Frame identifying, help needed (more pictures added)

[ForestHill]

Rights, spotted this in a job lot on ebay and had a punt. Collected it today along with some awful hybrid things and what I think is a Ritchey frame (with a cracked weld, heartbreakingly... ,more to come on that front).

I don't *believe* it's a Raleigh, but what it is is

Light
Well made - fillet brazed
27.2 seat tube diameter
No frame markings but '395' stamped on the steerer
Threaded forks
130 rear spacing
Rack mounts on the rear
Touring geometry (check the trail!)
Room for very large tyres. I've had 35c in there comfortably. I think 45 would fit. If the rest of the frame wasn't modern looking then I would assume it was for 27" wheels
Vertical dropouts with no branding that I can see

It came with a dura ace headset, so was presumably a decent build at some point!

Any ideas?

L

 

[ForestHill]

Re:

Some clues...

There appears to be a serial on the BB shell, but it has been painted over so I didn't see it at first.

Long serial is hard to make out but short one is 319, which is also found on the steerer

 

[lewisfoto]

Nothing really jumps out, other than as you already said likely a tourer or commuter. Also could it be tig welded that has been filed

 

[ForestHill]

Yeah, hard to tell under that paint really. My initial thought was that it was tigged, but there isn't much bead left if it has been. I'm going to build it up tomorrow and see how it is but it feels nice in my hands. 27.2 seat tube points at something fairly decent, anyway.

319 stamps on frame and forks are odd, but it's not going to point me at any specific builder, alas.

Oh well, should make a good winter/child carrying steed if nothing else. Looking forward to seeing what sort of tyres I can get on there, though may be limited by caliper brakes as opposed to cantis. I have some rx100 long drops will I'll try...

 

[NeilM]

Re:

319 on the frame and forks could mean it was resprayed at some point, as Bob Jackson do exactly that when they spray a frame.

 

[ForestHill]

Now that's interesting. That explains why there's that and the other serial.
It definitely has been resprayed because the actual serial is so obscured and there are no tubing stickers or anything.

 

[Hillwalker]

Re: Re:

319 on the frame and forks could mean it was resprayed at some point, as Bob Jackson do exactly that when they spray a frame.

My Jarvis was sprayed at Bob Jackson's about 18 months ago and returned with 347 stamped on the BB underside and steerer.

HW