Help dating a Raleigh roadster please.

[Some Guy]

Today I picked up a Raleigh roadster I bought on Ebay and I'm trying to figure out how old she is. I really fancied one older than my previous 1956 Superbe.
This one looks a real basket case, covered in rust, grease and dogs hair, but I reckon it's all do'able, IF she's old enough!

Its got bolted on seat stays, the mudguards are still rounded but with out the central ridge of the 1956 Superbe and the pump mounts are bolted/banded on. The front brake stirrups are narrower and attach to the front forks via a brazed on spring mount(?) to the inside of the fork legs (as opposed to be being banded on as with 1956). Its also got a front dyno hub and 4 notches in the headset. The rims are fractionaly wider but still take 26x13/8" tires and theres a oil hole in the top of the b/bracket.

The frame number is 74303j and the Sturmey Archer AW hub has a metal oil filler and what I think is a 1930 date code (0), although Sheldon Brown states this hub wasn't introduced till 1936?

Any ideas gentleman?

Cheers
Mark

I'll post a few photos when she is degreased & defluffed, to save the old girl her blushes

 

[Some Guy]

Does this look like a 1930 date code on a AW hub?
Still confused by the Sheldon Brown comment about them only starting production in 1936?

 

[one-eyed_jim]

The AW took over from the K series in 1936. Pre-war Sturmey Archer hubs that I've seen used a single-digit date code (for example, I've got a 1935 KB hub that's stamped "KB5") so it's plausible that your AW is a 1940 model. Pre-war hubs have the "Patent Applied For" stamp. Post-war hubs used a four digit year-and-month code. I don't know how soon Sturmey switched over to war work after the declaration of hostilities, but the 1940 Raleigh catalogue shows Sturmey hubs on a number of models.

Don't tease us - let's see the whole thing!

 

[Some Guy]

Well here she is and I'm pleased to report that she got me to an from the station this morning with everything working, except the shifter lever, which looks properly fubared.

Trouble is I've now seen a '30s sloping top tubed roadster on ebay and some google images of properly old bikes.. I think my time with this one is going to be very limited before she gets a proper wash an scrub up (maybe a tickle with some wet and dry and a quick coat of blitz black ) before fluttering back to ebay. I'm pretty sure my little collection of nice chrome Raleigh bits will be staying in my dads garage for a little while longer.

 

[keithglos]

Looks like a Dawn tourist from 1940, before chrome plate was stopped.
Early type dynohub could be worth more than the bike? possibly in the US.

AW was not sold until 1937, but design emerged in 1936. It's not in any 1937 bike catalogues I have seen, they were obviously prepared before the 1937 season.
Nearest catalogue I have is 1937, but raleigh completely modernised their range in 1938, less 28 inch wheels, more brazed up frames, and steeper angles.
The headset was used up to the late 40's, all 26 TPI.
You have standard westwood rims.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Sheldon has a copy of the complete 1939 catalogue:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleig ... /index.htm

The Dawn Tourist and Superbe Safety Tourist appear to be very similar indeed, but the Superbe has a dynohub.

 

[keithglos]

Well found, Jim. Superbe, rod brakes, westwood rims, should have SS spokes, but this was early war time. Worth trying some oil in the gear control and cable?

 

[Some Guy]

It took me to the train station again this morning!

The hub changes gear when I manualy pull the cable, its only the shifter thats not working, I think. I can't see a pawl spring (? the bit that holds the ratchets in place inside the shifter) and its missing one of the rivets, that hold the side plates together.

I've got some time penciled in on Saturday to give it a proper clean, maybe I'll fall in love with it then, I have got a soft spot for roadsters with rod brakes. Although the 1930s sloping top tube model I saw on ebay or something with 28" wheels is probably more like it.

Once again many many thanks.

Mark

 

[Some Guy]

I've just put a post in the wanted section for a 3 speed shifter, if any ones has one to sell?

 

[keithglos]

SG, I have an unused one from about 1975 lurking in the small remains of my stuff. I'll have a look tomorrow, it would do for now.