1976 Sid Mottram project

[sparkybhp]

As promised here’s a build thread for this frameset which I picked up last night following a last split-second eBay bid!

Quick pic last night after I collected it. I wasn’t sure what to bid really as the pics weren’t 100% clear as to full spec and condition. I upped my bid in the dying seconds and won this for £98. Upon reflection I’m so glad I did, the seller was clearing several bikes for a club member who had sadly passed away, and was a really nice chap. I got a first dig through some odds and ends which weren’t listed and walked away with a few bits including some vintage Campagnolo cone spanners and a minty 600 arabesque crankset amongst other bits.

I’m undecided but might move a few bits on to help subsidise the build, anyway..
I’ve stripped it down this morning (day off) and overall I’m happy - nothing was horribly mangled or seized and there’s some good bits here.

Campagnolo record strada 170 cranks in nice condition, bb is also campagnolo as is the 27.2mm seatpost.

Mafac racer brakes are cool looking and the GB stem is also very pretty. Sadly the gorgeous Brooks B17 saddle has a nasty scuff near the nose, I’ve gently sanded this back and given it a dose of Proofide which has greatly helped the appearance. Perhaps more attention needed, we’ll see - I’m not too gutted. Like the whole bike, it’s had a life and I’m not intending to make this look brand new, a sympathetic refresh is my normal approach with bikes like this.

Serial on the steerer matches the bb shell. I make it ‘6’ and then ‘21976’ - does the 76 refer to 1976? The frame style and components suggest that sort of age to me.

The frame seems very sound overall with only this dink in the top tube letting the side down! It’s partly obscured by the ‘S’ sticker and looks like a storage dent rather than crash damage to me - not too much to worry about.
I’ll keep the thread updated as I go, please jump in with any comments and info - I’m a relative newbie to the vintage road scene but enjoying learning as I go..
Couple of badge shots:

Forgot to add but the frame is a 57cm size (perfect for me) and I think if my research is right a Mercian built frame, there’s what remains of a Reynolds 531 sticker at the top of the seat tube.
Thanks folks.

 

[sjcprojects]

This will look lovely when built up, I'm sure. It's good to see this will be getting a new lease of life. 76 sounds right looking at the decals.

Looks like you already have some wheels for this, too?

 

[sparkybhp]

Thanks, yes I’m looking forward to getting it in fit riding condition. I have a set of old sealed bearing MA40’s which are currently on my Alan Richards.

The Richards I’ll probably take in a different direction..

 

[sjcprojects]

I also have an Alan Richards, from 1983:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...mingham-1983-build-finished-pg3.416237/page-4
Yours is the only other one I've seen on this forum, so that's a bit exciting. Yours has a pretty interesting paint job . Sorry to slightly take a tangent from your build thread!

 

[sparkybhp]

No worries - I just had a quick look at your thread, yours looks stunning - and the only two on the forum puts us in a pretty exclusive club no?
Mine is badged as an Alan Richards:

Serial no. starts TC so I’m guessing that means tower cycles? And yes, the paint job on mine is ‘unusual’.. perhaps not one for the purists? It’s like it’s an older frame which someone has made to look modern? Wish I knew more about it tbh, I picked it up while collecting an mtb from an eBay deal and was offered it with some other bits. The actual finish on the paint is very good so I snapped it up.
Anyway, that should have its own thread really - one for another day.

 

[sjcprojects]

Thanks - yes, and an exclusive club, indeed! The serial on yours also makes it a 1983 built bike, so the same year as mine. The paint job on yours is obviously very much a custom job, and at first I thought it wasn't original but given the decals that are there, I suspect it might be (though obviously the Reynolds decal wasn't original). The lugs are the same as mine, but other details are different – of course all the frames he made were custom built, so that's not surprising.

Anyway, I'll let this thread get back on track now after that little detour...but yes, do put a build thread up for the Alan Richards some time - you're right, the MA40’s would fit better on the Mottram. Maybe some wheels with polished rims to go with the blinging Richards frame?

 

[grantoury]

Interesting frame, would like to see the results of this build.

 

[sparkybhp]

So far I’ve managed to give the frame and forks a good clean and polish, service the headset and install the forks. Couldn’t resist trying it on some wheels - first time I’ll have seen it with wheels on it.

I also had some of the correct frame/fork decals in my spares so those went on too.
This really does look well, I went on to clean/service the Campagnolo bb - which looked awful but came up a treat!

So that’s back in the frame now too. I’ve sorted a shopping list for bits I need and it’s not too extensive, while I wait for parts I can get with cleaning the rest of the components.
Pretty good progress for one day.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Another one saved How's the Claud? I think I commented you needed another

 

[sparkybhp]

Another one saved How's the Claud? I think I commented you needed another

Haha! You were right of course, the Claud is wonderful but you know how it is, n+1 and all that.