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I can’t find the handlebars I want to use. I might have to use these.
I’m soaking parts, busting rust.
The mystery frame. It’s English, it has a Bayless Wiley BB, cranks are stamped Made in England and I think it’s a Willam’s chainring but there is no Williams trademark stamp on it. It’s a Williams look alike. All the nuts and bolts are Witworthless. It has 5 small holes drilled in the frame by previous owners. I filled them. It’s almost rust free but has three layers of paint on it that I’m stripping. There is a missing grease fitting on the down tube near the head tube. You can see where it was in the photo. I’ll replace that. I don’t think it’s a missing steering damper, they were usually on the top and on the opposite side.
It’s most likely a BSA but BSA didn’t keep any records of its serial numbers and they weren’t consecutive. Serial number is M 70114. You can see the serial number on the seat tube clamp in the above photo. It’s impossible to date an old BSA bicycle. The 5 bolt crank arm attachment for the chainring Is supposed to be before 1930 but who knows if the crank is original. It’s old enough that it’s got a modified clip style headset. Same headset as the clip but designed to work without a clip. So it could even be 1940s - early 50s? I hope to have the frame and fork stripped tomorrow. It was probably an English club bicycle and originally was either a coaster brake three speed with a front drum brake or had Phillips clamp on brakes. There is no brake drilling on the frame or fork. Some of the entry level club bicycles were designed to double as a commuter. I have another 1936 high end BSA club bicycle and there is no comparison to the quality. The 1936 has a clip style headset. The English club scene didn’t last for very long after WWII. It makes me think that this frame might be from the early 1950s. Some of the parts that came with it are 1910 to 1920, but are they original? Since it doesn’t have a chainring with BSA stamped as a design in it it could be from the 1910s as early BSAs didn’t have the BSA stamped chainring. It also has flat pump mounts that are older, but I’m not sure when they went to the fancier braze ones. My 1936 has fancy pump braze ones, but it’s an upper level bike.
![IMG_0464.jpeg IMG_0464.jpeg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/272/272362-IMG-0464.jpeg)
![IMG_0465.jpeg IMG_0465.jpeg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/272/272359-IMG-0465.jpeg)
I’m soaking parts, busting rust.
![IMG_0463.jpeg IMG_0463.jpeg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/272/272361-IMG-0463.jpeg)
The mystery frame. It’s English, it has a Bayless Wiley BB, cranks are stamped Made in England and I think it’s a Willam’s chainring but there is no Williams trademark stamp on it. It’s a Williams look alike. All the nuts and bolts are Witworthless. It has 5 small holes drilled in the frame by previous owners. I filled them. It’s almost rust free but has three layers of paint on it that I’m stripping. There is a missing grease fitting on the down tube near the head tube. You can see where it was in the photo. I’ll replace that. I don’t think it’s a missing steering damper, they were usually on the top and on the opposite side.
![IMG_0462.jpeg IMG_0462.jpeg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/272/272363-IMG-0462.jpeg)
It’s most likely a BSA but BSA didn’t keep any records of its serial numbers and they weren’t consecutive. Serial number is M 70114. You can see the serial number on the seat tube clamp in the above photo. It’s impossible to date an old BSA bicycle. The 5 bolt crank arm attachment for the chainring Is supposed to be before 1930 but who knows if the crank is original. It’s old enough that it’s got a modified clip style headset. Same headset as the clip but designed to work without a clip. So it could even be 1940s - early 50s? I hope to have the frame and fork stripped tomorrow. It was probably an English club bicycle and originally was either a coaster brake three speed with a front drum brake or had Phillips clamp on brakes. There is no brake drilling on the frame or fork. Some of the entry level club bicycles were designed to double as a commuter. I have another 1936 high end BSA club bicycle and there is no comparison to the quality. The 1936 has a clip style headset. The English club scene didn’t last for very long after WWII. It makes me think that this frame might be from the early 1950s. Some of the parts that came with it are 1910 to 1920, but are they original? Since it doesn’t have a chainring with BSA stamped as a design in it it could be from the 1910s as early BSAs didn’t have the BSA stamped chainring. It also has flat pump mounts that are older, but I’m not sure when they went to the fancier braze ones. My 1936 has fancy pump braze ones, but it’s an upper level bike.
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