Some new paint for the '51 Rapide

erik

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28399
 

TouringGodet

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I’m not sure, but that looks like a water slide transfer. Plus the font looks odd, especially the “Stevenage” portion. I’ll post a photo of a NOS non-water slide transfer later today.
 

davidd

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John's tank is lovely!

I don't think it matters much, but I have never seen an original tank with the Mercury crest near the oil filler (which does not mean it was not done that way). Also, the original Vincent transfers are quite delicate. I have never seen one survive intact. There is always some noticeable degradation.

Shots of the original Bob Chantland Black Shadow:

Chantland Tank 01.jpg


Chantland Tank 02.jpg


David
 

TouringGodet

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First up, this is one of the current Spares Co transfers, created from artwork re-generated a few years ago, after examining original transfers. This is a water slide transfer. The back side of the transfer is mounted to the carrier. The water slides have a clear border area around the image, and between the wings and the leg, and between the Vincent scroll and the lower portion.

IMG_2522.JPG

Next, a NOS transfer my father bought back in the day. The non-water slide transfers are face down, the face of the transfer is on the carrier, which is like tissue paper. These do not have the clear border area, nothing between the wings, and between the scroll and the lower portion.

IMG_2523.JPG

On both, the "Stevenage" text is wider, it fills up the area more than the one on the Comet tank above. It starts to the left of the "H" in HRD, and extends past the right side of "Ltd".

Click the thumbnail images to view the full resolution.
 

TouringGodet

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The Mercury Crest on the top of the petrol tank tended to wear off pretty quickly. The Vincent Scroll transfers on the sides would last longer. I think there are a number of original paint "unrestored" tanks, that have had replacement Mercury Crests applied.
 

TouringGodet

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The Mercury Crest on the tank at the top, it does not have the little circles between H R D, and the Stevenage font is too thick, like it is a bold font.
 

timetraveller

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Bob Peacham was the organiser of the Kent and Sussex Section for about 50 years and he had a Shadow which had been used in the 53 TT. We all assumed that it was as original apart from the mods for competition and so when I wanted to make a fibreglass 'pattern' so that I could get the correct outline for the 'gold' lines on the tank I measured his bike and compared it with the lines drawn up in MPH by Eddie Stevens and Frank Griffin. Upon measuring the position of the lines it became clear that the line at the rear of one side was 3/4" different from the other. Non of us had ever noticed this. It was only later that Beryl, his widow, told us that early on in his ownership the tank had been repainted. I made the GRP pattern to the figures in MPH and having scribed a line down the centre of the mould I measure equal distances to each side to ensure symmetry. It is interesting how right the lines look when correctly positioned and how wrong when they are in the wrong place.
 
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