help with old D.M.Inglis late 50's

[dayne]

Hi all Picked this up yesterday with intentions of keeping the stem selling the rest but when i turned up found it's built up with all the goodies.
Campy26.8 seat post
Wright saddle
Campy Gran Sport 5 speed.
Magistroni cottered cranks and Prior pedals.
Cinelli Milano steel bars and badged stem.
Weinmann centre pulls
Weinmann alloy wheels 40/32 tubular 28" with campy hubs.
The frame is straight and solid in great condition and from what i can gather a 1959 model as thats the first of the serial number and has Campagnolo dropouts.
Its a 58.5st ctc and a 60 tt ctc.
this is all i could find on the net http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collect ... es=&c=&s=1

[dayne]

[Torana68]

[quote="dayne"]Hi all Picked this up yesterday with intentions of keeping the stem selling the rest but when i turned up found it's built up with all the goodies.
The frame is straight and solid in great condition and from what i can gather a 1959 model as thats the first of the serial number and has Campagnolo dropouts.

date wise the only company known (so far) to include the date as part of the serial is Malvern Star , so for the moment the frame number means nada. It probably is either late 50's or early 60's. . "supplied by" on the decal would indicate it was bought in as a complete frame, I dont have any info that suggests DMI made frames but they did refurbish and sold new under their own name (frames made elsewhere)
Its your bike so do what you want but in this case it looks like the bike as a whole, as is, is worth a LOT more than the stem (which is also expensive) it looks to be a top line (Nervex lugged) race bike, complete ones are rare. Perhaps pass it on rather than strip it? problem would be convincing the greater unwashed that a non Malvern bike is actually worth bying

[Johnj]

It's your bike so do what you want but in this case it looks like the bike as a whole, as is, is worth a LOT more than the stem (which is also expensive) it looks to be a top line racing (Nervex lugged) race bike, complete ones are rare. Perhaps pass it on rather than strip it?

I agree with Roger on this. Good paint, an interesting selection of quality components and really original. The Campag dropouts and Nervex lugs will also mean high quality tubing (probably 531). Is there a rider's name on the top tube? (this really helps to determine the bike's history) The open-C Campag shifters and closed-C derailleur suggest late 1950s. You may find a date code on the back of the Weinmann callipers. If you wanted to make money you'd split it, but I think that would be a real shame. Keep it for yourself (if it fits) or sell it complete.

[spirito]

How much do you want for it minus the stem/bars ??

[dayne]

Thanks for the quick reply's,
What i meant by keeping the stem is that was the original plan but now i have seen it complete i would like to leave it as is and not part it out.
With that being said this is only if i can get a good price for it (not sure what that is yet).
I just was looking over the bike again and noticed an A stamped on the seat cluster and grabbed the serial numbers,
541
59' 3064' D22 E38. After the d22 their is a tiny 2 and after each set of numbers there is a 0 like a degree symbol.
I would love to be anle to id the frame but i know this is often not achievable.

[LG]

All I can say is WOW!

[trickle]

your the lucky pr!ck that score that, well done sir!
Beautiful bike!

[WyvernRH]

VERRRRY nice.....
That really does scream out to be kept together as a time capsule of frame and components.

Super jealous...magnificent paintwork. Why do all the bikes/frames I find seem to have been stored in a damp basement or have been 'Duluxed' by an enthusiastic descendant....

Cheers
Richard

[dayne]

The guy that had it told me he collects old mowers and showed me his collection then went on to say this thing isn't worth keeping "Theres no money in old bikes".

[WyvernRH]

The guy that had it told me he collects old mowers and showed me his collection then went on to say this thing isn't worth keeping "Theres no money in old bikes".

Hmmm, that s a relative statement... as I found out when clearing out my father-in-laws shed some people will pay amazingly stupid amounts (to me at any rate) for a 1950's Holden bonnet mascot thingy...
And who wants old mowers anyway?

Cheers
Richard

[spirito]

... grabbed the serial numbers,
541
59' 3064' D22 E38. After the d22 their is a tiny 2 and after each set of numbers there is a 0 like a degree symbol.
I would love to be able to id the frame but i know this is often not achievable.

That sounds like castings on the BB shell as made by the lug manufacturer (in this case Nervex). Not many framebuilders bothered to file/grind them off. I'm not sure what all the numbers mean but I almost certain the 59 stands for the angle of the downtube relative to the seattube. The latter part of second series (64) would be the the angle of the seat tube in relation to the chainstays. 22 signifies that the BB shell takes 22mm chainstays which was then a common standard diameter. If I wasn't on my third beer I'd have the brain activity to decipher the other numbers.

Here's a few other Nervex shells with similar casting #'s ...

[dayne]

Bingo,
Thats the marking's the only other ones are the 514 and the a at the seat cluster.

[dayne]

This could be the ultimate bike for the tweed run just needs new tyres and a back pack full of cheese and bread.
If any body is interested.

[marc2131]

Dyane,
Your DMI looks so very similar to my unidentified bike. However I have little to no identifying serial numbers etc. All I have is a 31 on my BB and an 'A' on the top of the seat post tube. Even the colour looks quite close. I wish mine still had its original decals on. Your bike looks awesome.




This photo taken before the clean up.


Angled view of top seat post with 'A' stamp.


BB and the '31' stamp

[munga]

every second ID thread has your bike in it marc.
have a bit of patience, son..

[marc2131]

every second ID thread has your bike in it marc.
have a bit of patience, son..

OK dad.

[L'iota]

G'day dayne, I agree with Roger and John. This is typical of the top of the range bike ridden by the top riders of the day. The steel cotter Magistroni cranks suggest mid '50s rather than early '60s when alloy cotterless cranks became available and popular because of their lighter weight. A beaut bike please keep it intact.
L'iota

[dayne]

Hi,
the bike was sold complete to a happy buyer i wont reveal who as its not my place to but they are happy with it.
Both nice bikes good luck with the id hunt.
im sure the "A" is a good clue just finding some one who knows.

[Johnj]

If you wanted to make money you'd split it, but I think that would be a real shame. Keep it for yourself (if it fits) or sell it complete.

When Dayne offered this for sale I decided to put my money where my mouth is.

When I received the bike I discovered that Rod had scratched his initials and date of birth on the hubs, and his drivers license number on the rear dropout. Then apparently he’d put the bike away unridden as there is no wear on the original brake pads or rims. Why someone would buy an expensive racing bike with top-shelf components and then not ride it will probably remain a bit of puzzle. (maybe the drivers license is a clue?) The locknuts on the hubs were dated 1962.

The wheels were built with 15/17 gauge spokes, tied and soldered and the spokes were dangerously thin with rust. I decided to just leave them alone and built a new wheelset for everyday use. The low-flange Campagnolo Record hubs are courtesy Zynster, Mavic Module 3 rims from evilbay France and the 14-24 freewheel a gift from Marc. I kept the original quick releases on the bike.

I stuck the new wheels on the bike and went for a spin. It took very little tweaking, amazing considering its age and lack of use. Its actually rather nice to ride, fairly relaxed with a soft ride and good brakes. The pedals are very narrow for my size 46 feet, so I may swap them for something a little wider. All the bits will be stored to allow the bike to be returned to original spec.

The seatpost, headset, derailleurs, shifters and original hubs are all Campagnolo (either Gran Sport or Record). The freewheel was a Regina Gran Sport Corsa and the rims were Weinmann singles. It has a badged steel Cinelli 1A stem and the chrome steel Giro d’Italia handlebars have shellacked black bar tape. The only British components were the Wrights saddle, bottom bracket (brand undeciphered) and Renold chain. Everything else, except the Prior pedals, and Weinmann brakes and rims, was Italian. My understanding is that the Magistroni Criterium spider and chainrings (probably built under license from TA) are the only aluminium components Magistroni ever produced.

I'll probably be riding this on the Spring Cycle next week, so if you see me say hello.

A few pics:

[spirito]

Hey ... great news And good to see it's landed in the right hands.

[WyvernRH]

Hey ... great news And good to see it's landed in the right hands.

+ 1 to that, well done John, glad to see it went to a good home!

I have one of those alloy Magistroni adapters with associated chainrings hanging on the wall for years now while I've been hoping to find some matching Magistroni alloy cranks.
Guess I can stop looking now...
Cheers
Richard

[dayne]

Well im glad to see it fixed up and on the road again,
This is a bike i could have parted out and made good money on but i felt it had to stay together and im glad it has.
If this was my size it would have never left me i really love it.
Thanks for posing the pics up its what i would have done just cleaned and oiled and ridden.

[Wire10]

Hi, Did you ever get to the bottom of what bike your DM Inglis was? I have one tres similar, even much of the kit on it matches. The only difference (and I appreciate it's large) is that mine doesn't have campag drop out and I do have a frame number on the left drop out (9660....though that could be 0996 I guess....it's been hammered on pretty absentmindedly) . I'm drawing a bit of a blank to. There's nothing else on it and I'm guessing it's from a smallish british bike manufacturer from 1970's? It has braze ons so I'm guessing it's not much older? Anyhow, it has exactly the Nervex lugs, most of the kit....including that Cinelli stem.....and no sign of a front badge whatsoever.....If you found out anything of interest I'd be grateful if you could push it my way. Cheers, Steve

[Johnj]

Hi, Did you ever get to the bottom of what bike your DM Inglis was?

Nope, I've got no idea. Peter Bundy had a look and likewise wasn't able to offer an opinion. Nervex lugs were used by plenty of builders at the time. I've got a Speedwell track bike and Blackbird road bike of the same vintage, both with Nervex lugs and Campag dropouts.

Mine was clearly sold new by Inglis, I know who the original owner was (from the name on the top tube) and I've got an approximate date from the hubs. I may yet find out who the framebuilder was, but it doesn't worry me. The main clues to the builder are the relaxed frame angles (67 degree seat tube), substantial fork rake and clearance for 27" wheels. It's not really designed for racing, and looks more like the flash bike to put in the bike shop window.

Post up some pics of your bike and some knowledgable folk may be able to assist.