Help identifying a Path frame - possibly 1955...?

[wblenkin]

I just acquired an old path bike that I'm trying to find out some background on.

It's been repainted by Bob Jackson in yellow. The bloke I bought it off said it had the remainders of the original decals on, but they were falling off... he could kind of make out a few letters that he thought may have read 'Wilkinson' or something similar. It did have the original 531 sticker on it, so I know it's 531 tubing.

The bottom bracket has 18805 stamped on it, and then 187 upside down from that.

Here's some pics of the frame detail (if you click 'all sizes' you can get bigger pics):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39642960@N ... 259546501/

One concern I do have is that the underside of the bottom bracket is flat, kind of like a big dent, but it is such a perfect dent that it seems like it's supposed to be like that. It's right where the serial number is. Could it have been from the force of the stamping the serial number? Or is this just how the frame is? It's a strange place to have such a dent, as the cranks will always prevent anything from hitting....?

Here's a pic, it's blurry but you can see the shape of the tubing quite well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39642960@N07/4746017064/

 

[desmondo]

I'd say the seat stays look like Holdsworth's.

 

[Old Ned]

I'd say the seat stays look like Holdsworth's.

Or a Viking like on my old Severn Valley.

 

[wblenkin]

Ahhhh Viking does sound about right... he said he could see a W and a maybe L, maybe K. Viking could have been mistaken for Wilkinson quite easily if most of it was missing!!

Any ideas on whether the bottom bracket dent/shape is anything to be concerned about?

 

[Don't walk]

I've got a similar era Viking path frame and the lugs and seat stays are far simpler. If you look on classic lightweights there is a page on identifying frames from their frame number, I think its in the restoration section.

 

[wblenkin]

Hmmm.. the classic lightweights reference doesn't really help too much, it just narrows it down to about 10 different makers! Viking is in there though.

 

[wblenkin]

What's the frame no on your Viking?

 

[Don't walk]

My frame No. is 11369 but is stamped on the rear dropout, not on the BB shell. I wasn't too sure how much that website would help, just thought it might rule out some makes. As there is more than one number on the BB one of these might be information relating to the frame size or lug details.
Good luck in your search though looks nice from what I can see of it.

 

[wblenkin]

Thanks for your help though, really appreciate it.

Have you seen bottom bracket shells that are mis-shaped like this before?

 

[sunbeam]

w.f.holdsworth zephyr

hi..looks like a W.F. HOLDSWORTH model .. ZEPHYR ..sold one last year if i remember that seat cluster and lug pattern dates it within a few years..google it & see what comes up..good luck