Hi,
A friend kindly gave me this frame to knock together a fixie for winter training. After spending yesterday stripping and wirebrushing off a really thick layer of what I guess was fairly modern thick two-pack paint, I was amazed to find this rather ornate and distinctive lug-work underneath. I guess whoever carried out the respray took it back to bare metal, as there was not the slightest hint of transfers/decal underneath the paint even though I was very careful with the Nitromors.
I've spent a few hours going crossed-eyed at every lug-work image I can find on the web, but not found anything that looks like my frame. I'm resigned to the fact that it's next to impossible to ID the manufacturer, but a very rough date of when this style of frame would have been current would be handy so that I could fit it out with a period groupset.
These are the clues I have:
1. There must have been a large headtube badge at some point judging by the rivet holes left at the front (see pics).
2. The fork drop-outs are stamped Campagnolo Brev and have 166 (or 991!) stamped on the steerer, although the forks may not be contemporary/original as the lugs are quite different.
3. The BB shell has the large serial number 25437 stamped into it, as well as (faint) NERVEX 51° 64° D222E38
I took it to my LBS today who thought there were similarities with early Claude Butlers.
Many thanks
Paul
A friend kindly gave me this frame to knock together a fixie for winter training. After spending yesterday stripping and wirebrushing off a really thick layer of what I guess was fairly modern thick two-pack paint, I was amazed to find this rather ornate and distinctive lug-work underneath. I guess whoever carried out the respray took it back to bare metal, as there was not the slightest hint of transfers/decal underneath the paint even though I was very careful with the Nitromors.
I've spent a few hours going crossed-eyed at every lug-work image I can find on the web, but not found anything that looks like my frame. I'm resigned to the fact that it's next to impossible to ID the manufacturer, but a very rough date of when this style of frame would have been current would be handy so that I could fit it out with a period groupset.
These are the clues I have:
1. There must have been a large headtube badge at some point judging by the rivet holes left at the front (see pics).
2. The fork drop-outs are stamped Campagnolo Brev and have 166 (or 991!) stamped on the steerer, although the forks may not be contemporary/original as the lugs are quite different.
3. The BB shell has the large serial number 25437 stamped into it, as well as (faint) NERVEX 51° 64° D222E38
I took it to my LBS today who thought there were similarities with early Claude Butlers.
Many thanks
Paul
