Here's a stumper for you vintage guys....

[Maniac57]

No info. Never seen anything like it before. Headtube paint is untouched factory and frame does not look homemade or modded, despite some repairs at top tube to toptube junction and seatpost.
Any help?








Any info would be helpful since I have no clue even where to start looking. Never seen a frame like this before.

 

[deorman]

HP Snyder/Rollfast dropouts and bottom bracket.

 

[Fv2]

It looks like a modified CWC frame. To bad it can't talk,I'd like to hear the story.

 

[kingfish254]

don't think was cwc.
can't recognize the frame dart pattern
that's a strange one for sure

 

[Wildcat]

I agree, Rollfast dropouts for sure.
What's the length of the seat tube? It looks like it was cut 4 inches shorter, then the seat stays were bent just about halfway up (looks kinked) to meet the top of the shortened seat tube and was welded up. Then the top tube was bent down and welded to the lower top tube. It must have been a tall frame originally.

 

[Wildcat]

Here's a 36 Rollfast: looks like the same trim.

 

[Maniac57]

I agree, Rollfast dropouts for sure.
What's the length of the seat tube? It looks like it was cut 4 inches shorter, then the seat stays were bent just about halfway up (looks kinked) to meet the top of the shortened seat tube and was welded up. Then the top tube was bent down and welded to the lower top tube. It must have been a tall frame originally.

Okay what you suggest does make perfect sense now that I look for it. I was stuck on the fact the headtube is untouched and thought it was simply seatpost work. Your suggestion makes better sense.
I like the weird look myself and have mocked it up with some tripletree twin tube forks. Looks serious. Maybe a BTR?
The darts look exactly like the Rollfast pic above so I think that's a pretty safe bet it's been modified.
Good eye Wildcat!
I'd welcome suggestions too guys. I'm a lifelong bike lover but fairly new to the vintage scene

 

[G-Matt]

Looks like an original rat bike some one modified many years ago [emoji232]


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[Maniac57]

I'm totally digging the fact someone once loved this bike enough to do such a good job modding it. Sure the brazing is a bit rough but whoever it was had a vision and did a damn good job considering it was most likely done in the yard with a torch. Fooled me for a while!
I SO wish I could know the story behind this Frankenframe....
Thanks again for the excellent eye Wildcat!
And to all helping me enjoy these wonderful old bikes that much more....

 

[Wildcat]

It looks like the work was good and the frame is straight, that's the main thing. It oughta look great back on the road.

 

[Duchess]

That will be an interesting ride when it's done. The stories old machines and customs hint at make them more interesting in a way no new one could match. Not that I hate new stuff and idealize the old as the new stuff is usually much better functionally, it's just a different kind of appeal to the old stuff that, to me, is more endearing.

 

[Maniac57]

I totally agree. The story behind this FrankenFrame is SO much more than just another old bike, regardless of how old or rare.
I see some teenager working on this thing with his buddies all competing to see who's the coolest. I can almost feel the original owner reaching through the years to give his bike one more smile, one more fond glance before passing it along hoping I'll treat it right.
Call me mushy but I really dig stuff that was hand worked like this.
I'm seriously considering leaving all the work totally untouched, and simply repainting everything around it. Clearcoat to preserve patina on mods.

 

[Wildcat]

The welds look strong enough to last a lifetime. I'll bet a good scrubbing will bring out some of the original color (blue?) and look great with the clearcoat.

 

[Wildcat]

Here's a video of a build on a 1948 Rollfast:

 

[user 135]

Pretty cool franken frame. Probably a dad who modified a frame so his son could comfortably ride it.

 

[Wildcat]

It looks like you have 3 or 4 more good frames in that pile too!

 

[Maniac57]

Man I got so much cool stuff I don't know what to ask about next.
Have 3 prewar skiptooth bikes among others.

 

[scrumblero]

post it all up in one big post!

 

[jlr551CFD]

Is that a prototype for the Cannondale Flying V MTB frame?!

ETA:




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[LukeTheJoker]

That will be an interesting ride when it's done. The stories old machines and customs hint at make them more interesting in a way no new one could match. Not that I hate new stuff and idealize the old as the new stuff is usually much better functionally, it's just a different kind of appeal to the old stuff that, to me, is more endearing.

I totally agree. The story behind this FrankenFrame is SO much more than just another old bike, regardless of how old or rare.
I see some teenager working on this thing with his buddies all competing to see who's the coolest. I can almost feel the original owner reaching through the years to give his bike one more smile, one more fond glance before passing it along hoping I'll treat it right.
Call me mushy but I really dig stuff that was hand worked like this.
I'm seriously considering leaving all the work totally untouched, and simply repainting everything around it. Clearcoat to preserve patina on mods.

Totally agree with you both!
I don't know if it just the history, or that it comes from a time when people did things more for the love of it than the money they could make, or even that they simply didn't have the money to buy something else so they modified what they had to fit their needs, but that is just something that can not be replicated with a new build!

Luke.