Chater-Lea frame/tubing?

[frances1966]

Hi
I'm looking at a bike that the seller says is from from the 1940s - it has a 'Chater- Lea' stamped under the bottom bracket lug. I know that Chater Lea made good quality components, does anyone know anything about Chater Lea tubing or what this bike could be? Is it likely to be of good quality for this period? (1940s)
Frances

 

[keithglos]

Chater-Lea made high quality components, so it is likely to have decent drawn tubing. Supplies were intermittent after WW2, if you can accurately measure the seat pillar diameter it could indicate the guage of tubing at the top of the seat tube.
Detail pictures could help.
Keith

 

[frances1966]

Hi Keith
Thanks for replying we have now bought the bike. Here is the ebay link, need to scroll down a bit to see it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1940s ... 43a96d0f77

It is listed as a Chater Lea bike but we think it might just be the BB casing that is CL. Any thoughts on what the frame might be? I don't think any of the other parts are original. I think the Williams chainwheel is probably 1960s.
Frances

 

[roadking]

Could be Chater Lea lugs, not tubing.

Chater's BBs weren't stamped ( in the conventional way) the Chater Lea name was cast into the shell but in relief - i.e raised lettering.

Tubing could be Reynolds HM as there was a shortage of 531 in the immediate post war period.

Actual frame...mmm, difficult to tell, might not be at all interesting. Cranks could be Williams (Williams dated their cranks) but chainring looks a bit"clunky".

Components are nothing special - not being churlish but just an objective critique.

You took a risk at the price.

Roadking.

 

[frances1966]

From what I can see someone has just put various components on to make it ride-able, eg 70s/80s Weinmann breaks and suicide levers, a sturmey hub etc (though that could be original I suppose?)
The Chater-lea bottom bracket has the name (as you said) cast into the shell. I guess we will know more when get a closer look at it on Sunday.

 

[roadking]

Yes, basically.

If the frame is interesting (and I don't know) that's all you really have for you money.

The hub has a date on it, I'd be surprised if it is original (misused word anyway), a Sturmey certainly could be contemporary.

You need to supply some really good images of the frame parts, headtube, seatlugs etc, and remove the steerer for a frame number and look on the frame for the number too - they need to match.

Bicycle archealogy is what's required!

Roadking.