Hitchcocks Forum

My 1953 bitsa Bullet currently has a 1999 Indian casquette and forks fitted. Three of the threads have stripped on the casquette, two headlight and one handlebar clamp, not from tightening I might add, but just for no reason. The handlebars have now started moving so I have to do something about it. I have a Redditch casquette with good threads which has cost less than the price of a couple of helicoil kits. The question is, before I start a stripdown, will the Indian fork threads fit the Redditch casquette? Also, what's the difference between a Bullet/Twin casquette and a Crusader one? (assuming they all have the twin pilotlights) There's no cable holes at the bottom and I don't know wether its an early or late one. Thanks for your help.

Hi Chris,
With the handelbar clamp I assume you are talking about the top 2 studs, I have tapped them out to 8mm from memory and fitted studs from the later Bullets which are much longer and go right through the casquete. not sure what you mean about the headlight studs

I have an early (1956-ish)top yoke with speedo but no headlamp. I replaced the knackered 1956 fork tubes with new tubes from our hosts that were Enfield India parts, presumably intended for the early Indian forks, so I think you should be O.K.
The Crusader and Bullet casquette have different part numbers, I suspect the main difference is where the plugs screw in at the top of each fork leg on the Bullet as the the Crusader plugs screw into the top of the "spring guide tube".

Thanks John, I'll take the plunge. Norm I meant the two little headlight screws at the side, for some reason the alloy stripped in the casquette without me even doing anything. Yesterdy I spent some time looking at the 50's and 90,s casquettes side by side and can now tell them apart at a glanse, hows that for being an anorak?