Condor No2 - Bill Hurlow 1959.

That's fab :).

Chrome looks really good, is it original? The front tyre looks very 1970's lol

Hi @SideshowBob
This is a proper frame almost certainly built for racing and with no expense spared for that reason it definitely needs a similar set of wheels. I think nothing less than FB or Campag hubs on italian sprint rims. The 27" wheels are a tight fit so the sprints should fit well.

The Condor shop sounds interesting but I'm out of London unfortunately.

Head badge - It could well be using old stock, Looking at early badges they seem to be a silver /chrome colour metal and this one is a copper colour.

Thanks, The hunt for something suitable starts :)

The chrome on the forks is very good and good be a renovation job.

Renovation chrome or not its a smart bit of chroming to look so nice since it was done :).

Interesting page on CL about suitable wheels for Lightweights from 45'-60' -

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/wheels-avt.html

What's the drop out width on your frame? I would guess it has been cold set to 126mm to match the other changes.

No changes - 120mm

.

Underneath the old bike paint lacquer, Chrome is in fine condition

1 Attachment

.

1 Attachment

Very nice is there any original paint left along with the chrome.

No, There looks like there is some under the paint around the brake bridge which I may look at

What is happening with this? Any progress?

re: the address on the head badge, this is a good way to age the frame because, as I recall, the frames that came with them/were in production had the address blanked out. I imagine they had a load of headbadges they didn't want to bin either so it would place the frame just after the move. I used to have a Condor with a similar obscured address.

No progress unfortunately, life has got in the way

AvT's knowledge is excellent, but he seems to have missed the elephant in the room - which is that tubulars are the same size as modern 700's (indeed that was the size for which they were made ), so a frame made for sprints and tubs might just as well have been made for 700's. What's more, most frames intended for 26's were usually made so gappy that 700's actually fit them better than the intended size.

So, it's the frames that were intended for 27's that are most difficult to cater for today since they are not going to look good except with 27's which, as we know, are not really very satisfactory from the riding point of view.

As to the width of the rear drop outs, this only tells you what the last owner was using the frame for, since the distance was often adjusted according to the owner's current requirement; the frame builders' maxim being 'braze it and bend it'.

I considering selling this frame, If anyone is interested.

Update... Hi all, I managed to purchase this frame from SideshowBob, and done a first fix, all of the parts I've had for another Condor project, which has been put on hold due to front fork issue. The frame will get painted over the winter. As always there is always an issue! the two bottom bracket axles that I have are not right, one short one long! It's has a mixed bag of Campagnolo kit, Record hubs on Alesa rims, Gran Sport crank set, pedals, brakes and gears. Athena brake levers and seat post. Brooks saddle and pedal straps. GB stainless toe clips, Stelvio handle bar stem and bars.

5 Attachments

few more

5 Attachments

That's it, I will update again when bottom bracket is sorted and its on the road again...

3 Attachments

Picked up a 1968 dated Condor last week, badge is also missing the shop number! Quite like the oddity of this though!

1 Attachment