Hitchcocks Forum

Hi I just bought a 1960 Bullet rolling chassis with a reg plate but no V5C- the frame number is just 5 digits.
Is this the correct numer of digits? thanks

Contact Graham Scarth at REOC, he'll give you chapter and verse.

Hi Mart,

this one was on a very unrestored 1959 350 Bullet project I briefly owned, bought as a frame donor for Not A Fury but it was not needed in the end. I suspect your frame number won't be a million miles off. I sold the bike to our hosts, who sold it on quite soon afterwards. If the new owner is reading this, did you get it restored?

A.

The first thing I would do is to apply for a new V5 using the reg no and frame no.
It costs £25, but I believe that they refund this if they can't issue a V5.
If you are successful in obtaining a V5, it will increase your project's value by considerably more than £25.

As for your frame number question, I believe that the later Bullets lost their G2 prefix.

thanks for the info - I have a V62 application for a V5C but the reg is not listed with the DVLA , so worst case is Ill have to get a dating cert from REOC and start from scratch. was planning to fit a '94 engine. not sure if that will cause an issue with REOC though cheers

for those of you who get excited by crusty old enfields- I know I do !

For what it's worth, that might be a very late 350 Clipper, as it seems to have the 6 inch full width front hub.

Hi Mart

good finding. i am excited/vulnerable to frame/parts project like these.
that was my pick up ... i have now 90 % making of trials bike

If it's not on the Swansea computer you will probably will have to go down the age-related number route, though I know of someone who managed to keep the original number when they put an original 1960 Bullet back on the road fairly recently. I'd definitely go via the club and stick to their advice. Did you get any paperwork at all?

Once you have a V5C from the DVLA, whether for the original or an age-related number, it's easy enough to register an engine swap using the changes section on the inside of the V5C, it will just need the engine capacity, engine number and the date you fitted it. Sign the form and take it to your nearest post office that does vehicle tax renewals, and they will send it off for DVLA to issue a you new V5C with your 500 engine now listed. As these frames could have been fitted with 350 or 500 engines (or even twins) it doesn't fall foul of the limitations on changes under the MOT exemption rules.

I notice a selection of sidecar fittings on the frame, (so check it's straight if you haven't already done so), must have been an exciting outfit with a Clipper engine in there. A closer look at the full-sized picture shows a 19x3.25"front tyre, 17" wheels were normal for the 350s by then. 19" might have been preferred for sidecar use. The rear wheel looks like a 19" too.

A.

Adrian, the Clipper variants carried on with 19" wheels, after the Bullets were fitted with 17" ones.