What have I bought this time?

Another dabble on ebay, another bike of dubious provenance. I'd be grateful for any help at all in working out what this is. The bb shell is stamped Nervex, cranks are Williams, bb is Bayliss-Wiley, handlebars are GB Maes, but a different version to the one I'm familiar with, with a frilly edged collar to give th correct diameter for the stem to clamp on. The internal diameter of the seat tube is 27mm, measured with my slightly suspect adjustable wrench. There are no holes for a head badge. The head and seat tube angles are not parallel; some (but not all) of this is due to a front end shunt...

Is their any sign of a serial number - on the dropouts possibily. The lugs are Nervex Legere No 38 http://www.classicrendezvous.com./France/parts/Nervex/nervex_legere_series.htm and the Williams crank should have a date code on http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/williamsdating.html , a few clues are needed as its not obivious.

I would say possibly late 50's/early 60's but with an interesting combination of details. A brazed on gear lever boss - which could be a Simplex (or even Huret) one, unlikely to be Campag compatible given that it has 'Osgear' style rear drop outs. Brazed cable guides over the bracket, not cable stops either side. Nice lugwork but with evidence of filing on the headlugs. No holes for a head badge points to a small builder who would have used a transfer perhaps? Rear mech probably a replacement as I reckon it is 'to modern' for the frame's date.

i saw a set of head tub lugs like that on a mid 70's Peugoet at the weekend , having a dabble on e bay can be interesting

Agree with Ned, but think the finish of lugs looks cheapish, (not referring to paint), long fork rake, lamp bracket boss and down tube pump pegs point to a cheapish frame. But the way the front has gone up indicates probably 531 or similar. Cheap tubes usually go right up by the lugs. It would be quite possible to pull it forward a bit without taking it apart, but might riide better as it is.

Thanks very much everyone. I've had a look over the thing again tonight. There's a serial number on the left hand side rear drop out - I think it's KD853. The K, D and 5 are reasonably clear.

Might be worth looking for some mid - late fifties Macleans cats http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/macleans.html on the web, the serial number looks a possible. Terry

I think that has to be it. When I first started trawling for a match, I thought it didn't look too disimilar to one of these:




- Bob Damper's Bates Eucadian, as featured on Classic Lightweights.

Same Nervex lugs, lots of the same equipment, non-parallel head and seat tube angles, position of pump pegs and cable braze ons all sold it. But the serial number fits well with the known Macleans serial numbers, giving it a late 1958 / 1959 build date. That fits with Ned's estimate, and although I don't know the first thing about Nervex serial numbers, the one on the bb shell does end in 58. There's a similar Maclean on ebay at the moment - same drop outs, same lugs and happily, worn decals in place too.

Just got to work out what to do with the thing now. I guess it's had a repaint - maybe at the same time the Huret Svelto went on? - as it seems unlikely that the transfers would have vanished completely.