![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91b59DfkeJSWr1LVjTPfzhLzR8Ue-gKLW7qnUMK0AhzdLGMDZAX_YriQWTCYQMEmwzZ7CJ9E5mxcDNqy8zC7c2gsAmK4SrLsdzAKevOUb62xSKyDuIVAFLvnl4kYFttFuAKWwBLWVfixq/s400/late50stx1.JPG)
I was pretty fascinated with the Bell 500-TX helmet so I did some more digging and with Tjebbe's help from ZZ-Chop I located this great helmet book! (Check out the original post if you're interested as well as for an advertisement showing the rare visor above):
http://nostalgiaonwheels.blogspot.com/2009/06/bell-500-tx-helmet-is-worth-its-weight.html)
Apparently Rin Tanaka's book entitled "The Motorcycle Helmet" dates this Bell 500-TX helmet to around 1957-1958, making it one of the earliest know examples. The marbled visor was made by Cragar and is evidently mega rare as well!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wr1cQY-trmSn-wtjjD7TCnZuczRFlAJa3RFXqPDeh6EG2gs6PC1Q6XATUTu5kkFEA9zH8D7rczdGRPYgjOZB4yQ9g4G0s90FJIxO6WqNGy4syQyStacvzcGELNaLTd4M13ys4oi_zlDj/s400/late+50s+tx+2.JPG)
First Snell logo bears no serial numbers apparently!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3InHrEbVX37Ow5QGOMiLeffr4mVh2slwEh-TbWd_ToMjvpTCU7XiTJjgK_Y4tFn5_FdnzvYdawG56lqpJKfsFCTCxjjw_Bua1ByuuM2Zov6dPjsBpp3kd0vMKdRRwp4TmBoHmoX_XpOC/s400/late50stx3.JPG)
This one is most likely a 1958-1959 version!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K0kpudr-r6tHPPBL-l0iDIe3MrqMDVjwYFqCpRbUtcWB33zl7WyYH_18YA9MQIHtwlVXl9nbS0xuC70_MOZQFwUdQfrrT03xJXE471idODHRC5fwtuVuaKOZWNomq90l6F87DHF-iD4b/s400/late50stx4.JPG)
Early liner is supposedly all white!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1vzvXGOCg4dhTdrhxKlKcNUnxxnRlPGKAoSOvE19NnDVDCsLHc1qtFlm68V0hgnggiZ8IsrO6Cuvbnd7gghBtAwckuZtEExwbOfEo_TR0p5mD7WqBgGTGa0mNE5iZXEgHnWsAO1TbHbZ/s400/lates50stx5.JPG)
Front waterslide decal looks the same on both late 50s models!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDGWRy5_VUPAjxMGyeJ40BCa0GylbxrjeSNxx0s87FBOHl_qIeVO0tAv8oLY60LQd6S88C7CIz8Pp4lOmLTuLOdsemGi19i9onFxZBIg6QZNModyK56hHVu61m1oJljC3eJDY6_-A_rZP/s400/late50stx6.JPG)
The later 50s example shown here with the serial numbers!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkb1_vn2DXkn3rhGDLekJtPKCKLPtOyqyoVYKJdfDKrxjTFRBtJdCFVDV0wMjBIaFGb2L-hqWDpA877A4sdP2gK7EBeTm_IIHhfPX7HCpcCFolAJglbcAPTxNfMRljjTenJruPpNk1hqO/s400/mid+60s+tx+1.JPG)
The 1965 version with the metallic silver Bell sticker up front!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DyjC7dcigDGmHz8Cl0s3ipXUzKjBd2z59qydmc4xuPfoEx_aTxD4Sap7kfQkohFy2KGO-lPVSuRfx740jJDJ6ZRAKKDRlu-WZ7v9j0j_OLgG_o-TtyQ4jnPXZofonEwlMCI-1vRNqBB-/s400/mid+60s+tx+2.JPG)
Even the interior styrofoam colors change with the versions!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMK4L9jEsnu0yskK4G7DH75OwAL-tEOSjVzACi88jiqIJ4woj9fjC9Fc46AwnOcoqwnxH7VpUWxQXoQNCN7tZJl_8-v99wil-q3jylYxSD0tg4efDUfyc1CSJxpkXu8nhka4q4cJRvI9Ud/s400/mid+60s+tx+3.JPG)
An up close and personal with the silver metallic mid-60s Bell logo!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS57RCfmgkcRTK3Fea9UThqlCPUnpJCjpFYwKS7bYobAFFu86CJhcKW4nMlV2Zt3ThPPrnAza_hbuIY25pVbTUCf7KsAx8rxfBl5C5zSSnraKtGAu1vQzERTT7Pi_KIqiKPuEeDa1NJ4Gn/s400/mid+60s+tx+ad.JPG)
Liner details from Yoshi's 1969 catalog. For the late 60s 500-TX examples see the earlier post! (all information shown here was taken from Rin Tanaka's great book, "The Motorcycle Helmet" 1930s - 1990s!