Ernie Clements 531 Falcon Olympic.

[Harvo]

This came up for sale close to me and although too small for me, I reckon it deserves some love!
Any info you guys can give me is going to really help as I'm more used to 80s machines. From the Reynolds decal it's looking like late 60s/early 70s? Anything looking like it's not original (the saddle being an obvious one (possibly Brooks originally? )) and any thing else that could be of interest is much welcome.
It's going to be a preservation job on the paint rather than renovation/respray and clean, polish and re-grease of the shiny bits. I think it should come up OK. Hope you guys think it is worth saving!
Some pics after picking up .

 

[sjcprojects]

That'll clean up okay. Looks early 70s to me - the rear derailleur was made from around 1970 onward, I think. It's interesting that even in the early 70s they were putting cheap steel rims and cottered cranks on a 531-framed bike - I guess that was their way of offering a 531 bike at a relatively low price. There's lots of info on Falcons here if you're interested:

https://falconrestorebike.wordpress.com/

 

[Harvo]

Thanks for link. Looks interesting.

 

[Harvo]

One manky old Velox RD stripped as far as possible. Ready for it's first clean and service in 50 years possibly.

 

[Harvo]

Pleased with this. Hoping the other parts come up this well.

 

[Harvo]

Won't bore you with all the components but I'm amazed at what's lurking under all the crud.

 

[Mandobob]

This came up for sale close to me and although too small for me, I reckon it deserves some love!
Any info you guys can give me is going to really help as I'm more used to 80s machines. From the Reynolds decal it's looking like late 60s/early 70s? Anything looking like it's not original (the saddle being an obvious one (possibly Brooks originally? )) and any thing else that could be of interest is much welcome.
It's going to be a preservation job on the paint rather than renovation/respray and clean, polish and re-grease of the shiny bits. I think it should come up OK. Hope you guys think it is worth saving!
Some pics after picking up .

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I saw that bike and was tempted, but my project backlog is too big at present and my collection of Falcons as large as I can manage!

You are absolutely right to keep the albeit old paintwork as that is original. A careful clean and screwed up aluminium foil on the chrome plus a good wax finish on the paintwork will make this look great.

For a start on dating it, cottered cranksets last appeared in the 1973 Falcon catalogue, which would suggest it is 1973 or earlier.

The Campag front changer and gear levers suggests that the original bike also had a Campag rear derailleur, which would have been a Nuovo Record or Gran Sport - and at that time they carried a year stamp. It would be good to be able to replace that.

The Weinmann 999 Vainqueur red label brakes look original. These will clean up beautifully and the red details will look great. New cables will be a must.

The Reynolds 531 transfer was used from the 1950s until about 1972, according to the expert Nick Tithecott, which again places it before the very early 1970s.

On the chain stay, the "Designed by Ernie Clements..." looks as if it says San Remo below it. It that correct? If it is, it is most likely the model 80 San Remo (there were a number of different San Remos with different specs).

Finally, does it have a frame number I could add to my database of Falcon frame numbers? It won't necessarily tell us the year as Falcon numbering is almost indecipherable! However the more I have the more the chance of deciphering!

It's a great bike and can be restored and ridden as an up market Falcon for small money. Welcome to the Falcon ownership elite!!

 

[sjcprojects]

The Campag front changer and gear levers suggests that the original bike also had a Campag rear derailleur, which would have been a Nuovo Record or Gran Sport - and at that time they carried a year stamp. It would be good to be able to replace that.

The rear derailleur is Campagnolo - the cheaper Velox model. Another example of Falcon saving money where they can to hit a price point, I suppose.

 

[pwebb]

Great job so far rescuing those components, it may take a lot of metal polish to get the crank set etc back to a shine buts it very possible, see my thread here https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/ernie-clements-build-thread.483117/
Note the very knowledgeable people that chimed in to help me identify exact year and even the type of dropouts!
Yours looks like a san remo edition IMHO and has early riveted head tube badge. Those weinmann brakes will have an accurate date in the back
Look forward to seeing this one come back to life.