What's this early frame?

[chickendrumsticks]

Readers, I bought it. Will try to get some more pics up as I try to inch it towards Kestrel territory.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Readers, I bought it. Will try to get some more pics up as I try to inch it towards Kestrel territory.

Lets see some pics of the fittings and lugs please

 

[dbwheels]

My Hercules Kestrel

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Thanks. That'll be useful for comparison. I can already see some differences. I have a frame number on the seat cluster: 26 2923. So I guess for 26" wheels then - did Kestrels ever come in that? As for the 2923, I believe there's not too much out there on Hercules numbering. Many more pics to come when I get a round tuit (used to have one but lost it years ago).

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Right, some pics: sorry about the size/duplication etc I seem to have forgotten how to just insert thumbnails or whatever...

Unmarked BB.
Seat stays tapered both ends - only 8mm dia at bottom, missing mudguard eye
Oil hole BB near side with remnants of what looks like a cork
non cotter axle, I guess a replacement as BB labeled "Hercules Made in England"
Unusual lamp bracket mount?
Fork crown
HS no name
Frame no. 26 wheel or could it be 2B?

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Could that be pre war?

 

[grantoury]

Looks like a B to me.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Looks like a B to me.

What could that mean I wonder?

 

[grantoury]

I wish I knew...

 

[Jonny69]

The lamp bracket looks normal to me. Some bikes had them on the road side, some had them on the pavement side. It has old-style mudguard fittings like the late-30s ones but the rear dropouts look like they might be later than that - not pointy enough for the 30s ones but it's hard to tell from the pictures. Lugs are typical pre-50s factory-built bike. The fork is not a Russ bend, but it's still pretty low down on the fork. No head clip headset. If it doesn't have any chrome under the paint, it would allude to wartime or post-war period due to a shortage of chromium. I think if you can't date it from the frame number, it probably points to a mid-to-late 40s frame.

The bottom bracket cups are strange. I would have expected to see a flanged cup on the drive side and lockring on the non drive side. I hope the drive side hasn't been bodged in.