In this era, unblown sprint bikes of this type ran in the elevens in the quarter mile on alcohol. In constant competition with George Brown's unblown Nero was Neville Higgins' The Heap.

English sprinting stalwart Neville Higgins christened his first racing Vincent "The Heap" because he built it out of odds and ends. The Heap weighed 350 pounds and the alcohol motor produced approximately 85 horsepower. It featured BSA forks, and in its final development, it had a long homemade rear fork. The long wheel base was an attempt to keep the front wheel down off the start line. During this period, Neville and I often argued about the need for rear suspension. Americans all ran rigid frames and posted lower ETs and higher terminal velocities--much of this due paradoxically to a rigid frame. A rigid frame keeps the line quicker and straighter. At that date, the British believed rear suspension was necessary for their rough strips. Later they all went rigid, and faster.

Neville used the Heap for sprinting and hill climbing. (British Hill Climbing was a standard start short paved road event with bends and climbs, often on a private estate. Length might be half a mile or more, depending on what was available.) Neville and I have been pen pals for many years and have recently renewed our friendship. The Heap ran superbly, accounting well for itself and its rider/owner, and still does today. Neville lives in Sweden now, where he works designing for Volvo, but he still enjoys breaking out the Heap and giving it a go. He gave me these shots over the years, as well as many of the others that appear in my collection. A true competitor, Neville brought his camera with him to many meets and enjoyed photographing the fine examples of workmanship he saw in the pits.

From a letter dated 5/16/63:

Two weeks ago I had a win at Church Lawford, in a round the airfield sprint. Most of the opposition was at Ramsgate. Last weekend was Blackpool on Saturday, and a quarter at Church Lawford on Sunday. On Saturday we had a hailing gale, blowing clouds of black sand off the beach, torrential rain inbetween. Added to that, The Heap missed third every run. I had oiled the rear plugs, so I was not happy, 12.4 and 12.5. George did 11.6 and Ernie 11.9. But I'm told Alfie Hagen, with his two-speed Triumph, did 11.4 and blew us all off. The new one to be called Jindivik, is progressing. The frame is all welded up now and there are three major jobs left to do. 1. Lower drive 2. Fuel tank 3. Blower outlet manifolding. The latter two are well in hand (I was on the tank tonight) and I am waiting to hear from a firm making duplex Vee belts for the drive.

Ernie Woods astride his JAP/Norton Sprinter	Higgins launches The Heap . . .

From a letter dated 6/16/64:

Rode the Heap for the first time this year last weekend. Ragley Hill Climb on Saturday. Knocked George Buck's 1963 record of 24.99 seconds down to 24.83, then went on to Whiskham Park Climb on Sunday. I won in 49.83 seconds, just beating Roy Gipee (the mad Cornishman) who did a superb 49.94 on his old Triumph. The chap can really ride and to see him whizzing around hairpin bends in grass track style is an education.

The Heap was followed by Neville's blown job, Jindivik. At the end of a standing kilometer (5/8 of a mile) this bike would be touching 180 mph or more. It challenged Super Nero for supremacy in the British sprinting scene and is truly a tribute to Neville's craftsmanship.

Neville choose to place Jindivik's blower in front of the engine. He reasoned that the blower weight and wheel base length would help keep the front wheel down. The gear box doubled as the engine oil tank and housed only two speeds. Using a monstrous SU carburetor, Neville sent all that power through a single row 5/16 x 1/2 primary chain, and a modified Norton multi-plate clutch. The original single Vee belt proved to be inadequate, and so Neville began using two belts with a tension pulley. The drive side was also cleaned up and covered with a plate. The blown engine acquired coiled ignition to sustain effective spark under the increased pressure.

From a letter dated 6/23/64:

On Sunday I went to Long Marston 880 yards. I did a 17.56 seconds for first in a very poor entry. Jindivik is a brute to get off the line in kilo geering, must go up to over a hundred miles per hour in bottom! Trying it at Church Lawford after the meeting I threw it on the floor again. Bruises on me and dents and a flat exhaust pipe on the bike! The first two tries it didn't spin, so I thought "I'll make it go some how!," stood up off the seat, gave it a great handful and dropped the clutch. There was a great cloud of rubber smoke like an atomic bomb mushroom, about an acre of molten tar, and I landed in a heap up to my elbow.