My Old 'Sun Cycle & Fittings' Bike

[KennyDTCC]

Hi,
I've got an old and Trusty Sun Bike.
The frame has the Centre of the original Seat Tube with 'Sun Cycle and Fittings, Birmingham' but the the octagonal headset means it was made as part of Raleigh manufactured 1960 to 1963 (but with Sun still at Birmingham and not Worksop, which tends to be after 1963).
It has a Transfer over the Head Tube badge and resprayed in 1970's Fern Green on the DT, TT ST & part Rear Stays with gray primer over the Chrome at ends of Rear Stays, but the Head Tube has 2 vertical holes where the Badge used to be (i.e. Sun Frame Head Badges are fitted from vertical Head ‘holes’ whereas Carlton Frame Head Badges had horizontal 'holes').
The Frame has Capella Lugs, Wrapover Seat Lugs, a Centre Rear Brake Bridge and Chromed Forks (similar to Carlton Frames of similar age). The BB Frame No is 3008515 and the left rear fork has W1025.
But what is it? (Sun? in Birmingham?) and when made? (something 1960 - 63) or something later?

Regards On Old Man...............

 

[jim haseltine]

The W dropout number suggests 1955/56 in Sun dating.
Don't rely too much on the headset design - octagonal headsets were used for decades and are probably still being used. The front fork dropout appears to have a slot for a tabbed retention washer which along with the shallow curve to the blades makes me think that the forks are a pair of generic replacements - chrome meant that there was no problem trying to match with frame paint - they were available in all sizes, we used to buy them in boxes of 10 for both 26" and 27" wheels. We never bothered much about the headset threads because if we carefully ran a 26tpi die down a 24tpi column it would 'adjust' the threads. I suspect that I you were to remove the forks and inspect the column you won't find a frame number but will likely find roll stamps pointing at Far Eastern manufacture.

 

[KennyDTCC]

Jim,
Thanks. The BB Frame No was 3008515 and the left rear fork was W1025. I did see that the left rear fork had 'W' and Sun Cycle and Fittings, Birmingham Catalogue would mean 1955 / 56, but I don't 'understand' the BB 3008515 other than it just a number. But also 'W' frames might also mean a 1960's+ and later Sun made at Worksop?
If it was 1955 / 56, the Frame is with Capella Lugs, Wrapover Seat Lugs, a Centre Rear Brake Bridge and the (later Chromed Forks) and Head Tube. Reynolds were stamped on BB and on the left Rear Fork, fitted with brazed stops and cable stops. What Model might this have been??? (a transitional SUN WASP, MAXMAN or even a SUN SNIPE PRESTIGE...or something else???)
In any case, Thanks Again, you were correct with the Chromed Front Forks - it is not original - see attached - the headed thread tube is a fraction too long (5 0r 6mm) and it has been fitted with a 'half ball bearing ring' as a spacer over the hex nut and just below the headset nut!!!

Regards in the meantime An Old Man..........