Maclean Apollo 1950/1951

[Foreigner]

Those who have seen the auction in Windsor will recognise this beauty

Macllean Apollo, serial number KB593 puts it into 1950/1951 period. Looks like most of the parts are original, apart from saddle and either front or rear wheel/rim.

No time yet to start on this plus need to make space, so Pug and Raleigh that came with it need to go quickly (if anyone is interested please let me know). Some pics before any cleaning attempted - BTW, what do you recommend to use as not to strip of any paint yet clean it up nicely?

 

[Jonny69]

Wow, those lugs are quite something!

 

[Gtpulse]

Lovely that. Good to see some nice greasy bits you just now are going to clean up well. Some of the greasy/less delicate parts I’d go wd40 and a toothbrush or something similar. Those parts where it still has the decals I’m really not sure, looks quite delicate and would be a shame to lose any more.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Yes, but after careful cleaning I'd certainly consider new decals. If you've got it, flaunt it!
I sense some tut tutting at the back there...

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I'd like to see it all original, but it's not mine also depends how it cleans up. Nice find though and makes a change from the usual fancy lugs.

 

[Foreigner]

Right. Stripped to bear bones, washed, dried, 0000 wire wool and WD40 treatment for bear metal and chrome, rest will get polish tomorrow, after cleaning all the nooks and crannies around lugs. Patience needed. Aside those superb lugs (check the bottom bracket shell lugs), really different o any other frame builder, the frame had also had equally nicely done box lining over what appears to be golden coloured paint, pity top tube has lost most of paint, although you can see remains of box lining looked like.

Lots of nice parts on it too, no expense spared when bike was built:
Lytaloy No.1 headset
Hiduminium brakes and GB calipers
Baylis Wiley bottom bracket
Williams chainset
Union rear hub on steel rim, not original I'm sure, Airlite (?) front hub and alloy box rim
Cyclo Benelux Type1 rear mech and shifter
Chromed stem (unknown to me), badly painted over top part - Tony Merkins style > could be Titan or GB
Reynolds Hiduminium alloy drop bars
Constrictor Cobra pedals
Alloy seat pin, 1980s Brooks saddle, which I'll swap for something more appropriate
50s steel mudguards

More cleaning and polishing and waxing ahead, plus cleaning all the parts...and the hunt for a 36 hols 27" alloy rim to replace the steel rear one.

 

[bikeworkshop]

More cleaning and polishing and waxing ahead, plus cleaning all the parts...and the hunt for a 36 hols 27" alloy rim to replace the steel rear one.

Amazing project, lovely stuff

Given you've got a 32⁰ alloy front wheel, id have thought you ought to have a 40 hole rear - makes me think the rear wheel is a cheap replacement when the original packed up. (32/40 was replaced by 36/36 touring and 32/32 racing)
We've got hubs and rims if you want to build one, might have airlite, and 36⁰ 27" alloy too - probably plenty on ebay also, but I think a wheel to suit the front would really go nicely.

Amazing patina - maclean made some nice frames and not too many survived

 

[Foreigner]

We've got hubs and rims if you want to build one, might have airlite, and 36⁰ 27" alloy too - probably plenty on ebay also, but I think a wheel to suit the front would really go nicely.

Thanks. Nice project indeed. Re rear wheel I'll look what I have in a spare box, there is a set of correct Airlites which I'm saving for another build - they are also immaculate which perhaps not best match for rest of parts/frameset, so yes interested in what you may have available - you can PM me directly - rear OLN measured as 115mm.

 

[Zullo]

I really like the seat stay caps

 

[bikeworkshop]

the lug within a lug bb shell at the Chainstay
And the
medieval-come-arts-and-crafts
lugwork. Incredibly unusual.

I think it's a careworn beauty