ldrcycles wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 10:00 am
WyvernRH wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:20 pm
rkelsen wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 10:08 am
The seller seems to be working on the assumption that it's one they built in-house. I might be talking out of my hat here, but the plate ends, 27 inch wheels and price (on the receipt) make me think that it was more likely to have been brought in. I'm sure they probably would have built many of their higher-end bikes, but this seems to be an unlikely candidate. Either way, he can keep it.
I have to agree that the price is ridiculous but... folk on this forum have a real down on 'plate' dropouts. Invoice says 1981 - in the UK plate dropouts were still being used on quality bikes. Maybe not the top end stuff but definitely on bikes at the mid/lower end of the custom built or good small manufacturer range -or even on request. Not wanting to run down the Antipodes but I doubt it was any different here. Also, 27" wheels were still in common use at that time.
I've really got no idea if this is a house built or a bought in (from another small builder possibly?) but given the invoice I reckon it was built to request. Tho 'custom' could be interpreted as 'built up from parts' on request I suppose.
I think you have to be careful judging the frame build standards of what is now 40 odd years ago by modern expectations.
Richard
I almost overlooked my 1986 Dawes Shadow because of the plate dropouts when I found it at the local tip, I'm glad I didn't as it's Reynolds 501 tubing and rides very nicely.
That Hillman is hysterically overpriced though, in the real world maybe $400. If that's $2,800 then the contents of my old hay shed are enough to retire on
Hillman were making to measure throughout the 40s - some time in the 90s when steel fell totally out of favour (except for the cognoscenti like Tim, of course). Initially subcontracting to folk like George McDonald, and from about 1980 onwards in-house by his pupil Gordon Hill.
But from some point they were also selling imported Japanese frames under their own name as the, err, "more affordable" option. Not sure when this started, but my strong impression from Gordon is that they were selling more imports than own builds by the early 80s. Nothing wrong with them, but they're not like the locally built article.
From time to time they were also direct importers of parts from both Europe and Japan. Reynolds, Campy, SunTour; don't know what else or quite when. And in putting bikes together they weren't necessarily fussy about components: if it fit and did the job it was a candidate - never mind matching brands.
Unfortunately, with Gordon's death my chances of learning more are v limited.
I would be surprised if Gordon made this frame. The receipt indicates a number that's not prefaced by "H". Now that could just be a clerical thing, but if it were built in-house it would have that preface. And it would be in the book that's among Gordon's effects. As to which I can't help at present.
