Armstrong - Secret Locking Mechanism

[Flying Merlino Brother]

Is there anything unusual about the steerer tube, neck and fork assembly? Is there some Egyptian secret unlocking chamber inside the fork to remove this assembly?

Sitting in dry storage for 20 plus years and bought with Buick hub cap.

 

[twojs.bike]

I’m confused about what is going on. Is the stem stuck? Looks like you are trying to remove the headset. The stem needs to be removed first. Or am I not understanding the question?

 

[twojs.bike]

I am very interested in this bike though! Can I get a picture of the entire bike? Do you know the age? The “made in England” makes me think it was made by Raleigh. 3 speed?

 

[Wildcat]

Nice English bike.

Loosen the bolt on the stem (in red) then tap it with a hammer to free up the stem so it will come out. Being that old it may not want to cooperate. Then loosen the cap nut using channel locks or whatever big wrench will fit the nut (in green). The threads look rough so it may take some effort.

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

Two days of PB Blaster and tapping the stem bolt (after loosing it a couple turns) seems to have done it. Another night of PB and it should come out tommorow!

Thank you!

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

I’m confused about what is going on. Is the stem stuck? Looks like you are trying to remove the headset. The stem needs to be removed first. Or am I not understanding the question?

You got it. The stem is stuck in the fork in a way I am questioning my reality that it is impossible this is one piece!

I am very interested in this bike though! Can I get a picture of the entire bike? Do you know the age? The “made in England” makes me think it was made by Raleigh. 3 speed?

I am the second owner. I had a 90 minute visit with the original owner. It was his 16th birthday gift (1963 or 64 as he recollects) from his parents. The following year he put a speedometer on it and racked up over 500 miles cutting grass and delivering papers. Three speed, yes, needs an overhaul but in good shape overall. He has another Robin Hood with a Brooks sadle but I couldn't take advantage of him. I am first in the list if he decides to sell it.

I'll gather or take photos as it moves along.

 

[twojs.bike]

I’m not 100% sure, but it was probably made by Raleigh. In which case most of the threading is not compatible with standard bike parts. Do your best to save all the parts.

These threads look damaged. Is that preventing you from unscrewing the las piece of the headset?

 

[Wildcat]

The headbadge says Birmingham. When Raleigh took over they were all made in Nottingham. It may be a 50's bike. If you have the rear 3 speed wheel, the 2 digit date will be stamped on the hub shell. Like this one made in the ninth month of 1952:

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Birmingham was huge in the development of the bicycle. There were many companies making bikes there.
"Throughout the 1890s and into the first half of the 20th century, Rover, and Triumph in Coventry and B.S.A. and Hercules in Birmingham expanded rapidly becoming major players in the global market. As late as 1927, the region remained the centre of the industry with Birmingham-based Hercules Cycles employing directly or indirectly 25,000 people and producing 30,000 bicycles a week in its 11-acre factory in Aston."

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/the-bicycles-past-and-future-in-birmingham-and-beyond

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

The headbadge says Birmingham. When Raleigh took over they were all made in Nottingham. It may be a 50's bike. If you have the rear 3 speed wheel, the 2 digit date will be stamped on the hub shell. Like this one made in the ninth month of 1952:

View attachment 278282

Next step is a look into the head badge and to contact the seller and make sure he didn't mean 1954 instead of 1964. I wonder if an original Armstrong hub was swapped out in the 60's and the badge looks awkward the way it was place. The serial number (the format) on the frame leads me to believe it is pre 1960 if the Raleigh format was used.

https://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_serials.html

 

[Wildcat]

The headbadge does look like it wasn't the original, it's too big. Possibly they only had one size headbadge so that's how they went on the smaller frames. The rivets look good, no signs of damage from being removed and re- riveted. I looked at Armstrong bike 60's pics and they all have a round headbadge, but those are Raleigh made, I couldn't find a 1960 Armstrong bike to compare. The fork crown looks like earlier than the Raleigh takeover in the early 60's. Maybe 1960 is the correct year, because the SA 3 speed hubs were well built and lasted a long time. If it's a 50's bike the hubs replacement would have probably been later on in the late 60's. All just guessing.

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

I am very interested in this bike though!

2J's- Before I get too deep into this one- how interested are you? Like Wish you had it interested or just wanna look at the pics as it moves along? I posted all but frame pics last night, I'll get to that soon enough.

The headbadge does look like it wasn't the original, it's too big. Possibly they only had one size headbadge so that's how they went on the smaller frames. The rivets look good, no signs of damage from being removed and re- riveted. I looked at Armstrong bike 60's pics and they all have a round headbadge, but those are Raleigh made, I couldn't find a 1960 Armstrong bike to compare. The fork crown looks like earlier than the Raleigh takeover in the early 60's. Maybe 1960 is the correct year, because the SA 3 speed hubs were well built and lasted a long time. If it's a 50's bike the hubs replacement would have probably been later on in the late 60's. All just guessing.

I too am leaning in the direction that this is a 50's bike or older with the original hub swapped out in the 60's. The head badge is curios and the adventure continues!

 

[twojs.bike]

2J's- Before I get too deep into this one- how interested are you? Like Wish you had it interested or just wanna look at the pics as it moves along? I posted all but frame pics last night, I'll get to that soon enough.

Oh. I probably just want to follow along and look at pictures. It is definitely the kind of bike I would buy if it was local and priced low. The truth is I have too many now.

 

[Wildcat]

I count my wife's purses. If I have more bikes than purses then it's too many. I've got only 14 bikes now so I have room for more.

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

Oh. I probably just want to follow along and look at pictures. It is definitely the kind of bike I would buy if it was local and priced low. The truth is I have too many now.

Just checking before I get into it. I have three levels. $20.00 parts or tear down experience. $50.00 has to make it around the block, $100.00 something specific about it or older than me.

This one was between tier 1 an 2.

I count my wife's purses. If I have more bikes than purses then it's too many. I've got only 14 bikes now so I have room for more.