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I've been collecting some parts and have decided to go for a 4 speed block on the rear with a pretty close ratio double chainset up front-I've managed to get hold of a chatter-lea double adaptor so it will be a Chater Lea up front, probably 48/52 or something like that.
The rear derailleur will will be a Simplex Tour-de-France 4 speed, and for the front rings I've go a cycle France manual front changer, aka suicide lever. The only problem with this is it needs a braze on, which I don't really want to get fitted to the frame (for the sake of cost/originality etc), so I may have to use a modern band-on fitting for it or maybe get another different manual front changer.
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The bottom bracket axle will be a Chater Lea 1240 for oversize bottom bracket. (all Carlton's seem to have come with these early on). The only problem I envisage is that the simplex rear derailleur is for 1/8th chain, while the chatter lea adaptor is for 3/32 chainrings, so hopefully there will be enough physical space between these for the chain to move between without snagging or getting jammed. As the mechanism of a manual changer is pretty crude, I'm hoping it will be ok or can be botched if needs be (something that seems to have happened a lot back in the day....)
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Handlebars and stem are both reynolds hindumium, as will be the seat post if I can find one for a decent price. The wheels will be Airlite rear and Powell of Coventry front on Constricor Conloy Asp rims as I already have these. Not sure what brakes yet, but depending on what colour I go for it should all get finished off with those Green Bluemels mudguards, and look something like this:
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This is all rather lovely. Looking forward to following the repaint and build :)
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lmftfy
Dents are best sorted with skill and then brass :)
Yeah @jeff80 rolling out is to even out bulges, reducing the dent. I'm told it doesn't fully remove the dent, so a little brass is then put into the remaining dip.
You're right about Carltons & chrome. I had something chromed once. Still smarting from the bill.
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An interesting project. A couple of points:
The Chater B.B. needs 5/16th balls. I expect you know this, but not everyone does.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have used 3/32nd chain rings with an 1/8th chain and this caused no problem.
That block looks like 16 - 22 teeth, so a 48 inner with 26" wheels will give a bottom gear of 56.7" - quite high by modern standards.
Looking at the photo of the rear mech in post no. 6, it's worth bearing in mind that the nut on the end of the telescopic shaft (next to "4 vit.") is difficult to tighten since it's hard to hold the shaft. If it comes adrift in use the results are undesirable!
Chroming: If you do have this done, make sure the area to be chromed is not shotblasted first - it is almost impossible to polish out the effect of the blasting.
Good luck with this - I hope you get to ride many miles on the finished job.
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yup,discovered that about the B.B, got some 5/16th balls now...along with an assortment of Chater axles if different lengths so hopefully one will work....Just need an outer CL ring, Chater Lea cranks and some suitable brakes and levers now, then can start to think about the paintwork and chrome a bit more. OH, and a Reynolds dome top seat post as well maybe....
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You were lucky to find those Chater spindles.
When you re -assemble after refinishing, you must make sure that there is absolutely no possibility of any shot blasting grit getting into the BB. Years ago I fell into this trap and completely ruined the bearing, fortunately it was only a humble TDC and I just went to the shop and bought a new one - I think the spindle cost 25p! Things are a bit different now.
If I were doing this build, I wouldn't worry too much a bout finding Chater cranks. Aside from the expense, I doubt whether Mr. Chater Lea himself (there was such a person) ever really approved of derailleur gears. As far as I can remember the only Chater double rings I have seen have been on the back of tandems, and they were quite frequently used for that purpose.
I have a feeling that the rings were only made with even numbers of teeth and if this is so it would mean you are stuck with a four tooth difference between the rings. If you look at a gear table you will see that a three tooth difference at the front gives a much better spacing of gears using a block like yours with two tooth differences.
If by any chance you have any Chater BB cups surplus to your requirements, I would be interested in buying a pair (or even just one).
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I haven't got any bb cups I'm afraid spare, but there is one non drive side one on ebay now;
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Well, just got the quotes back from Bob Jackson and Ellis Briggs (is it true Ellis Briggs just send there frames to Bob Jacksons for resprays-anyone know for sure?).
Seems chrome might be off the cards. At least chroming both front and rear dropouts and head lugs...as it adds over £200 which I really don't think I can justify. Also, there is no sign of old chrome on the frame and as it's just post war, possibly it was never chromed due to shortages.What do people think , forget the chrome, just get head lugs done (or will this look weird without the dropouts done?) or just the dropouts. There will be plenty of shininess with the Chater Lea double cranks and cycle from changer anyway....and the best nick polished GB Hiduminium brakes or similar I can find....
There is traces of very typical Carlton light blue on the frame, which I think is original. As I said I wanted to get the frame done Flamboyant Green to match the lovely old green Bluemels spearpoint mudguards I have, so am thinking all flamboyant green except the entire downtube in as near as possible to the old light blue pain enamel in homage to the original colour. Any opinions?
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About
1950 (ish) Carlton Flyer
Posted by
@jeff80
Bought this frame pretty cheap on ebay a good few months ago, as I always wanted an early Carlton Flyer. Since then I've stripped it down, as it was painted in some entirely inappropriate green/blue faded paint. Now just need to clean it up a bit more and fill the dent in the top tube .
I'm going to get it enamelled somewhere, possibly at Bob Jackson or Mercian, and have been debating whether to come of it chromed (namely the rear ends, front forks and the head tube lugs as this is how Flyer's are specced in the 1948 and early 50's Carlton catalogues. However, there is no sign of any remaining chrome on it anywhere, so unsure of wether to do this as I can't tell if it was ever chromed originally. (does anyone know how to tell if chrome has been stripped on in the past or not). Also, chroming materials were in short supply just after WW2 apparently, so it may be it was never chromed in the first place.
That said, I do like chrome...
I found some light blue paint on the steerer tube and just inside the seat-tube so could be this is the original, but I was thinking of either this or maybe a flamboyant green with different coloured sea tube band and headtube, as I've some lovely old green Bluemels spearpoint mudguards that I want to fit to it....Any opinions/suggestions on all this welcome.
And sorry about the photos, some may be a bit dark as taken in the loft.....
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