Joe Cooke Imperial Petrel

[stevevw]

I have just bought a Imperial Petrel - Club Sports Frame and Fork Number 0343
To be honest I only bought it for the Brampton headclip headset for my Maclean Featherweight but it is much nicer than I first thought so will probably put it in the loft until I have time to start searching out parts for the rebuild.

Any of you out there know about these frames? I have had a look on Classic Lightweights and read the article in the Boneshaker which has a bit of info on frame numbers
5031 - 1930
6031 - 1933
6269 - 1935
6843 - 1938
I had thought the frame was from the 30's but perhaps it is much earlier, what do you think?

Also if any of you have a spare Headclip Headset hanging about I will still be needing one for the Maclean along with a couple of Headclip stems.

I realise this post is useless without pictures and will be uploading some at the weekend.

 

[OldTel]

Hi,
interesting and rare, there is an VCC marque expert if you are a member, he may help. A 1941 can be found at http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v396/hadendowa/Sales/ Thanks Terry

 

[roadking]

If you have a Boneshaker then you're a member - aren't you?

Roadking.

 

[stevevw]

If you have a Boneshaker then you're a member - aren't you?

Roadking.

Roadking
Yes I am a VCC member and once I have un-earthed my handbook will be in touch with Laurie Weeks to see what information he may be able to give me.

 

[roadking]

Yearbook.

I have spare headclips...somewhere.

Rk.

 

[Goldie]

That one on Flickr looks lovely. Is that internal cable routing for the rear brake cable too? And what a cracking name for a bike...

 

[stevevw]

A bit more info on the 1941 model here:
http://groups.google.com/group/gentlema ... 5?lnk=raot

And I have found these pictures from the mid 20's

My frame has similar geometry of the 1941 but does not have the internal rear brake cable routing or the boss on the fork leg.

What a front brake on the 1923 advert.

 

[stevevw]

Pictures of the frameset now added to the first post. and I have had some interesting information through from Laurie Weeks:


"Steve,
Thank you for the pictures, very interesting.
The earliest frame number we have is 2038 which is June 1914 and the latest 7862 which is for the 19th March 1948.
I had thought that your number may have been a 6 but having seen the pictures it does look like an 0 and this is a puzzle. Had it been 6 it would have put the frame into the 1935/38 period which is what most of the frames are BUT we have a record of one other frame with a number begining with 0 with no explaination for the strange out of sequence change. This frame, number 0966 is dated to the 21st March 1938 which was the date of the order and deposit. This came in the middle of 7000 series of numbers. It does point to your frame being around that date but does not explain this odd "blip" in the numbering system.
I note your frame has the "bird beak" seat stay bridge but a plain chain stay bridge and also the the bottom bracket lugs are plain and not bird beak which is unusual and also the headlugs show semi rounded cups for the ballraces rather than the more square type on other Petrel frames.Other than these points it looks like a typical Joe Cooke frame and one you will enjoy riding and I think it would be fair to consider it a 1938 frame in line with the only other 0 frame we have. Interesting business this old cycle game, you never finish learning.
If I can be of further help please get in touch,
Laurie."

 

[lizziemc]

hello there

My dad is 86 and rapidly losing his memory - but one of his outstanding and long lasting memories is of his beloved Joe Cooke jug handled 12 tooth fixed wheel (?) bike - he lived in Birmingham in spark brook and shirley and used to cycle all the way to oxford and back on a sunday just for fun!

I wonder if the bike you have is like the one he would have had?

He talks about it all the time!

I wonder if you know where I could find some photos/pictures?

Lizziemchale

 

[stevevw]

Lizzie
Mine is not what you are looking for. Try this link for a picture of a Jug
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/joecooke.html

I am sorry to say mine is still sitting in my workshop waiting it's turn to be restored.