Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in England

[djoptix]

Anyone know anything about this?

I picked it up recently planning to restore it for a bit of a hack, but having stripped it down, I'm not sure. It might be a bit small for me. More to the point, it seems really really nice. I might put it up for sale in the hope that someone will have it powdercoated/painted and give it some love.

* Made in England by Crown Cycles (whoever they were?)
* 531 throughout, by the looks of things - the remains of a Reynolds sticker on the frame, and a stamp on the steerer tube.
* Lovely lugs.
* Horizontal dropouts and a rear mech hanger
* Kit that was on it dates it to mid/late 70s (1977 Suntour Honor rear mech, Shimano Uniglide 500 front mech, Brooks B1

 

[oonaff]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

great lugs indeed. what a head badge! the decals don't seem to keep up with the lugs... kind of plain . still got to be a great find ! a tourer ?

 

[Robbied196]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Capella lugs and very like an early 60's Carlton. Without the Crown decals that's what I would have guessed it was.

I've not come across Crown but there could well be a Carlton connection.

 

[Midlife]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Looks for all the world like a Carlton to me which has been re-finished and the Crown decals applied......


Is there a number on the frame anywhere?

Shaun

 

[djoptix]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

great lugs indeed. what a head badge! the decals don't seem to keep up with the lugs... kind of plain . still got to be a great find ! a tourer ?

It has mounts for mudguards, but no bottle cage bosses or rack mounts, so more of a winter trainer I reckon.

I've found another one, a 60s version, on someone's site... it's for sale... for £160 :shock:

The 60s decals are a bit fancier though!

 

[djoptix]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Looks for all the world like a Carlton to me which has been re-finished and the Crown decals applied......

Is there a number on the frame anywhere?

The BB shell has taken some tough love over the years, but I can just make out the numbers "33125" on it.

 

[Robbied196]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Looks for all the world like a Carlton to me which has been re-finished and the Crown decals applied......

Is there a number on the frame anywhere?

The BB shell has taken some tough love over the years, but I can just make out the numbers "33125" on it.

Any numbers on one of the rear drop outs?

Or, any signs of drill holes in the headtube? A Carlton would have had a metal headbadge with two drillings.

 

[Robbied196]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Thinking about it, wasn't this kind of burnt orange a Carlton colour as well?

 

[djoptix]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Any numbers on one of the rear drop outs?

Or, any signs of drill holes in the headtube? A Carlton would have had a metal headbadge with two drillings.

No to both, how inconclusive eh... there are no holes in the headtube (I can look down it obviously, so that's a definite no) and there isn't anything on the dropouts. I suppose there is a small chance that a dropout stamp (if small) could have worn off over the years, but to be honest I don't think there was ever anything there.

 

[Robbied196]

Re: Shed some light on my frame? A Crown Comet, made in Engl

Unfortunately, 9 out of 10 times most ID's are inconclusive. There doesn't seem to be any info on the net about a Crown Cycle Company which would be unusual. Even the most rare builders usually have something come up. That makes me wonder about the decals.

I thought I recognised the colour, I had an orange carlton! You can see the obvious similarities....