FC Parkes, but which one?

[Squirrelking]

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help me identify an FC Parkes frame I've recently taken on as a project?

Basically it's been sitting for years in my father in laws lockup and actually belongs to a friend (who has given me the go ahead to clean it up). The end result of this, despite years of living under a leaky asbestos roof is that it's in need of a bit of a clean up with minor rust removal. I can't actually believe how good the condition is that it's in, the only parts needing total replacement (after a quick check over) are the rims which are totally rusted and split, the tyres and the chain. Even the gear and brake cables are still clean!

Any, that's enough of that, I took down as many notes as I could, I don't have pictures but will get some as soon as I can. Spec is as follows:

FC Parkes frame - Pre '61 as it has the birmingham headtube decal (not badge) but not like any I've seen in any searches, looks quite modern so may be a late model? It's a sort of deep metallic red (similar to Rockshox Boxxer cherry reds for those in the know) with cream stripes and a red painted headtube rather than polished or secondary colour and chrome forks. The braze on pump lugs look to have been ground off at some point and a newer screw on lug is obscuring the tube metal identifier (I'll get that off and look later). There is a # on to of each seat stay cap (at the seat tube). Frame numbers appear to be 3866045 on the BB and 3649Z on the dropout.

Williams cranks, unknown pedals with Brooks clips
Milremo stem and possibly bars (definitely bar plugs though). Stem has traces of red enamel detail.
Sachs Huret 4786? shifter
Benelux rear mech
Wrights saddle
Weinmann brake levers and Weinmann 750 / Vainqueur 999 calipers
Unknown hubs (starting to flake/ disintegrate) on unknown rims. Suspect they may be Weinmann as they have a dimpled braking surface.
It also has the original mudguards which are servicable but definitely not mint.

By the look of the spec I'm guessing it's been modified over the years, I'm guessing during the early 70's onwards. I'm going to speak to the owner, hopefully in the next week and try and get some history of it.

I know a picture would be more helpful, I'll get one ASAP but of anyone could help with identifying this it would be appreciated.

Thanks, Dave

 

[OldTel]

Hi, can you revisit the dropout serial number, the 'Z' is okay, but the first two or three digits should be alphabetic. A photo will help a lot, and as a general statement, the Parkes models reflected the better Sun models in the 30's, 40's, and 50's. Terry

 

[Squirrelking]

No problem, I did think the number was wrong going by everything I've read. Will sort out as soon as I can.

Thanks for your help so far though

 

[Squirrelking]

Wow it's been a while...

Not done much with the bike other than rescue it from it's damp prison and move it to my loft. Had a sit on it and the rims collapsed, not that it was much of a surprise. I've been assured it's a 1970's model by the owner as his mum got it new for his birthday!

Still no wiser as to what model it is though...

 

[OldTel]

Hi, I'm afraid, if the badging is to be believed it has to be pre 1960. The Parkes brand was retried by the Raleigh/Carlton giant in the sixties but did have Worksop, not Birmingham on the badge decals. So what other clues have we : - its a real mixed bag, the lugs look similar to Sun lugs from the late 30's to early 50's, the dropouts appear post war, but the forks look quite a bit later. So a good look at the serial number on the dropout will help to start with. Terry

 

[keithglos]

From a quick look, the rear ends and headset appear to be raleigh.
Close up pics of seat lug, head lugs, bottom bracket both sides should confirm. I don't recall the head transfer on a Parkes.
So probably 26 TPI.
Like all British bike makers, they were in serious financial problems in later 1950's, I remember Peter Parkes coming round to try and scrape up a few orders.

 

[Old Ned]

Benelux rear mech? That's a Huret isn't it?

Looks like it will clean up OK. Hadn't realised that the Parkes name was still in use in the 70's. Can't be many around.

 

[Squirrelking]

Lockdown revival!

Stripped the frame down a week or so ago, can confirm odd serial number however someone on the Sun Facebook group has a Parkes Impala with a B suffix. I'm convinced it's genuine as there was an EUUT decal hiding under the pump mount. The Wright saddle has A67 stamped inside its metal frame.

A real mystery, those dropouts don't conform to any other Sun or Parkes frame I've seen, most have the eyelet on top rather than behind.

 

[Squirrelking]

Extra pic

 

[keithglos]

Re:

Quite a lot of Raleigh in view. The bottom bracket shell looks like Raleigh, and probably 26 tpi.
Made at a time when TI were using up any parts from the many companies they took over. It was a general collapse of the traditional cycle manufacturers, due to hopeless attempts at motorising their products for commuters. They were left with the juvenile/teenage market, and were losing export markets.
As I noted previously rear ends Raleigh, but not sure about the head set, could have had a change of forks to standard 24 threads per inch.

Although the head transfer says Birmingham it looks more like Nottingham, I dont expect they cared. Might have been assembled in the old Phillips factory.

If the wheels are original its after Dunlop stopped making rims.

Keith