'81 Claud Butler Colstar Yumeya/DuraAce #035210 FINISHED p16

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

Ah.. that's very prescient of you. I cleaned so much corrosion off one of the dropouts on my Holdsworth Special that the drive and non-drive-side slots are no longer parallel. Now I'm torn between making the good side as bad as the bad side or leaving well alone.

Did you have to sacrifice any chrome to get the crown race on?

My comment was a general observation of trends in apostrophe abuse, rather than being directed at you personally..

No offence taken, I'm used to being regularly brought to task over my spelling and punctuation by my wife (Ex-Head Teacher) and also THM :roll:
No problems with the crown race, if anything it's now a better fit (I could push it on by hand before, now it needs a little assistance)
I really did need new dropouts as at some point in its life one of the adjusters had gotten itself stuck/bent/broken in the near side dropout and somebody had attempted to drill it without success, only damaging the rest of the dropout, I was pretty sure it was only one pot-hole away from failure..

 

[jason1788]

Re: 1981 Claud Butler Colstar - DuraAce #035210

Congratulations sir, what a superb story and stunning end result! My tiny collection has no British bikes, let alone a Claud, but I have a soft spot for the Colstar. I bought a frameset from a shop in Romford as a spotty youngster in about 79/80 and built it up with very mediocre parts, eventually selling it to fund my first motorbike. More recently I went full circle and sold my final motorbike to fund a modern De Rosa, but I am inspired to track down a Colstar and attempt to re-create my original to add to my collection. Thanks again and enjoy that lovely steed.

 

[Peachy!]

Re: 1981 Claud Butler Colstar - DuraAce #035210

Congratulations sir, what a superb story and stunning end result! My tiny collection has no British bikes, let alone a Claud, but I have a soft spot for the Colstar. I bought a frameset from a shop in Romford as a spotty youngster in about 79/80 and built it up with very mediocre parts, eventually selling it to fund my first motorbike. More recently I went full circle and sold my final motorbike to fund a modern De Rosa, but I am inspired to track down a Colstar and attempt to re-create my original to add to my collection. Thanks again and enjoy that lovely steed.

Thanks Jason and good luck with your hunt for one, you could try posting on the “road wanted” section of this forum, you never know... :xmas-wink:

Something that did surprise me this summer was just how good this frame had been put together... I’d always assumed the big differences in the Holdsworth/Claud ranges would have been tubing and spec, but the frame builder at Bob Jackson’s who worked the changes I’d asked for (recessed Allen key brake drilling’s, new rear drops, clearance removed and re-brazed to the chainstay for 10 cog cassette, 130mm re-spacing and new brake bridge) came out of the workshop to talk to me about it when I popped in to collect the frame. He mentioned how precise the angles and measurements were, and how balanced the brazing was, he was full of admiration for it and suggested it was much much better than most of the Clauds that had come through for refinishing. Something I can attest to after riding it all summer...

It makes me realise that the shop sale person who suggested to my Aunt that my cousin wouldn’t tell the difference between it & a mass produced plain gauged Majestic really didn’t know what he was talking about...

 

[torqueless]

Re:

but I am inspired to track down a Colstar

Transfers apart, a late 70s/early 80s Holdsworth Special is identical.

 

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

but I am inspired to track down a Colstar

Transfers apart, a late 70s/early 80s Holdsworth Special is identical.

Absolutely... on the same line, by the same builders... even using the same frame number sequence.
They only went their separate ways in the finishing/painting department. A H Special might be just a bit easier to find.

 

[jason1788]

Re: Re:

but I am inspired to track down a Colstar

Transfers apart, a late 70s/early 80s Holdsworth Special is identical.

Absolutely... on the same line, by the same builders... even using the same frame number sequence.
They only went their separate ways in the finishing/painting department. A H Special might be just a bit easier to find.

I didn't know that. The one I had must have been a late one as it had what I assume are later decals (blocky sans serif font) like the blue complete bike on the first page of this thread. Pretty much all I have seen have what I assume are earlier decals (like yours Peachy). I'd almost certainly restore any frame I found, to silver with this later decal set. I suppose if I found an H Special and they are indeed the same I could decal it as a Claud. Is that heresy?

 

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

Transfers apart, a late 70s/early 80s Holdsworth Special is identical.

Absolutely... on the same line, by the same builders... even using the same frame number sequence.
They only went their separate ways in the finishing/painting department. A H Special might be just a bit easier to find.

I didn't know that. The one I had must have been a late one as it had what I assume are later decals (blocky sans serif font) like the blue complete bike on the first page of this thread. Pretty much all I have seen have what I assume are earlier decals (like yours Peachy). I'd almost certainly restore any frame I found, to silver with this later decal set. I suppose if I found an H Special and they are indeed the same I could decal it as a Claud. Is that heresy?

No not at all, certainly anything between the summer of 1976 (when the number system with at least one zero at the front started) to late 1985 I would say was fair game, as during this period there really wasn't any difference until the stickers went on as torqueless already mentioned. There have even been cases of Holdsworth one-off customer specials that were never advertised as Clauds turning up with original Claud graphics purely because that's how that customer wanted his frame to be finished.

Certainly if I had only found a Holdsworth Special you wouldn't have need two guesses as to how it would have been re-finished :xmas-wink:

As for graphics, I was under the impression that my version was the last version, as this type face was typical for both Holdsworths & Clauds from around 1981-1985. The blue bike on the first page had a scheme more typical of the late 70's.

 

[jason1788]

Re: Re:

As for graphics, I was under the impression that my version was the last version, as this type face was typical for both Holdsworths & Clauds from around 1981-1985. The blue bike on the first page had a scheme more typical of the late 70's.

ah, this does make sense. Thinking more carefully about the timeline, I sold mine in '79 so I must have bought it in around 77. A quick study of your old catalogues (which I should have done first!) confirms that the blocky font that I had is from that time. I don't recall a white band on the downtube, it was silver with white lettering which does sound like an odd colour scheme but I don't recall the white being lost in the silver. Well, if I ever get hold of one who knows what color it will end up.

 

[BoatBoy]

Re: 1981 Claud Butler Colstar - DuraAce #035210

Hi, I wonder if I could pick your brains? I've been riding my Claud Butler on and off for 35 years and I've started to wonder what model it is. My father gave it to me - he brought the frame second hand but was too big for him. I've worked out it's a 1980 model from the frame number, but the model eludes me. I'd try the wheelbase but the forks (and thus rake) were replaced after and Audi 80 tried to remodel the frame in the late 80's - it was a nice short flight for me!! The treatment of the top of the seat stays suggest to me it could be a Colstar. What would you suggest looking at the attached photos? Many thanks.

 

[Peachy!]

Re: 1981 Claud Butler Colstar - DuraAce #035210

Hello there,
I'm not sure but that looks more like an Italia to me, the main difference was the Colstar was butted throughout, but the Italia had plain gauge rear stays and this allowed them to be thinner and a bit more elegant (in my opinion) with pointier wrap-overs, the other marker is the front of the head tube lugs (which I can't see from this angle) the Italia has a little point in the middle, the Colstar doesn't.
Also the Colstar has cable guides on top of the BB on both sides, the Italia doesn't. Hope that helps