Another for identification help please

[zalp66]

Hi. I've owned this bike since the 1970s, but it had been resprayed long before then. The wraparound seat stays imply late '50s. Brakes are original - GB Sport Mk. 3. I had thought maybe a Lincoln Imp, but the head tube lug work does not look right - it has a distinctive piercing. The wraparound seat stay seems to exhibit a degree of finesse that out-finesses most of the Carlton work I recall from the time. The front fork crown is fairly plain. I've resprayed into a metallic green, but ideally would like to put it back to something original. Frame number W35363 stamped on the rear dropout rather than under the BB which is where I would have expected to see it.

Can't figure out how to add photos, so I created a Flickr album. Hope that's ok.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/allan66/s ... 940221413/

Thank you in anticipation.

P1000535 by Allan Proudfoot, on Flickr

P1000536 by Allan Proudfoot, on Flickr

P1000537 by Allan Proudfoot, on Flickr

P1000539 by Allan Proudfoot, on Flickr

P1000542 by Allan Proudfoot, on Flickr

 

[Jamiedyer]

Hello
I can't help with ID and to my untrained eye it does look very Carlton like.
I can though help with your pics, and that may get a few more replies.
All the best with it

Jamie

 

[Nob]

I agree very Carlton like to

 

[Midlife]

If it was a Carlton then a W prefix number would put it very late 60's which is too late. Not sure it looks very Carlton to me, maybe Spokessman can help

Shaun

 

[zalp66]

Re:

Thanks all. The wasn't any signs of chroming when I stripped it back and also the seat stay drops very smoothly to a very fine taper with no flattening that I recall Carlton's having. Now I think about it, the lowest layer of paint scraps stuck in the fancy detailing was a metallic red - the few scraps of it left were hard enough to probably be original. The Carlton forks I have seen either have a very long or very short middle leg to the 'M' shape on the crown brazing where this one is fairly level, and pretty much identical to the BB lugs which makes me think they are the right forks for the frame.

As purpose the thread in the forum says it is to let readers see bikes, here's the respray I did a few years ago using an MG metallic green and a Ford metallic light blue - both courtesy of Halfords' rattle cans. I'm quite pleased with my colour blending and it sure looks a lot better then the silver hammerite I used when I was 14 I cannot remember if the bike had the patterned-rim Rigida wheel when I got it or if I changed the wheels in the 70's, but they both buffed up nicely with a bit (lot) of elbow grease and metal polish, and the spokes responded well to some fine wet and dry paper. I certainly changed the cassette from the original 14-22 to what was back then a low ratio 14-28. Looking at the gearing on bikes now, that 28 sure isn't low any more, especially when driven from the 48 / 52 tooth chainwheel pair.

 

[Spokesmann]

The wrap over seat stays are one of Carltons recognisable design features, however those lugs and fork crown is not something Ive seen before. That rear drop out with a lip on the bottom is very different too. The frame could have been worked on in the past, but in summary I don't think this screams Carlton. The W prefix is a 70s convention and the frame does look older...

 

[zalp66]

Re:

...That rear drop out with a lip on the bottom is very different too...

Thanks Spokesmann I hadn't thought of the significance of this. I've been trying to look at photos lugs on loads of old bikes with some difficulty. The rear dropout lip may be a lot easier to spot on a photo. It also rules out Elswick Lincoln Imps. Looks like it was designed for fast / easy wheel changing. Could the 'Made in Britain' stamp refer to a British BB on a foreign frame or is it going to be the whole frame as I have always assumed?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Spokesmann]

Re: Re:

...That rear drop out with a lip on the bottom is very different too...

Thanks Spokesmann I hadn't thought of the significance of this. I've been trying to look at photos lugs on loads of old bikes with some difficulty. The rear dropout lip may be a lot easier to spot on a photo. It also rules out Elswick Lincoln Imps. Looks like it was designed for fast / easy wheel changing. Could the 'Made in Britain' stamp refer to a British BB on a foreign frame or is it going to be the whole frame as I have always assumed?

Thanks everyone.

It has the look and feel of a British frame, to me.