Plugging along on the restoration and about to order some masks for the contract number to be painted on the tank.
After seeing several of the photos on the main and forum screens, I began to wonder if there is a standard marking font and placement. The closest font match I came up with was Gautami which matches fairly well. However, it seems there are plenty of variations to where the number might be painted, size (even though the specs in the '45 section say 1.75" tall), bordering, etc. Even today's forum picture shows a lovely Norton with the contract number on a fender plate.
Is there a good standard to follow for the font and placement?
Gas detector paint on the fender and headlamp is a whole other question. :)
Thanks and I hope everyone is enjoying a great day,
Justin
The 'Contract Number' applied to a whole contract of potentially thousands of machines. This is usually shown on the brass 'Contract Plate' fitted originally to rear number plate holders and later directly to the rear mudguard.
The number displayed variously on left hand tank side, front and rear number plates and finally both tank sides is the War Department Serial Number, commonly referred to (including officially) as the WD Census number and this was unique to each vehicle. They were issued in batches with the initial letter denoting the class of vehicle ('C' for motorcycles including sidecars).
In order to be accurate, it will be necessary to search for photographs of serials close to yours. Usually fairly definite patterns emerge, but there is a world of difference between practices in 1939 and those pertaining in 1945.
A number of us hold, I suspect, catalogued photo collections. If you post your frame number or the census number you intend to use, we can have a look for a bike close.
