Fillet brazed frame of mystery

makster · Sep 4, 2015

This frame was outed in the ebay section, and I was pretty sure it was a 1985 Jamis Dakar.
I've been after one of these for a long time, so did a deal to get it across from the US.
Further investigations have led me to the conclusion that it's not

But, what is it??
Here is a link to the ebay thread...
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=330220

And some pics of the frame...

I'm going to take it to be bead blasted this week, to get the last of the paint/primer off.

Any ideas??

Cavalier · Sep 4, 2015

This one's a proper challenge.
As far as I know it isn't a Jamis as they TIG'ed everything then used filler to look like fillet.
It could be a custom job specced by a prudent biker, with the pump mount, for those backwoods flat tyres.
Maybe you could get it polished up and clear-coated like a Brompton to show off the brazing and have your own coat of arms drawn up as a badge?

Cavalier · Sep 4, 2015

Actually, looking at it again, that seat tube doesn't half taper at the BB end like a Breezer? And didn't Joe Breeze manufacture in California, Custom spec his early tube-sets from Tange using Prestige and fillet braze????
Could be time to drop an e-mail to the big man himself.
If he didn't make it I can't think of who else is better placed to point you in the right direction!!

makster · Sep 5, 2015

Re:

The seat tube definitely ovals where it meets the bottom bracket, very much like my later 1993 Dakar.
The early Dakars were properly fillet brazed. It was the lower models (Dakota etc) that had the faux fillets.

I've not seen a Breezer with a forward facing seat clamp, or pump mount/hite-rite tab, but I've been wrong more than once already

Any other suggestions??

makster · Sep 7, 2015

Re:

These are the only examples I've found so far of frames with a Hite-Rite tab and forward facing clamp

Certainly not what I've got though :?

Coleman · Sep 7, 2015

Re:

I've seen similar tops on the seat stays to that before - can't remember where :?

k-rod · Sep 7, 2015

My Brodie Romax has those (fender mounts) on the seat stays (I ordered it that way bitd), and it has the front/back hite-rite and seat-post clamp arrangement like that as well.

makster · Sep 7, 2015

Re:

Thanks for the input guys.
LGF has pointed out (on the ebay thread) that there is an early Muddy Fox that shares the flattened seat stays, so maybe this is what you're thinking of?
The Brodie was one I hadn't looked at.
I found this image, which shows the forward clamp, Hite-Rite tap and also looks to show an oval seat tube?

I've not seen a Brodie with a pump mount though?

If it wasn't for the serial number, I'd write this off as a one-off from an unknown frame-builder, but I'm not ready to give up yet!
Going to drop it to the bead blasters tomorrow.

sinnerman · Sep 7, 2015

The top of the seatstays and brake bridge, are very reminiscent of a late 89 early 90s Yates, or similar from TWG, even with the pump peg and hite rite tab.using
concept tange.

never seen a frame number stamp there though.

makster · Sep 9, 2015

Re:

Just collected the frame from the blasters.
With the remnants of the paint/filler gone it's easier to see a things.
The frame construction is a mix of TIG and fillet brazing. The fillets look to have been roughly finished and then filled to smooth them out.

Loads more pics, in the hope it helps someone id this!

Woops!

If I can't get to the bottom of who made this, then I'll be getting it painted and them store it away for a rainy day build

Fillet brazed frame of mystery

makster

Cavalier

Retro Guru

Cavalier

Retro Guru

makster

makster

Coleman

k-rod

Senior Retro Guru

makster

sinnerman

makster

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