Healing front fork spacing

[fathof3]

Hello all,

I've picked up what looks to me like an old Healing roadster. Im certain its a Healing, presuming its a roadster. Frame is in good nick, wheels were stuffed, hubs maybe salvageable but my original preference was to put on some newer wheels and ride it around while I build it up with more or less period track parts. It came with a flip flop hub that looks like it was never flipped, track ends, but drilled for brakes (that are old but odd) and with pump pegs. I'm guessing by the quality and weight it was something that could at a pinch have been raced on the weekends but was really intended for more recreational riding. I'm guessing 1950s.

What is puzzling me is what I discovered when playing with potential wheels. Having messed with a few old bikes I had come to assume that older bikes had front fork spacing of around 90mm, and narrow axles. Newer bikes have thicker axles and 100m spacing. This old Healing has narrow axles, but lock nut spacing (this fork spacing) is 100mm. New wheels would fit the spacing, but modern axles too thick.

On discovering what I think is quirky (perhaps first question is, does anyone know how common 100mm fork spacing is on old bikes, particularly Healings?), I went through a thought process.
Unoriginal front wheel ?
Has the original fork been spread ? I doubt it - rims, though stuffed were painted and match the elegant but worn frame paint. Unless maybe an unoriginal hub - although I have no reason to think this because it seems to have the same "patina"

All mysteries aside, I'm still thinking about sourcing parts to build it up more or less sympathetically but with more racy parts. I've got plenty of 27 inch rims I could use, anyone got any ideas on hubs ? Would there be a suitable Campagnolo or similar?

Many thanks, Merry Christmas all.

Hedley

[Torana68]

dont think there will be too many usefull replies without photos so we can see what were dealing with