Help me I.D. my ghetto Claud...

[Goldie]

I have become the proud owner of this 1970-odd Claud Butler, in a fetching rust red. Can anyone help me pin down the model, year and original spec?

The frame is basically the same as my Claud Coureur, with the same plain Prugnat lugs. It has Weinmann Vanqueur centre pulls.

But it's had a makeover at some point, and landed a Shimano front derailleur, gear changers and brake leavers...

...and a slightly dodgy looking chain wheel, that may or may not be stamped out of the lid from a Fox's Classic tin...

...and a similarly dodgy derailleur at the back. I sort of thought it could be a CB Cresta...

 

[keithglos]

In the 1960's I sold a lot of these. Not a Claud Butler but a Holdsworthy Co. (well documented) who bought the names Butler, Grubb and Holdsworth. These were sold as far as I remember as frames only, to the lightweight trade as Holdsworthy were major importers and wholesalers of lightweight equipment, suppling lightweight specialists who would have sold frames and components rather than complete bikes because of about 20% purchase tax on bikes but not components.
It looks in good condition, but was one of their base models. Unlike the well known Raleighs we get on here, these were built with decent reynolds grade A drawn tubing, and were quite a good general purpose starter frame.

 

[Old Ned]

In the 1960's I sold a lot of these. Not a Claud Butler but a Holdsworthy Co. (well documented) who bought the names Butler, Grubb and Holdsworth.

And MacCleans as well?

 

[keithglos]

Young Ned, Forgot about MacCleans, but was never offered them.
Don't know when they made them, but probably not many, the other 3 names were better known.

 

[Goldie]

Ghetto Claud - a partial return to respectability

Well, it's not finished yet - and it will still have a hint of the disreputable about it even when it is - but it's starting to look good enough to cheat the scrap man. I couldn't ID the model in the end, so it's ended up dressed up as an Electron.

This is the first time I've had my hands on Lloyds' decals - the quality is really great.

Props in passing to Rigida, who manufactured the delightfully un-round rear wheel. Looks shiny, but has corners :cry:

 

[Goldie]

Arrrgh! Some freakish combination of camera, light conditions and sun bleached 1970's enamel has made it come out like a little clone of my other Electron. It's a pinky purply burgundy in real life...

 

[Spokesmann]

The red flamboyant paint looks very attractive. I like it.

 

[TheElectronKid]

Nice looking restoration.

Judging by the frame it looks almost identical to my early 70's Electron.

 

[Old Ned]

It's scrubbed up well hasn't it!

I've got a couple of those DNP rear mechs available NOS.

 

[Goldie]

Nice looking restoration.

Judging by the frame it looks almost identical to my early 70's Electron.

...which is absolutely lovely, by the way! I may well have said that before, so I apologise if I'm repeating itself.

My own Electron has a more ornate, frilly lug, so it's good to see that the model was built with the simple version that my rusty red Claud has. What derailleur doe yours have on it?

I was tempted to go for the stripey seat post when I was laying on the cream bands for the decals, but in the end decided that I was short of the necessary skill and patience