Wanted: Track frame 56ish maybe 531 in need of some paint love

Hey, well I've finally got approval from the missus 'she's not angry, just disappointed' to start buying bits for the next project.

Quite simple really, I'm after a steel track frame and forks, not converted road as it will hopefully get about 50% track use, 55-57cm, threaded as I'm not an ahead fan, 531 would be nice, or anything with some nice lugs, preferable in need of a respray, nothing classic or too precious as it will be getting a respray in my new colour scheme idea, think the b*stard child of a colango tommasini marriage circa 92, to fit 700 not 27, standard spacing (100, 120) would be a preference but not essential.

Actually now I read it back not so simple at all really, anyway...

Drop me an email, I have (a small amount of) cash waiting, and can pick up from anywhere in London.

Interesting, do you know who, or from what, built it? Maybe I should have said something with a little pedigree. I was hoping for something with some more nervex type lugs,

Oh and if you have it, perhaps a small helping of moon for this stick I have lying around.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-TRACK-BIKE-FRAME-MADE-IN-ENGLAND_W0QQitemZ120260295793QQihZ002QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-TRACK-BIKE-FRAME-MADE-IN-ENGLAND_W0QQitemZ120260295793QQihZ002QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's just like my frame, Condor track ends... Very, very nice...

Was watching that, love that he knows nothing about it, yet is listed as 'Brand: Specialized ' and the crown is a 'chrome section' at the top of the forks. Would love to know where he found / nicked / inherited it from.

from the random shit they sell, I'd go with some sort of charity shop/ donation place.

Edit: If I didn't have to get rid of a bike, I'd buy that.

from the random shit they sell, I'd go with some sort of charity shop/ donation place.

Edit: If I didn't have to get rid of a bike, I'd buy that.

Exactly what you were looking for, wasn't it? Looks like a Holdsworth... I'm almost tempted to bid on it myself...

I reckon it will go for £150.
But yeah- holdsworth esque, I love holdsworth dearly.

Pretty much, £80 would be amazing, under £120 would be great, once it hits the stupid 'I want a classic track frame from ebay' money I'm out. I will be putting in a bid last minute provided it does not go crazy, which I think it might

wraparound stays, fork crown (gap - how odd) and slotted dropouts suggest it's not a holdsworth... will scrub up well though.

wraparound stays, fork crown (gap - how odd) and slotted dropouts suggest it's not a holdsworth... will scrub up well though.

Who else used slotted dropouts? My extensive research has led me to identifying those track ends as early Condor... Used by Condor (natch), Bill Hurlow and possibly Stan Miles... Any more info, PJ?

bill hurlow used to make frames for holdsworth in the 50s, but according to barry witcomb they used a 'holdworth dropout', a big flat feller.

holdsworth did wraparound stays , my 60's mistral has them ;)

looks very holdsworth esque, but not 100%

on the road frames, less likely on the 50s track with nervex... who knows. could well be anything. the seat stays look quite carltony. lots of holdsworths have semi wraparounds...

This thread's giving me a boner...
Seriously tho', I hate how hard it is to identify old Brit frames... So many framebuilders, so little hard information... Pfff!

Agreed, it could be pretty much anything, including wonky and loaded with cracks under that oh so lovely showroom finish paint job, its a risk, one I might take for not to much money

Seems like everyone is going to have a pop at that one for 'not too much money' - means it will probably go for too much money.

I'm sure that anything pretty that goes up in the ebay finds thread ends up getting a 'LDNFGSS cheeky bid' premium added onto the price

Someone with mad geek-skills should design some kinda LondonFGSS ebay sniper thang, where we can work out bids between us so as not to bump up the price bidding against each other on ebay proper.

Exactly what happened I recon, 195 for a bike of no know origin. Although my suspicions suggest a higgins or dick power. Hope someone here got it. Could be nice when its done. I dropped out in the £140s...

Now, back to my original post...

I got to 184.11, I know silly number...

well, here's a real one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOLDSWORTH-23-VINTAGE-ROAD-PATH-FRAME_W0QQitemZ190222288397QQihZ009QQcategoryZ22679QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That Holdsworth is pretty... I just bought some 60s NOS Nervex track ends for my mystery track frame... Gonna get Vaz to Hurlow-ize it... It will be the dog's knackers, in a pikey Vaz kinda way, o' course...

it's mixed reports from vaz always. im sure it'll be fine.

i took the plunge and took this one into witcomb last week, same price as mercian for respray, more or less:

That Zephyr is a beautiful machine... My lugs are soooo close to that, they're quite long too, assumed they were Nervex to begin with but haven't found a matching pattern during my research, I've been kidding myself they're actually hand cut Hurlow lugs... They ARE Bill Hurlow lugs, They ARE Bill Hurlow lugs, etc. etc. ad infinitum...

what colour is the worthy going to go?