Holdsworth Frame Numbers

[CBguy]

rsw1,

Looks like a definite Holdsworthy factory Super Mistral with chrome, fully sloping crown, Prugnat I lugs and diamond reinforced rear brake bridge with bushing hole.

Somewhere between 66 and 68 catalog description Mistral went from 5/8" to 9/16'' seat stays. Again, according to available catalogues some where between '73 and '76 went back to 5/8". So if indeed 5/8" seat stays could be this is a '67 Super Mistral (an early "Super") and '68 prediction is a year off. (As Dave says range of error is +/- 1 year.) Or...on other hand are seat stays actually 5/8"? (I admit my eyes may not have experience of Kerith's. ) Perhaps time to get out a set of callipers and measure upper diameter of seat stays!

Also re seat tube measurement of centre to top of 19.5"; I have no knowledge of how common. There does not appear to be any 68 catalog size options listed. I do notice that by time of '72 catalog Equipe came in 19.5, 22, 23 and 24, so reasonable to think was an option for the high end Mistral.

Doug

 

[keithglos]

Re:

My comments on this frame were general fashion, not specific to Holdsworthy.
My 62 Jensen was similar but no sloping crown, and I had a 71 Holdsworthy very similar with sloping crown supplied as "own name" to the trade.
Not sure about the pump pegs, could be special to carry 18" pump on very small frame.
I rode this Holdsworthy in several veteran/junior road races in mid 70's.

Keith

 

[rsw1]

George,

Looks like a definite Holdsworthy factory Super Mistral with chrome, fully sloping crown, Prugnat I lugs and diamond reinforced rear brake bridge with bushing hole.

Somewhere between 66 and 68 catalog description Mistral went from 5/8" to 9/16'' seat stays. Again, according to available catalogues some where between '73 and '76 went back to 5/8". So if indeed 5/8" seat stays could be this is a '67 Super Mistral (an early "Super") and '68 prediction is a year off. (As Dave says range of error is +/- 1 year.) Or...on other hand are seat stays actually 5/8"? (I admit my eyes may not have experience of Kerith's. ) Perhaps time to get out a set of callipers and measure upper diameter of seat stays!

Also re seat tube measurement of centre to top of 19.5"; I have no knowledge of how common. There does not appear to be any 68 catalog size options listed. I do notice that by time of '72 catalog Equipe came in 19.5, 22, 23 and 24, so reasonable to think was an option for the high end Mistral.

Doug

The seat stays are 9/16" - placing it back in '68 perhaps? Thanks for the confirmation of Super Mistral. I hope I can get it to fit me now as I bought in on the seat and top tube measurements forgetting about the rather laid back seat tube angle!

 

[anidel]

It's definitely, to me, one of the first Super Mistral, top end of the framesets available at the time.
Lovely brake bridge. It's only 'missing' the bridge (forgot the name) hanger for the center pull brakes?

 

[anidel]

Re: Re:

Hello

There seems to be alot of WF Holdsworth knowledge in this thread so I thought I would post picture of mine to see if anybody could help me with the model and age .
I got it a few years ago and built it with stuff I had kicking about , not period correct at all, I would be cool to know if it is a cyclone from the 1940/1950 period as I've always thought or something else . I will post some better pictures shortly . Thanks in advance George

Could well be, Check out this site.
http://www.nkilgariff.com/HoldsModelPages/Cyclone.htm
http://www.nkilgariff.com/Models.htm

I am no expert on modles, but there are plenty who can. as to age I would need to know frame number or check out my cloud site.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... TNKZkN4TmM

The frame number 12861 which suggests 1950.

I can't match any of the frames in the catalogue , possibly mine was customer specified. Are there any particular features to look out for ?

Have you got more picturs?

 

[CBguy]

rsw1,

Looks like a definite Holdsworthy factory Super Mistral with chrome, fully sloping crown, Prugnat I lugs and diamond reinforced rear brake bridge with bushing hole.

Somewhere between 66 and 68 catalog description Mistral went from 5/8" to 9/16'' seat stays. Again, according to available catalogues some where between '73 and '76 went back to 5/8". So if indeed 5/8" seat stays could be this is a '67 Super Mistral (an early "Super") and '68 prediction is a year off. (As Dave says range of error is +/- 1 year.) Or...on other hand are seat stays actually 5/8"? (I admit my eyes may not have experience of Kerith's. ) Perhaps time to get out a set of callipers and measure upper diameter of seat stays!

Also re seat tube measurement of centre to top of 19.5"; I have no knowledge of how common. There does not appear to be any 68 catalog size options listed. I do notice that by time of '72 catalog Equipe came in 19.5, 22, 23 and 24, so reasonable to think was an option for the high end Mistral.

Doug

The seat stays are 9/16" - placing it back in '68 perhaps? Thanks for the confirmation of Super Mistral. I hope I can get it to fit me now as I bought in on the seat and top tube measurements forgetting about the rather laid back seat tube angle!

Hi rsw1,

1st a big apology to yourself and George re name error. I edited prior post.

Anyway, I agree circa 1968 as per Dave's prediction is best educated guess for your Super Mistral. I have "talked" with others who ordered frames from factory and appears one could specify certain features as presence or absence of rear brake cable bridge/stop. We have certainly seen earlier numbered Mistrals with it present.

Doug

 

[Georgel]

Re:

No worries Doug I was a bit confused but I got it pretty quick ,
I took pictures this afternoon and will upload them from my PC at work tomorrow.

 

[rsw1]

Ha, no problem Doug.
Being able to specify certain features explains some of the small differences.
I have one more puzzle with it though - the next photo shows a small stub on right hand side of down tube fairly near the top. Is it something cut off?

 

[Midlife]

Can't orientate the pic but is it a stub to stop band on downshifters from slipping down the frame?

 

[anidel]

yeah, from the pictures above I could see it just on the lower side of the downtube, so I also think it's to stop the shifter's band from slipping down.