I have a (probably) late 1950s Helyett Speciale frame that I plan to build up appropriately. It is similar to the one on the Classic Rendezvous website but a bit later because it has a left hand gear lever boss and cable stop added for a cable-operated front derailleur instead of the rod-operated one on the CR bike. Other differences are that the dropouts are chromed, not 1/2 forks and stays. The bike is in its original Helyett green, like the team bikes, and in all the period British ads I have seen, that was the only color available from the importer, Evian (G.B.) Limited. It is made from metric 531 butted tubing and Nervex lugs. There are twin cable stops at the rear of the RH chainstay for a Simplex 543 gear: I would imagine that this feature was dropped in 1960 or soon after with the introduction of the Juyrecord-60 and Juy-61 gears.
I bought this frame as a bike with absolute rubbish modern components from the brother of the original owner. I can only imagine the good period racing equipment that was thrown away in the process - the frame still had the obligatory Mafac dural forge callipers, a gas inflator bracket attached and a bit of broom handle stuffed up the steerer, so the original owner was evidently quite serious. Even if only a wannabe, it looks like he would have had all the right equipment. This happens to us all the time, but is a bit harder to take when the components are harder to come by -- I can't remember ever seeing a pair of Simplex FB road hubs on ebay.
Interestingly, the bottom bracket is English threaded and there is no sign of it having been re-tapped. Does anyone know if that was normal for the UK market or were they all like that? The steerer is French diameter and thread.
The serial number is 59277, so there is an inclination to jump to the conclusion that this is a 1959 frame, which would be right within a year or two. Anyone know if that is just coincidence or the way Helyett numbered their frames?
When did Helyett go out of business and were they absorbed by anyone else? It didn't hurt Jacques Anquetil switching to Gitane and Campagnolo equipment, because he won another tour that way, although of course, his frame would have been made by the same pair of hands as his "Helyetts".
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England