Here we go again!

As the Abba lyrics say. "Mama Mia.....HERE WE GO AGAIN! HOW CAN I RESIST YOU?" and after recently selling my Marin MTB and my refurbished in 2018 Peugeot Premiere my stable was now looking a little bare, so two out, now another one in, and after a pause and a few withdrawal symptoms, yet another refurbishment is now on the way.
I knew this was a 60's-70's Carlton frame, but which one? not a lot to go on, but you know how much I love a mystery. The seller did not know which marque it was, as he said it had been his grandfathers bike. His grandfather years ago had resprayed it, and since then it had hung in the garage until last Friday. When collected it was full of muck, dust and bird droppings. My first job was to give the full frame a wash and degrease. All of the important parts were 60-70's original. My decision now was to allocate it an identity, trying to stick as closely as possible to the catalogues of the time, but which one?? Well I've made up my mind, but you'll have to wait until later to find out my choice rightly or wrongly. but it will have a complete makeover!
I feel yet another old bike is now being saved and restored back to its former glory days. Once more its not a top end marque but in my view its still worth being given another chance to be ridden and anyway its a good Corvid19 project for me.

I like it a lot. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do!

Been busy stripping the bike. Frame now degreased and out for its new coat. Left crank arm and front brake cable headset guide is off to be rechromed. This gives me time to get down to some serious cleaning and polishing. Anybody got any knowledge of the perfect 8.8.8 five speed freewheel. 14,16,18,20,22T. Think this is a Suntour production from Maeda IndustriesLtd. Japan.
The Crankset is Raleigh with cottered chainrings 46t/49t.

The BB fixed cup had been painted over and will be heat treated and removed before respray.

Nice . Crespera lugs, half chrome front forks, brazed on rear brake stop for the centre pull, rear mech and top tube cable guides = Corsa most likely.

Lots of changes since it left the factory. Lol. The 888 brand was below the pro comp and the winner iirc. Too close ratio to be original

Comfy chair pulled up and popcorn at the ready

I was going to say Corsa as well and I'd say that needs a Huret Svelto rear mech to go with the front one and the shifters.

Thanks Midlife and Allenh. Yes Corsa was one of my two choices. I've made my decision one way or tother, rightly or wrongly. It will be brought back to how I believe it once was, but again as with my Cobra it will have a little bit of my own unique input, after all this will be a bike that will stay in my stable, cherished and ridden in rotation with my others, anyway I would never recover my outgoings even if I was to sell.

Midlife .... you say the freewheel ratio is too close to be original. Certainly the rear ratio combined with the crankset 49/46 would not give me a very good hill climbing bike.

You may have noticed no photos of bars or brake levers. It came with straight bars and Weinmann stamped levers. I have got the drop bars and would like some new/old levers and Carlton hoods.

Also came with I believe a quite rare tapered nose pump. (Needs a good clean!)

There are quite a few levers / hoods on the evil bay but you'll need plenty of money, money, money. But that's the name of the game there...

The levers do come up at reasonable prices every now and then so just keep looking

I do have a bunch of Weinmann, CLB and some Red 'S' sitting here looking at me if no joy.