she would lend it me at a certain pay back rate but decided she had better ring Mr Harrison to see if a cheque was OK (It was the early 1960's)
"Thats OK madam but you do know its a RACING matchless 500"........
My so-called mate bought the G45 for himself the next weekend, he knew I was mad about my lost sale, so He stuck a bit of 1/4" bent rod through the rear spindle of the G45 and with me on the bump seat took me doown to Monty and Wards in Twickenham there Geoff Monty fixed me up with a 1951 long stroke 7R for £50 with a bulb horn on the rear footrest and registered for the road, I sold the G3L for £65 and spent the next year riding that 7R everywhere (with push bike lights) I certainly got to know bump starting and when we went out with the 7R and the G45 to watch the Silverstone high speed trials we felt like the lords of creation only one thing ever overtook us a certain black beast with a box of groceries on its tank, but thats another longer story which hasent ended yet.
Bought from George Brown one used 1971 Francis Barnett (trials ) Rego ONK 746, 110 pounds, mum was guarantor for HP. George had just set up his first shop behind Shelford and Crowes in Stevenage high street
Try 1951 Fanny B, bought July 1953
I did wonder David
Financed and sponsored by Yeoman Credit UK. they then Sponsored Formula 1 Watch this space !