help, B head tube badge? simplex, gnutti read on

[stevendavid75]

Hi All,

I was wandering through this "vintage" today and found this bike that instantly stood out.. pics will come

The head tube has a B brazed on similar to the early E for super elliots or H healings..so wondering if it might be a B for bates? and given the drop outs on the frame a simplex with a simplex rear JUY 52 (looks to read 52 but havent found a 52 on a search?

Brakes are Universal extras

Gnutti cottered cranks

ambrosio champion stem and bars

dunlop seat

Dunlop front rim special weight?

Campag front QR with a flat lever..chrome hub shell unsure of make

unsure of pedals...

so I guess someone will be able to figure out who the B belongs to??
will also have a clean and see what the BB and rear hub is as well

I love finding old bikes like this..even if I do end up parting it out..you still get to learn a bit along the way..

As I said I will try to get some pics up..
cheers
Steve

[stevendavid75]

Now with pics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15692161@N02/?saved=1

other finds along the way..
Gnutti front hub - low flange
..


Sheffield sprint pedals

and with the simplex rear der it is the tour de france JUY 52 ( Does anyone know of the 52?)


Back wheel is a piece of rubbish and has a relatively modern shimano stem mount gear lever and cable fittings,
Head set is cactus..

Anyone recognise the B on the head tube?

Cheers,

Steve

[Clydesdale Scot]

and with the simplex rear der it is the tour de france JUY 52 ( Does anyone know of the 52?)

The Simplex Tour de France 52 is recorded at p181 of Frank Berto's The Dancing Chain, 4th Edition, 2012

[stevendavid75]

Thanks for that..

Does anyone recognise the B on the head tube?
I might have mentioned earlier but with the simplex drop outs and derailer, picking the bike is mid 50's would it have been common for bike to have been built with french threads etc in Australia at that time?

There is also a serial number in the BB SHELL across the lug leading up to the down tube, havent been able to make it out just yet, looks like a 26.8 tubeset, maybe 27?

Any ideas would be welcome..even speculation!!

Cheers
SP

[Torana68]

if its an Oz fame it could be the only French threaded one, could only have hapenned by special order and I have no idea why you'd do that. Íd be checking the thread.....Frame looks 60's not 50's . Could be Bates but thats a long straw , could be any maker with "B" ..... or a rider name..... or?

[Johnj]

The lugs look suspiciously like early (pre-1955) Nervex Professional to me. Nervex might explain the French threads. Compare the head lugs to this one:


All the other bits place it in the early 1950s too. As for the "B", I've got no idea. Blackbird (Sydney) used 2 "B"s on the headtube, but nothing like this.

[silverlight]

Agree with Torana on this one, the "B" could have been the riders initial, this was common practice as you could ask for this,
English frames used letters as well, my Thanet has T everywhere and more likely to use simplex ends, etc. than Aussie's did as i havent seen many.
I know Super Elliotts used simplex dropouts in the 60's but this one is trival..hmmmm

We will find out

[stevendavid75]

now in the classified section..

cheers
SP