Can Anyone Help Identify A Claud Butler?

[moto.gt]

Hi. I've just bought a vintage Claud Butler. Can anyone help me identify the model.

I believe the bike was built on 1st Feb 1953

Numbers on the bottom bracket are:
53
21
141
LS

The bike is fitted with the following:

Pelissier hubs
Huret Svelto derailleur
Campagnolo gear change lever
Sugino cranks
Weinmann brakes
Mafac brake levers
Campagnolo seat post
Milremo saddle
SR stem

 

[keithglos]

Do the forks have a number?
I can't see anything that makes me think Claud Butler, or Holdsworthy. The head badge is glued on, should be rivetted.
Surely later than 1953, looks more mid 60s. The cable guide under bracket could well have been added.
Close up pics of seat lug, fork crown etc could help.
Keith

 

[Peachy!]

I'd say that’s very much a 1950's Claud, although I personally would read the BB stamp as 53141 (1953 January, number 41)
I think the 21LS is the 21st frame made by Mr LS
If I had to make a best guess I would plum for the Coronation Model, bottom of the range but still a quality 1950's frame.
I don't think anything on it is original I'm afraid, but still loads of lovely kit.
The head badge is the real deal but not for this bike, it’s an aluminium cast early version, rare as hens’ teeth, poor re-paint and lost its lugs probably to galvanic corrosion, I believe it was normally found on earlier higher end models, and small frames like this one sometimes only had stickers as the metal badges don’t fit very well. But with the rivet lugs removed, this one I guess has been stuck on and fits well.
Dont get hung up on the lack of pump pegs, as these quite often would have one lost, then the other removed when this frame got re-sprayed.
In a nice colour mind, and still could be its original, but original paint jobs in this condition would I suspect be cherished & preserved with all original bits, where as this does seem like a re-build.

PS, as Keith says, if you can find the number on the forks head tube, that should clear up the date.

 

[moto.gt]

Re:

Hi. Thanks for the helpful feedback.

Here are some more pictures of the areas of the bike you wanted to look at.

The number on the fork tube appears to be

533
1213

Look forward to your comments

 

[Peachy!]

Ok, so nothing is absolute in this merry game of identifying classic lightweights, some are easier to work out than others. The top of the stays are like the ones on the top of my Jubilee (next in the range) the forks (from another frame set I’m afraid) are the type like the ones I have on my Olympic Path and Olympic Sprint.
So, my guess, and this only based on my experience not any recognised qualification.
You have a 1950’s Claud Butler.
The frame and forks are unlikely to have been sold together.
The paint job is unlikely to be original.
The frame is most likely to be a Coronation.
The forks donated possibly from a crashed competition bike?

It won’t ever get a collector’s heart racing, so probably not worth the expense of hunting down all the correct kit and re-spraying the set, but who cares?
My advice? Ride it, with the quality tubing, frame work and the nice kit it has on it, it should be a pleasure.
If you fall in love with it, have it resprayed.

PS, nothing wrong with the “Oxford Blue” it was defiantly in CB’s enamel colour pallet. Just don’t powdercoat it unless you want Claud to turn in his grave…. :twisted:

 

[moto.gt]

Re:

Fantastic info. Thanks for your help.

I'm not bothered about it being a totally original bike, with everything matching. I prefer it like this, because the bike represents ongoing use and modifications, which makes it usable, rather than too precious to ride.

Please to hear the colour is original, and it's a 50's bike. I might get it re-painted one day. Do you know where you can get original decals?

 

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

Fantastic info. Thanks for your help.

I'm not bothered about it being a totally original bike, with everything matching. I prefer it like this, because the bike represents ongoing use and modifications, which makes it usable, rather than too precious to ride.

Please to hear the colour is original, and it's a 50's bike. I might get it re-painted one day. Do you know where you can get original decals?

Thats the right atitude...

Decals from Steve at H Lloyd Cycles in Wales; https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/co ... aud-butler