Zut Alors! -Raleigh Record with french bottom bracket.

Updated in second post, below.

Hi,

I've tried the search function, without joy - I know this must be a common issue.

I'm building up a NOS, 1979 Raleigh Record (531 throughout). I presume it needs an english threaded bottom bracket, which I have. How do I tell if it is 24 tpi or Raleigh's own 26 tpi? Do I need to rely on my eye sight to try to count threads inside the bb shell?! :shock:

Assuming it is a proprietal Raleigh bb threading , what are the options? V I see Velo Orange do a threadless (internally expanding) bb, which is mentioned on Sheldon B's site. Are there many (!) Raleigh bb's around - if so, where do I look - E-bay doesn't look overly promising from my initial look.

Any help gratefully received,

David

NB - A proper write up and pics will follow in due course.

Update.
Reading various web sources, it seems it may well be a raleigh 26 tpi thread; as I can screw in the eng bb cups a couple of turns before it starts to bind.
Another possibility, having spoken to Dave Marsh at UCC, and reading an old thread on the Yahoo Team Raleigh group site, is that there was a batch of 531 Records built for the french, belgian and dutch markets, which had french bottom bracket threading!

Final verdict is that it has a french bottom bracket. For the possible benefit of me in the future when I come across the same problem and have forgotten, or someone in a similar state of bewilderment with an unknown bb threading, here is my attempt at a brief guide. Hopefully others, more knowledgeable can amend/ correct as necessary -

Italian and french bbs have both cups with a right hand thread, but different threading. English and Raleigh have right hand thread on lft hand side, left hand thread on drive side. With mine, I can screw the left hand cup into the right side a coupe of turns before it binds. Therefore I knpw the drive side has a right hand thread. As italian threading is a lot different (to english) it wouldn't be possible to part screw in an it. bb to an english thread. It must therefore be a french bb. Following this..?!

I've bitten the bullet and ordered a threadless bb from Velo Orange, which seems a rather versatile bit of kit - self tightens inside the bb shell without damaging the existing threads. I'll let you know how I get on when it arrives...

Looks like my weekend of bike build up will have to wait a little longer!

David