Ernie Clements build thread

[pwebb]

think this one is an Ernie Clements/Falcon from circa 1977 - due to wrap around stays and dates on original Weinmann centre pulls...

somewhat ratty condition from FB marketplace

 

[pwebb]

...stripped down and examined thoroughly no cracks, damaged threads or other horrors - just a badly pitted frame that has been unloved for a good amount of time.






salvaged most of the parts that are serviceable, pedals were fused to the cranks and had little or no ball bearings left - erk.
there will have to be a donor bike to make up for the items junked...

 

[pwebb]

frame cleaned up and ready to go off to Cyclone...
...are those some of the thinnest dropouts you ever saw? no rear mech hanger either.
there also no seams on the inside of the seat tube so I conclude this is a butted 531 frame - it feels as though it could be 531 SL

 

[pwebb]

...3 weeks later and I collected the frame from Cyclone on Friday...



a dip, sand blast, powder coat and gloss finish later this is an incredible transformation IMHO

 

[pwebb]

...New Headset and BB fitted this a.m. together with some falcon decals from H LLoyd - already beginning to look the part




...to be continued

 

[Mandobob]

That is a fairly epic recovery of what looks like an Olympic frame. Does it take a 26.6 seat post? It should do with plain gauge Reynolds 531 tubing. Were there two small holes at the front of the head tube? If not, it will be 1978 or later. The lovely metal head badge, which required two small holes for rivets, was dropped by Falcon after January 1978 when Ernie Clements sold his interest in the company to Elswick Hopper and became a director of that company. Your head badge is therefore correct for the period.
Are yo going to use period correct components?

 

[pwebb]

That is a fairly epic recovery of what looks like an Olympic frame. Does it take a 26.6 seat post? It should do with plain gauge Reynolds 531 tubing. Were there two small holes at the front of the head tube? If not, it will be 1978 or later. The lovely metal head badge, which required two small holes for rivets, was dropped by Falcon after January 1978 when Ernie Clements sold his interest in the company to Elswick Hopper and became a director of that company. Your head badge is therefore correct for the period.
Are yo going to use period correct components?

Great info thanks, yes I can confirm it had no rivet holes for head tube badge, I will use a 1" seat tube and a shim due to 'gronk' that survived the dipping process. ;-)

I have some period suntour parts from a similar age Carlton including centre pulls, need to measure tubing for some cable clips next as there are no braze ons, Is believe this was typical though. Also need to source hanger bolt combo thing for seat tube. All good fun.
P

 

[Mandobob]

The top tube brake cable braze-ons were added from September 1980, so that gives you from perhaps mid 1978 to early 1980 as the window of manufacture. There are plenty of cable clips on ebay.

 

[pwebb]

some progress made this weekend ( I don't think I ever used up so much metal polish on a bike resto)



period components are so much more time consuming to fit and setup and the lack of braze-ons is infuriating - I still have work to do on the cable routing but it is at least rideable now.

I am old enough to remember (posh kids) boys with falcon bikes ( versus the regular dawes, sun, raleigh) that looked down on the rest of us in the bike sheds at grammar school - now I have one so there !

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

some progress made this weekend ( I don't think I ever used up so much metal polish on a bike resto)

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period components are so much more time consuming to fit and setup and the lack of braze-ons is infuriating - I still have work to do on the cable routing but it is at least rideable now.

I am old enough to remember (posh kids) boys with falcon bikes ( versus the regular dawes, sun, raleigh) that looked down on the rest of us in the bike sheds at grammar school - now I have one so there !

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Beautiful job. I sold my Falcon sadly. I bought a Dayton though