My new 1950's fillet brazed project.

I've been trying to i.d. this 1950s 531 frame. Unique bilaminate lugs on the head tube.
http://s912.photobucket.com/user/a111r/library/new%20531%20frame?sort=3&page=1

Bought as a complete yet miss-matched bike and stripped of 8 coats of paint and all the tat discarded.
Best guess is that it's a H.E. Green.
Initially I was thinking it may be a Gillott but the marque expert tersely pointed me toward Green.

Project started in January and is about half way there now. Things are being fitted up, taken apart, changed, shelved, bought / sold etc.

It won't be period correct. The '57' in my username is reference to Heinz's varieties.

I have no idea what it is, all I know that it's absolutely stunning. I love OTT lugs, no reason for them other than to look beautiful, art.

Fork crown looks exactly like my old 1949/50 Claud Butler International. Probably not much help in identifying it. Looks like a nice frame. I would love to get another 40s/50s British bike.

I have no idea what it is, all I know that it's absolutely stunning. I love OTT lugs, no reason for them other than to look beautiful, art.

Thanks! Currently it's wearing:
A custom, yet maybe temporary, Hawkes paint job.
Bianchi Pista 700c wheels.
GB Hiduminium 4" stem, Maes bars
Stronglight ally taper roller headset.
A white Selle Italia, thin thing.
Hopefully a period Stronglight crankset will arrive this week.

Fork crown looks exactly like my old 1949/50 Claud Butler International. Probably not much help in identifying it. Looks like a nice frame. I would love to get another 40s/50s British bike.

Funnily enough, when I went to view it, I thought it was that very same model!
C.B. International Club.
Love 40s/50s twin plate fork crowns...a period neccessity, homegrown functionality.

Here's the current build up.

Lovely. However this needs 27" wheels!

Needs those head lugs chroming...
As to identifying it, they could have been added later but I doubt it, still, nice frame.
Stallard rear dropouts, as fitted to a good number of higher quality frames by various builders.
Where are the numbers positioned - what are they?

Cheers. Yeah, I know...I'm on it for 27". In fact, I bought a complete ebay bike recently just for the 27" wheels but the hubs were of too low a quality and the rims were too wide. So they soon went on another quick 'SS Raleigh racer' conversion, after truing up.

BB and steerer have 5748. It has a threadless BB, it takes an 'oil bath' unit. This photo was taken before I discovered that fact.
Was quite a shock when it slid out..

Or just put bigger tyres on and save the headache of finding decent 27" tyres.

You got the classic Maes shape handlebar, basically the classic version of a compact drop bar with flat hood and drop.

This week I've acquired:
Some sound 27" wheels. 60's and 70's mixed Mavics with large flange, sealed bearing Lambert hubs. The rear has been run fixed so has unworn brake tracks. So now I need yet more tyres.

Another pair of GB Maes with 'William Morris style' engravings. Nice!
A 60's 2" GB stem. For use as and when function of the 4" spearpoint triumphs over its form.

Hmmmm.
As lovely as the twin plate forks are, there is still a massive 1" gap with a 27" wheel and a NOS 27" x 1" tyre fitted.
Not a good look, albeit original. Plus the massive 2 and 3/4" rake will feel just nasty (...as it did on the Hawkes before it went to a Holdsworth 700c fork).

Whereas, a 700c fork with a 27" runs a fag paper clearance, necessitates a modern caliper, would feel better...but is, essentially, 'wrong'.
Thus, one is in a quandry.

Comments please......

I'd say stay with the 27" personally as I'm a sucker for keeping things vaguely in the vain of the relevant period / do what you want :) lovely bike BTW

Double Norks!
Glasses have optically revealed that BOTH brake levers have serious fatigue cracks.
I sold my spare 80's Wine-man levers that 'would be a swap fix', for just nowt.

You can always fit 700c wheels with shorties:

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4005/4571379571_9f1516a162_o.jpg

Or 38mm Vittoria Randonneur tyres

You can always fit 700c wheels with shorties:

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4005/4571379571_9f1516a162_o.jpg

Or 38mm Vittoria Randonneur tyres

Cheers.
I have found some nice 27" Mavics with Lambert sealed bearings high flange hubs.
Just need a solid rear axle to fit, 'of X diameter'.

Right, this project WILL be nailed within the next two weeks.
Another dropped bar change is coming up...

The Summer Holidays have started: 3.3 Hawkes are going South West for two weeks, as per tradition, leaving 1.0 at home... "must sort out some house jobs" :-)

Now with Concorde bars, Mafac levers and Tressorex cloth that's doesn't look like a clinical dressing...

Hopefully my lacquering will avoid this!
3 month old Condor tape. It was greying quite steadily, until the rear puncture last week

Kind of finished now. Weighing in at 9.2 Kg.

Looks great!
Love the drillium. Interested to see how the tape weathers. How many coats did you do?

Looks great!
Love the drillium. Interested to see how the tape weathers. How many coats did you do?

Thanks. That's a NOS Stronglight ring, cut 'n' shut with a worn out Stronglight ten speed crank.

I did 4 coats over 12 hours to allow the solvent evaporate but I think 3 is optimum. I'll be watching to see if if chips off in chunks...

Oh, and I've got a spare NOS Chater Lea Oil bath BB if you want it.

Thanks for the offer but going to stick with a cartridge unit. In fact, it's fracked. I had forgotten it was a parts bin one I had swapped out for being noisey and rough.
I'll pay Matt at Singlespeedcomponents a visit, he's got some 103 mm in stock and he's a top chap.

What does the expert panel think I would get for my esoteric ensemble of variously vintage parts, if I were to offer this bike for sale?

I'm not really considering doing this but I'm interested and would value your opinions.

^^ Well, now I am.

ST CTC 55 and TT CTC 56.5 are just a bit too large for me. I suspected this all along. Still, it was fun building.