An Appeal To Friends, Fellow Vincent Owners and AMCA Family
I am sure we all have at one time or another seen a TV report, a newspaper article in which tragic and catastrophic events have been described. At the same time thinking to yourself that couldn’t happen to me, my friends or family – not me.
Well recently a catastrophic event that could have been even more tragic in conclusion happened to one of our Vincent family friends – Phil Mahood. Phil as most of you will know is our Club I.T. Officer, but he is more than that. Acknowledged as a premiere Vincent restorer, Phil was giving wonderful service to enthusiasts in Eastern Canada the U.S. The worth of Phil’s craft is his beloved Series B Rapide, which had just won 3 major concours awards. Phil’s livelihood has depended for many years on his restoration business, and that has come to a crashing halt with an unbelievable set of events that almost cost him his life and destroyed literally all his worldly possessions.
He was woken up in the middle of the night to suffocating smoke and a conflagration of fire. Phil had only moments to run for his life before his home burned to the ground.
Phil lost everything. The scope of the loss is staggering to contemplate and includes not only his shop equipment – lathe, mill, drill press, special tools, parts, but his B Rapids, plus a twin motor and a Vincent project for two of his friends. Also lost were all his clothing, riding gear, furniture, kitchenware, computers, electronics, an extensive Vincent library, and memorabilia collection. In addition, and irreplaceable by any circumstance, are family heirlooms, records, photo albums, personal items, and something not many would consider – his identity. Phil’s drivers’ license, medical card, credit cards, birth certificate, and passport all went up in smoke. That is right, everything big and small perished from a toothbrush to car keys, and his vehicle.