Guidance with Carlton International

Bladerider

Retro Newbie
Hello,

I am afraid I have joined your forum to ask for help with something i know little about.

My dad passed away 18months ago and Im gradually helping mum with various things at the house, dad was a great "accumulator" of all sorts of stuff, usually things he knew a great deal about, from Avometers and Vox speakers, to Pelikan fountain pens and Leica cameras !!

Some things I know a bit, some stuff I dont and his classic Carlton is definitely more in the "dont" category, especially with what to do with it.

The background to this is he was a keen young cyclist with our local town cycling club in Colchester, Essex. At some point in the mid to late 50's I believe he broke his previous bike but had a decent saturday job and with help from his dad got a Carlton International made up by the local specialist - Stan Raby ?? - and he was a happy chappie again.

Fast forward to when I was a kid and I always remember going on rides with him on his racer and me pedalling like a fry on various bikes trying to keep up. Eventually around 25years ago he had the bike completely restored and updated more into a "fast tourer" with flat bars, lots of Campag bits and I think 42gears, although he did keep the original GB brakes.

He carried on using it like this until he began kidney dialysis 7 years ago, and now today I find myself in the difficult position of having a lovely old bike that isn't in original condition, isn't wanted on the premises by mum, I am too large to use it without breaking it, and not wanting to go through the hassle of ebay etc in order to get rid of it.

The bike shop that did the work was my first port of call but their offer was so insulting I haven't even gone back and collected it yet in case I say something I shouldn't.

My main requirement for help is what to do with it;

- Try to find a way to put it back to standard as this is presumably the way to get best price, plus I would imagine all the Campagnolo bits on it currently are sought after semi-classic parts in their own right now.

- Break it for bits (which is something I really would rather avoid)

- List it on eBay or somewhere else if you guys really think that might be less painful than i imagine it is

- Something else

My principle reason for wanting to get as much as possible for this and all the other bits he has that mum will never use is to take her on a tour round Canada where she was born but never returned to, as it was something she always wanted to do but dad never got round to doing for her when he was still well enough and I think it would be nice for her.

Thanks in advance, I will try to put up some quick pics I took the other day on my phone.

J.
 
Re:

Some pics...

J.
 

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Sorry to hear about your personal circumstances. Wow what a frame ! Spending money, effort and time tomput it back to how it was will not make more money.

Sad to say breaking it would be the best bet if you want to sell. Why not keep it?
 
Re:

Carltons finest frame {other than the Jewel} Not to many around
Info here
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/de ... on-hs.html

Value :
The frame sets sell for anything between £300 and £600 . Do you know if the paint finish is the original one? It is finished in one of Carltons colour schemes

Finding the right private buyer imho is better than an auction site . Why line their pockets , answering time wasters questions and dealing with the posting /carriage issues .
The right buyer will come and fetch it . 10 year ago or so I travalled to Bristol to collect/buy one of these. I still have it .
Try the private sales add here . See rules on posting . ie no cross listing with other forums.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/wiki/Classif ... _Procedure
 
Re:

If I were in your position (ie. frame too big). I'd strip it of its components, clean it and hang on the wall of my study in Dad's memory.

Your Dad had taste, lovely frame...an unconventional purchase.

Roadking.
 
Thanks for replies and info, I will have a read,

Yes Dad had great taste, even as a youngster, then became an Architect and designed taste for others lol

It was totally refinished but in the original colour scheme, all chrome was redone, lining round lugs etc
I don't have a place to keep it and mum doesn't want to be reminded of it.

I might consider putting up on here, but I don't want to break any rules, and its usually frowned upon on the many Car forums I am a member of for first time posters who don't contribute to the community to just come along to sell their stuff, which is a moral I wholeheartedly understand and support.

J.
 
Lovely frame.
J, you are perfectly fine and more than welcome to sell it on here.
Just have a quick read of the rules and make sure it has a price and as mentioned, no cross posting. If it goes to ebay make sure the ad is in the ebay section etc.

Jamie
 
Superb frame, I concur with many of the points put forward here. Strip and keep the frame, if it were me. Maybe sell it if you want, its a very sought after framset.

If I were you I'd do a RK says, strip, clean and display, it really is gorgeous.
 
Thanks again,

I will do as you guys suggest, hopefully someone who appreciates it as much as Dad did will end up using it, which is what he would have wanted - its a crime to just display this imho and certainly not something I or Mum want to do, they built their house together just after I was born, so you don't get a bigger reminder than that lol

I will have a dig in the garage as i think some of the original parts are in there somewhere and then I will list it - I dont have a clue what the Campag bits actually are nor what value to put on the whole, any suggestions what would be a realistic sale price for this forum or do you use a general formula of "frame value x2" or something ??

We really appreciate the help and would be happy to make a donation towards the Forums preferred charity as a thank you.

J.
 
I would think someone here will give you a realistic value and how to maximise it.
I wouldn't worry about a donation, just put it towards your mums holiday.

Jamie
 
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