A History of Classic Racing 50cc Motorcycles

1958 - I DUN THE TUN! - A humorous approach to Advertising.

Searching for some information on the August 1958 races at Crystal Palace, I came across this advert and reading it had me going back to my childhood when I was brought up in London. It was written using the using the East Ends approach of colloquial English. It made me laugh whilst trying to form the sounds and I thought it would be a good page for the History site.

“Er, Willie I jus dun the tun."

“Oh yer?—wot, on yer rotten old trickle chaser—yer couldn't do the tun over the end of Beachy Ead."
“Oh yes I ‘ave.'." said voice number one.
"I'm not goin' to corl yer a liar in front of yer bird. but I reckon wot you done is tuned yer speedo." Voice number two transferred his attention back to the juke box.
Voice number one looked affronted. "l ‘ave just super-tuned my machine and wot with my hexperience it is now 15 miles an hour faster than wot it was."

Voice number two turned away from the juke box. "Wot yer know abaht tuning I could stuff inside me main jet wiv art stoppin the fuel flow." he said.

The time for it duel was rapidly approaching. The two left the café, closed the door, opened it, walked back in and sat down. The total time that elapsed was just that.

There. I told yer." said voice number one. Voice number two was obviously impressed.

"I was 'avin' wheel slip." he said by way of an excuse. "Anyway wot ‘ave yer done?"

"I've tuned it wiv some of this Molyd—MoIidid.—Moly-watsit stuff." voice number one told him.

Cor.” said voice number two. "Wot's that?"

Voice number one was confidential. He leant over the table and whispered, "It's 'ighly technical. Sort of like 'erring scales! Fausands of 'erring scales ow ground up little and mixed in wiv yer oil. Bloke at work wot uses it in ‘is car give me some."

“Yer, but l bet it's not real 'erring scales. I bet it's plastic 'erring scales," said voice number two. Voice number one aired his knowledge. "Nah. of course it's not real ‘erring scales. I just said it was like ‘erring scales."

“Don't they smell?" asked voice number two refusing now to believe it was anything but " 'erring scales." "When my mum's cooking 'errings I always goes for a burn-up—I sometimes comes 'ome to one as well." He laughed. The pick-up on the juke box jumped three grooves.

A large, well padded leather jacket approached the two.

“Ulloh Sil." said voice number two. Sil peeled herself down to a presentable 36-24-38 and sat next to the rider with the reversible crash hat.

"Ear. Willie—l jus' dun the tun." she said.

"I know." said voice number two. “You bin using ‘erring scales!"

Here ends the conversation on the fishy runs. Sorry to our overseas members a they may have problems in translating this. Here is the remainder of the advert.

MOLYSLIP FOR 4-STROKE; ENGINES — Molybdenum Disulphide Oil Supplement. Gives more power, greater acceleration. Smoother running and less wear. 4 oz. tin 7/6d. (12.5p)

MOLYSLIP ‘G’ for GEARBOX, TRANSMISSION and CHAIN DRIVE. Also CONTROL CABLES. 4 oz. Flask 7/6d.

MOLYSLIP MULTI-PURPOSE GREASE. 1lb. tin 8/M. 3 oz. tube 2/6d.

MOLYSLIP 2-STROKE." Special Molybdenum Disulphide supplement for 2 Stroke petrol/oil mixtures. 4 oz. Flask 7/6d.

WRITE FOR FREE COPY OF “FIGHT AGAINST FRICTION." 20 page manual on Molybdenum Disulphide lubrication. Free lubrication charts also available from:—The SLIP Group of Companies. 34 Great St. Helens, London, E.C.3. Tel.: Avenue 1636. Lubrication Technologists for over a quarter of a century.

Some 50cc riders, such as Vic Dedden, used Molyslip in the petrol/oil and gearbox of their engines. These pictures are of a pages out of March 1958 issues of motor magazines.