What model is my Holdsworth?

[allenh]

I think the mechs are a red herring so discount all the parts on it but it is interesting there are no cable guides or stops for the mechs around the bottom bracket which makes it seem older.

I don't think it's anywhere near the top of the range but it is interesting as some things on it point you in one direction and others in the opposite.

As I say if the paint's not original its had a bare metal strip so yes it could have been a refurb but I'll know more once I check the frame number and strip the old paint off. I'm also going to compare it much more closely to my early 80's Claude Butler Majestic as I'm pretty certain it's very close to that in style, build and frame components used.

 

[allenh]

Re: Re:

Colour not that unusual, featured in mid 1970s catalogue - and the same colour as my Mistral. However, the dropouts are the giveaway, they don't look like Campagnolo from what I can see.

I imagine 531 maintubes and forks only ?

Rk.

Ok, all the green Holdsworths I've seen have been metallic so I shall do a bit more catalogue digging. I did think Mistral when I got it but although the ends are Campag that are not what I expected. And it does take a 27.2 seatpin so I suspect it's a bit better than just main frame tubes but can't be sure of that

It's not a Mistral, a 27.2 post doesn't always mean a full tubeset...what does the Reynolds sticker say ? Often if a full tubeset the fork sticker is omitted.

Although when people restore you often experience sticker shock !!!

Rk.

Ok I've checked the Reynolds stickers and they are these

https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/co ... 531-x82-89

https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/co ... 82-89-pair

Which AFAIK means main tubes only, between 82 and 89 and plain gauge.

The frame number is 018520 which if I'm reading the spreadsheet right does date it in the early part of 81 or 82 which all makes sense and as I say it is very similar to my similar age Majestic so the only odd thing was the 27.2 seat post which I've now been and checked again and is 27.2 which is stamped on it.

So I'm pretty happy its an early 80's Holdsworth (which was my first guess) but probably not as nice a frame as I thought and I'm still none the wiser as to what model, but at least I know what range of catalogues I should be looking at.

The lugs I think are Prugnat 62/S which made me think it could be an Elan but it's not an Elan, I've got an early Elan and it's not the same. The other options are possibly a Nouvo Record but I know very little about that or and early Avanti.

Oh well more Googling needed I suppose

 

[torqueless]

Re:

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/claud ... no.101643/

 

[allenh]

After much Googling and image zooming I think I may have found something.

The lugs were bugging me and the frame number seemed a little low for 82

So with that in mind I went back with the catalogues and apart from the brake cable guides on the top of the top tube a 79 or 80 Championship looks a good fit, right lugs, right ends, right tube types, bottle bosses in the right place and the right fork crown.

So I wonder if this was a re finished Championship that was done between 82 and 89 or maybe an old stock frame that was done as a custom for someone.

Does that sound feasible people? I still don't know but it's the closest frame I've seen so far.

 

[allenh]

Re: Re:

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/claud ... no.101643/

That does look close in a lot of areas as does my Majestic but like the Majestic no bottle bosses and the angles and clearances look wrong.

 

[allenh]

Having had a look at the frame number spreadsheet on a bigger screen I can see from the very handy number table (should have looked at that first really) that my number does date from 1979 so chances are this is Championship that was re finished at a later date and as I haven't bought any paint or decals for it yet do I restore it back as a Championship or not?

Having done a bit more googling it looks like the difference between a 78 and 79 Championship is the 79 looks like it has top tube cable guides which again fits with my frame.

 

[torqueless]

Re:

I concur. The 'Championship' is an easy model to miss. Looks like it was only around for a few years. A sort of 'Proto-Elan'- race-ish geometry, Reynolds tubes and forks, price-point stays.

 

[allenh]

Re: Re:

I concur. The 'Championship' is an easy model to miss. Looks like it was only around for a few years. A sort of 'Proto-Elan'- race-ish geometry, Reynolds tubes and forks, price-point stays.

Yep I'm pretty certain it is now but it's always nice when someone agrees with your guess so thanks for that, took a bit of finding though. I did start thinking early Elan as it's pretty similar apart from the different lugs but as I've got an early Elan it was easy to compare and then rule out.

I think as I'm going to repaint it I should put it back to original and I'm pretty certain I've got some very light silver gold somewhere.