BB choice for a 1963 H Quinn with a perforated BB shell?

This might sound like a fairly easily sorted question, but what type of BB (cartridge or traditional axle and bearings) would people recommend installing when the BB shell is perforated (and thus would allow water/grit ingress). I'm leaning towards installing a cartridge type on practical grounds, but is this an unforgiveable sin in a period frame?

The frame in question is this: its a 1963 Harry Quinn special lightweight (just arrived from Hilary Stone this morning). Hilary has installed a period Campag Sport headset for me (anything else wouldn't be or look right) but I wouldn't like to ruin a perfectly good period BB (I have a suitable Nuovo Record in the spares box).

After all, who's to know unless I turn the bike upside down? No-one would see otherwise (it would be like peeking up a girls skirt :shock: )

Can an axle BB be run safely in this case? I'm not planning to use this in the wet.

All comments welcome

HW

Hi HW

Nice frame. Love the colour and chrome. Now't wrong with putting your nuovo record BB in there. I'm assuming it has the BB sleeve with it too? Dry weather cycling and maybe a regular regrease sounds good.

Hi classy looking frame, all you need to use is a standard bb with a sleeve, I'll post a pic of my bb shell later

Far be it for ne ti contradict Mr Stone but cut out bb's and drilled out dropouts came about later than 1963 in my experience

Shaun

Midlife":37mskwg6 said:

Hi classy looking frame, all you need to use is a standard bb with a sleeve, I'll post a pic of my bb shell later

Far be it for ne ti contradict Mr Stone but cut out bb's and drilled out dropouts came about later than 1963 in my experience

Shaun

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beautiful frame but totally agree here with Shaun....there was nothing that I'm aware of that would have proved to be a suitable bottom bracket for this in 1963 and my experience back then was riding many early and wet Time Trial mornings so I must concur it was most likely a later drilling possibly around a decade later when drillium was at its height and b/b plastic sleeves became "de rigeur" for the new fangled bottom bracket cut outs, (have memories of Alec Bird back in 1971 at the start of an evening 10 riding one of his own frames that had cut out slots in the chain stays with no inner protection!)

Griff

Here's my 70's TT frame with cutout bottom bracket, very unusual in the day,

It's running a standard BB but with a cunningly placed "roll" of washing up liquid bottle inside painted black to cover up the hole. BITD there were no "sleeves" from the manufactures and we made our own.



Shaun

PS the frame would look good with a fully sloping Cinelli fork crown if it's 60's

Midlife":3cy0en4a said:

Far be it for ne ti contradict Mr Stone but cut out bb's and drilled out dropouts came about later than 1963 in my experience

Shaun

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Hi Shaun and Griff and thanks for the input. It's much appreciated. I have Campag sleeves (both the older 2 part 'push together' NR type and more modern 'bellows' types). Love the washing up liquid version though!

In fairness to Hilary I too wondered about the age of the frame when the cutaway BB is considered. However in his listing for the Quinn on his site Hilary cited an article in Cycling in July 1963 that profiled a very similar Quinn frame (also like mine made from lightweight 531 (that's lighter than usual 531DB of the day)) complete with cutaway BB and drilling (the article is here: http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Britis ... inn_UL.htm) . While the 2 frames are similar they are not identical, but close in key features.

Out of interest I also found a 1960 Harry Quinn catalogue. This details a frame called the Vigorelli Special here: http://merseysidebicycles.blogspot.co.u ... -1960.html which also has some similarities (but also with differences and this doesn't mention the cutaway BB).

So, it looks like an axle-and-bearings BB is a goer here!

HW

Re:

This does look like a late '70s frame TBH...
Were vertical dropouts around in the early '60s?
Were brake bridges like that around in the early '60s?
What are the clearances like for brakes and wheels?
What is the rear spacing?

If it is a 1963 frame, IMO it may have been 'modernised' and refinished at some point.

Just looked at the links...... Blimey is nothing new

I came across vertical dropouts as a youngster in the bike shop where I worked on some older frames so I guess that would make them late 60's ?

As everyone has said it's a lovely looking frame whatever the date

Shaun

It is really nice frame. You were faster than me. I wanted it as well, but inquired when it has been sold already... (maybe that's better, do I need more bikes?) but that's very good to see it here, I can't wait too see it built.

Re:

As everyone has said it's a lovely looking frame whatever the date

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I never said any such thing...

I can't wait too see it built.

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Yeah, I would like to at least see wheels on it, which might convince me it is indeed fifty years old, rather than thirty-five?

Not that it matters- It is a nice frame either way. There... I said it.