83-85 Raleigh Conundrum (That isn't a model ;)

OK, I'm hoping some of you genius vintage masters can help me with a mystery. Some background: In October 1984, while doing a European walkabout (I'm from the States) I purchased a Raleigh 531c frame set in Amsterdam. The script on the top tube read Gran Sport with Campagnolo in slightly smaller script. I kitted the bike out with full Campy Super Record and got many great miles out of it before moving on to newer bikes. But I could never let the bike go. Five years ago I decided to breathe new life into her and convert her to ss/fixie so I sold all the components and then the project got put on hold. Then a few weeks ago the passion came back and I started looking at getting the frame set repainted. It was then that I came across a few pictures of my exact frame with the white and blue fade paint. But these had Gran Course on the top tube! The 1984 catalog has the same frame listed as Gran Course..Another guy has posted numerous pics of what he calls his 1985 Gran Course. My serial number shows it as having been produced in September of '83 in the Worksop factory. So, after that long story my question is, what the heck have I got? A mislabeled Gran Course? A Gran Sprt with the wrong or special paint job? I'm throwing pics on here to hopefully help the investigation. Included are the 1984 catalog, the other guy's '85(? Maybe he bought it in 85 but it's an 84), and a pic of mine showing the Gran Sort script. Any help will be much appreciated!

It's a gran course which was available as a frameset only. Seen one before with a gran sport decal, that one was equipped with a gran sport groupset. Is the decal under or over the lacquer?

And its a lightweight unit build, Worksop closed in 81. I have a 83 version with a different seatstay design.

Makes me think there may of been a European market version of the Gran sport in the fade paint, UK versions were caramel or team coloured.

Re:

Wow! Thanks for the quick response Andy. So, with the Worksop factory closing in '81 does it make sense to think the frame was built there and then painted at Nottingham at a later date? That's the only way I can explain the paint job, which is shown on the Gran Course in the '84 catalog. The campy sticker is under the lacquer just like the Gran Sport sticker. You mentioned seat stays. Are you thinking this setup is older than ''84?

No those stays came in 84 catalogue. Raleigh used the w prefix for lightweight unit builds after the closure of worksop. My early 83 version which is on this site has stays that attach to the sides of the seat lug. Yours are shot in which was a feature on 84-5 frames. I think it may be a European market gran sport. I have seen one before. In fact if you search the complete bikes for sale section it's in there.

I just pulled up the '84 catalog on Bulgier's site (http://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/Raleigh84/) and the second page says all 531 bikes were built by the lightweight unit. And the Gran Course was only listed as a frameset, not a complete bike. Makes me think the most logical explanation is the frame was produced for the European market and labeled Campagnolo and Gran Sport with the intention of the bike being kitted out at the local shop. And I just happened to buy it before that happened. I wish I could remember the details but I ended up purchasing my SR gruppo in Florence a few weeks later.

Sold bike listed as stunning raleigh gran sport 12.

Could of been a complete bike that the shop stripped of it's parts? Do you remember if there were any signs of it being built up previously?

You do see these anomaly bikes from time to time, because not all catalogues are online it's hard to say if they were for a different market or just Raleigh clearing stock.