I'm restoring a 1950 Hercules for an acquaintance who is sentimentally attached to the bike and also wants something basic to ride around the neighborhood. His dad bought the bike new in lieu of a car, which he thought was all that a young minister in the Seventh Day Adventist church could afford. He would make his rounds on this one-speeder and was also known to ride around for pleasure with his new bride perched on the handlebars. Slight bends in the top tube and the downtube where attached to the head tube suggest that things didn't always go so well. He was soon shamed into buying something with four wheels that didn't endanger his wife. Yet, the 1964 bicycle license sticker suggests that he continued using the bike even after he had turned respectable (sold out?).

The bike was eventually banished to the garage where it shamefully gathered dirt and rust. It was quite the mess when I got hold of it but the restoration is going well. I'll post some before and after pictures once I get further along and once I qualify to attach photographs (is it after 10 posts?)

The paint is far gone and the decals almost unreadable. I'll paint the frame (sage) and fenders (ivory white) and would also like to add decals that are similar to the originals. The bike has decals on the seat tube and the rear fender, in addition to an alloy headbadge that simply reads "H". The coolest thing about the bike, in my mind, are the cutouts in the chainring that read "HERCULES" (arranged in a circle).

I'd like your advice on finding decals that are similar to the originals, especially the decal of Hercules promising that this is the finest bike built to day and guaranteed for 50 years. The Hercules Cycle & Motor Company were sure certainly confident promoters of their product.

The following describes the three decals on the bike:

Decal with figure of Hercules and his shield (located on front of seat tube):

HERCULES

THE FINEST BIKE BUILT TO DAY

GUARANTEED FOR 50 YEARS

MADE IN ENGLAND BY

THE HERCULES CYCLE

& MOTOR COMPANY LTD

BIRMINGHAM - ENGLAND

Decal (in script), indicating the model name (located on front of seat tube, vertically):

Sports Model

Round decal on the rear fender:

THE HERCULES CYCLE & MOTOR CO. LTD

BIRTANNIA WKs BIRMINGHAM

I've checked out the outfits on Ebay based in Thailand who produce decals for vintage bikes but what they have for the Hercules brand isn't similar. I especially want that 50 year guarantee bit included in the decal.

Can you suggest other places I could search to find decals for this bike? In return for your help, I'll donate to someone on this forum the Perry coaster brake hub (it's the 2 star model) that originally came with the bike. I think it is functional but I didn't want to risk endangering my acquaintance's life so I replaced it with a new Shimano coaster brake hub. It doesn't have any rust. The date stamp is January, 1950.