Help required to identify a Birmingham built Sun

[ian_84]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and hoping for any information regarding a recently acquired Birmingham badged Sun.
The bike is stamped with frame number J1123 on the left hand rear dropout. The front of the frame is chromed for approx. half the length of the top and down tube. The forks are fully chromed. There are the remains of red lug lining on the head tube and white lug lining on the top and down tube. The bike appears to have been sky blue from about half way along the top and down tube (some banding is evident) with what I am guessing would be called flamboyant Blue bands either side of a flamboyant red centre band on the seat tube. There is the remains of a 531 sticker also on the seat tube.
One detail I have not seen on any other Sun is a brazed on pump clip on the front of the seat tube at the top but not one lower down!
The frame has a brazed fitting for a single down tube changer with a brazed curved cable guide on the BB.
There is a brazed on cable stop for the rear changer, the part brazed to the chain stay looks to be a diamond shape.
The bike has centre pull brakes with a curved cable stop bridge for the rear brake.
The group set appears later than the frame so I don't think the details will offer any further assistance.
Thanks is advance for any replies!

Ian_84.

 

[keithglos]

Hi Ian,
I think you are describing a Raleigh/Carlton. Has it got the octagonal Raleigh headset and the hollow wrapover on the seat lug?
Carlton used a lot of chrome, generally with some trasparent colour which sometimes flaked off.

Some detail pictures would help.
Keith

 

[Midlife]

Shedloads of chrome on a Sun bike means Snipe to me... but there again my memory is a bit shakey

Pics woud be helpful

Shaun

 

[Spokesmann]

Pictures please!

 

[ian_84]

Thanks for your replies,
I am struggling to add photos for some reason but will keep trying! The seat stays do not wrap over in one, they each have a flat taper of approx. 2 1/2 inches and there is a gap between them of approx. 3/4 inch across the top of the seat tube.
Hope this helps

Thanks again Ian

 

[ian_84]

Re:

I am still in the process of stripping the frame of a layer of poorly brushed on black paint!

 

[Spokesmann]

Does it have a frame number? This would help narrow down the built date and possibly the model.

 

[ian_84]

Re:

Good Evening Mike,
The frame number on the left rear dropout is J1123, I'm afraid I don't have a photograph but will try and get one tomorrow. I have seen a frame number chart on retro bike which would indicate the frame is a 1942/1943. I question whether this is correct as the frame would appear later (from what little knowledge I have!) I would have thought possibly the fifties, I also wouldn't have thought a cycle manufacturer would have been chroming a frame during the war years?
It has a very patriotic red, white and blue colour scheme (red and white lining around the headstock lugs) so I wondered whether it may be a Coronation Special?
Although it can't be seen clearly in the photographs there are the remains of the seat tube transfer on the down tube. The transfer has the 'Tour of Great Britain' and 'Tour of Mexico' scripts at the top but unlike the reproduced transfers I have seen this bike has a dark blue with gold edged ribbon with and V end cut above the 'Tour of Great Britain'
I will try and get some more photographs of all relevant details tomorrow.
Many Thanks for your time.
Ian.

 

[bagpuss]

Re:

Pictures of one I had a few years ago .Birminham made .
Sun by rebalrid, on Flickr

Sun by rebalrid, on Flickr

Model was a Sunalite .

Hope this helps

 

[ian_84]

Re:

Thank you for the pictures!
Do you know the age of your bike?
I have attached additional pictures of mine.
All the best
Ian.