A Norman Pillinger of Alcester Rapier racer
12-05-21, 03:54 AM
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A Norman Pillinger of Alcester Rapier racer
Hello there.
I wonder if anyone can help me please.
I have a beautiful vintage racer, but can't find out anything about its origin.
Does anyone know anything about this manufacturer, please?
I wonder if anyone can help me please.
I have a beautiful vintage racer, but can't find out anything about its origin.
Does anyone know anything about this manufacturer, please?
12-05-21, 06:46 AM
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That's not much to go on, though. We need pictures. Even a description would probably narrow things down somewhat.
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12-05-21, 07:08 AM
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Keep posting, when your count gets up to 10 you’ll be able to post pics. Try to start describing it.
12-05-21, 08:30 AM
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You can load pictures into an album in your account profile. From there, a member with more than ten posts can link to them in this discussion.
12-05-21, 09:23 AM
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If "Norman Pillinger of Alcester Rapier" is actually the name of the bike, that's impressive in and of itself.
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12-05-21, 11:27 AM
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12-05-21, 02:22 PM
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Welcome aboard, glad you found us, you're in the right place. 
If you are versed, you can describe the parts, details, markings, decals, etc.
Respond to each post here and you will get to the 5 posts X 2 days for 10 pretty quickly, its an anti spam measure that serves us very well.
And the album tip works well, we need pics, good ones and plenty of them.
Reason for interest?
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12-06-21, 12:13 AM
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What would really be cool is if the OP's bike was the same as well. Rarest of rare!
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12-06-21, 03:16 PM
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12-06-21, 03:22 PM
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Somehow I'm imagining a Spartacus scene about to take place:
"I am Norman Pillinger of Alciester!"
"No, I am Norman Pillinger of Alciester"!
"I am Norman Pillinger of Alciester!"
"No, I am Norman Pillinger of Alciester"!
12-06-21, 07:47 PM
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The name makes a little sense now. I had originally thought that the bike was made by the same English factory that made the "Norman" brand three-speeds. Pillinger? I thought that might be something like a berserker.
Which made no sense, because the rapier would not have been used in Norman times--it didn't come along for another five or six centuries. And there would not have been any Norman berserkers, I think, unless they were there on some kind of exchange program.
I feel better now that I know that it's a bike built by a guy named Norman Pillinger, who happened to have a shop in Alciester.
"Rapier" is a cool name, especially for a track bike.
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Last edited by jonwvara; 12-06-21 at 07:52 PM.
12-06-21, 08:41 PM
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Classic Lightweights Classic Lightweights Site website is a good place to begin a search, if you don't see the marque listed, drop them a note about it, someone can most likely doing you in the right direction.
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12-07-21, 07:06 AM
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According to Wikipedia, Alcester is in Warwickshire. The town holds a duck race every year during the second week of July. Somehow, Norman Pillinger is not mentioned in the "Notable Residents" list.
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12-07-21, 07:17 AM
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I think Norman Pillinger of Alcester Rapier was just the most random assemblage of words that a troll could think of to post about, yet also happened to be the name of a boutique framebuilder in days of yore.
12-07-21, 01:21 PM
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Well, if it were that, it would have been a Norman Pillager, which would be in line with their other models, "invader" and "conqueror," though i'm doubtful of "raper".
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12-07-21, 03:49 PM
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An odd way to sell a product. It's still done, though. What's that RV company that makes models like the Prowler and Intruder? I may be getting that wrong. The real names are so weird I sometimes confuse them with my made-up ones.
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12-07-21, 08:05 PM
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To say nothing of the once-common Subaru Brat, with its weird cargo area seating:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_BRAT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_BRAT
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12-07-21, 08:20 PM
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