HELP PLEASE!! Very Nice Lightweight Road/Tourer Frameset

[cipolinni]

Picked up this very nice Road/Tourer Bike today
Have removed all components but for the headset
Came with quality Components (Campagnolo Early Record Rear Mech and Front Mech) Campagnolo Band-on Shifters
Normandy High Flange Hubs. Weinmann Brakes. Silstar Lightweight Chainset
Nice lugs with gold lining throughout
Please have a look at the photos, hopefully find out what it is

Here are some points that could help identify
27.2mm Seat Tube
Frame Number on LH Seat Lug what looks like an "E" with 21363 underneath
Underneath BB Shell "V" British made 3/4"
Pencil Thin Seat Stays
Agrati Rear Dropouts ???
British Threads
Rear dropouts 118mm-120mm
Head Tube has 3 holes for Head Badge

This Frameset will be up for sale soon.
But would be nice to find out what it is.

 

[cipolinni]

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Photos

 

[cipolinni]

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Photos

 

[cipolinni]

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Photos

 

[keithglos]

Re:

A decent set of pics, looks like a 1949/50 ish butted 531 frame with cast lugs. Ends similar to some Cyclo. Most British builders used domed and slotted forks and stays. The chainstay to rear end joints perhaps altered, shortened the chain stays? also the brazing of the top eyes (seat lug) looks like a modification.

Perhaps someone has seen a similar frame number.

Keith

 

[legrandefromage]

might be useful?

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/fr ... ering.html

 

[COUPES]

Re:

Looks like a MacLean possibly. Just not sure with the 3 holes on the headtube as they had transfer head badges. Brampton lugs were used by a few builders.

Simon

 

[PeterPerfect]

Ellis Briggs springs to mind.

 

[torqueless]

Re:

The chainstay to rear end joints perhaps altered, shortened the chain stays? also the brazing of the top eyes (seat lug) looks like a modification.

I was thinking the same. I guess the minimum intervention is to detach the seat stays/brake bridge/dropouts as a unit and braze back onto the shortened chainstays and seat lug. A 120mm rear end would likely end up a little less as a result, due to the divergence of the chainstays. The chainstay bridge probably stayed where it was, so if the tyre clearance there is markedly less than at the brake bridge, that would lend weight to the hypothesis.

 

[PeterPerfect]

I have had a frame with that detailed lug on the head tube and I'm racking my brain to remember what it was.

There are other forum members with more detailed knowledge of old frames than I but the only thing I can think of that I had from that era was a Condor (London) but it was a late 50's frame.