Hitchcocks Forum

Hello,

Can someone tell me what decals or badges a 1954 350 Bullet would have had on the side panels please.

A link to a picture would be useful, thank you.

David

No "decals" or badges but Transfers on the toolbox lids is what I suppose you mean? If so, they are listed on this site as Transfer 24 in the Accessory Shop. There were also transfers on the rear mudguard, air filter box lid, tank top and the plate across the front forks below the headlamp Casquette. Do you need these as well?

REgards, Mark

Thank you for your reply Mark, I have all the other Transfers correct, the reason I sought confirmation on the side panels is I have seen many Bullets of the same era with gold crest RE transfers, did they do two version? as I actually prefer the look of the latter! Although I am trying to be historically accurate.

I presume back in '54, they'd have been water-slide transfers?

Thanks,

David

Hi David, the gold RE company crest was found on the tank top and front fork plate but not the toolbox lids. These lids appear not to have had anything at all on them up until 1953 when the 700cc Meteor and the 500cc Bullet were introduced. It looks like the previous models, both the 500 Twin and the 350 Bullet, didn't need transfers to distinguish them because they were the only bikes in their categories, ie, Twin and semi-unit single. Once the 500 Bullet and 700 Twin came along you can imagine that the new buyer would want to be able to show that they had the larger superior machine and so needed identification for the general public. That's my theory anyway!

REgards, Mark

And yes, water slide were original. I tried these a few times in the past and found it quite tricky to get a good result but I've no idea where you'd get them now, all the new ones seem to be vinyl. Mind you the vinyl look ok once you've got a bit of lacquer over them. REgards, Mark

Hi Guys !!------- you could always try making them yourself... I know a lot of the folk in the Model Engineering world do just that using their PC computer, photos of an original Railway Company crest and waterslide paper that's designed for just this purpose....In the case of a large 5" gauge or 7.25" gauge crest it would be about the same size as the ones you are talking about...

PS---- check on copyright first !!!

Mark, how do you manage to lacquer the vinyl ones without making a right old mess on the tank? Is it a special type of lacquer (very thin) or is it just a painstaking job. Mick.

Mick, you're right, thin and careful is the way to do it. I cover the centre part first, flatten it with a dry brush and then work out to the edges, just overlapping the vinyl. It's not an ideal finish but especially on tanks where there is a risk of petrol spillage there's no alternative. Is there?

REgards, Mark