Roy Thame 1973/4

Have just pulled a Roy Thame out of my fathers garage, having been stored in less than favourable conditions for over 30 years.

531 frame and straight precisa style fork. Dura Ace series 1 groupset, including the Crane rear derailleur. Campag tipo hubs, super record pedals and shifters. Totally original and been in a time warp. I can’t see anything has changed since leaving the Putney shop in the early 70s.

Sounds great, but needs full resto.

Spokes rusted, lots of chrome taken a hit. Would like to make it useable and presentable, but not necessarily concourse. Want it to be in a condition where I can jump on it on a nice day and knock out 50 sunny miles. Don’t want to modernise in any way, bar maybe run clinchers (maybe) and swap compact block, for something I might be able to climb a 10% gradient on my tired legs. Not interested in cold setting frame, running a modern groupset etc.

Any tips, advise, links to sites etc. Can chromework be rechromed? Any shops specialise in retro spares. Any decent painters (based East London), decal suppliers etc etc, you get my drift, as I need to get down learning curve. Would like to rebuild the wheels onto period correct rims, new free wheel and bar a new headset, do little else.

Thanks in advance.

Your story doesn't add up: As far as we know there was no such thing as a 'Roy Thame' before 1975. If your frame is indeed from '73/4 it would have been a 'Holdsworth', which could have returned to the shop for a respray and ended up as a 'Roy Thame' some time after 1975? But if it has straight fork blades, leaving the crown at an angle, then the forks at least are much later.

What year do you put it at?

Pics would be nice my Roy Thame Frame is actually a Holdsworth Chronometro under the decals....

Yeah we can't guess at age without a picture. Anyone can put forty-five year old stuff on a later frame- although the trend seems to be to do the opposite these days.. Have you got a serial number under the BB?

I will check later. I remember the bike when I was still at school and I am now nearly 50. I know its whereabouts for at least the last 35 years. Certainly not been used in over 30 years.

35 years would put it at 1985, which is roughly when the straight leg fork appeared, so that would fit, timewise
It may be that 1970s 1st gen shimano kit was hung on a new (in 1985) frame

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