wierd colson rear steer tandem frame

[sacketcycleworks]

I purchased this from a fellow rrb member and i am a little curious on the extra bar up front. The frame seems to be done pretty well but i was wandering if anyone has any information on it at all (whether its original or not). It has the original mead headbadge and all the frame joints still have all the brazing on them.
Thanks

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I would think that the extra bar is original and was intended to create a truss to handle the extra weight and increased leverage of the longer wheel base.
Cool looking frame!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I think I see a Nova Super Sport!

 

[Jpromo]

That is weird! I've seen a lot of these second generation Colson tandems but never with that brace. It does look like somebody knew what they were doing, but I'm going to say this was done after the fact. The main thing that sticks out to me is where the bottom of the tube meets on the downtube. A factory brace would have surely gone into the bottom bracket for the added strength that would provide.

Some pictures of the joints in question as well as the weld where the brace attaches to the top bar would help.

 

[RustySprockets]

I think I see a Nova Super Sport!

I call '68-'69 Chevelle 396.

 

[B607]

The way the tubes come together at the head looks too professional for a homemade job. I'll guess original. Gary

 

[dracothered]

Here is one whole...

 

[sacketcycleworks]

it is a 69 chevelle 396. thanks for the info

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I'd like to see a good picture of the gear on the fork tube. How is it attached?
I've got a tandem I want to put rear steering on it...

Carl.

 

[dracothered]

I'd like to see a good picture of the gear on the fork tube. How is it attached?
I've got a tandem I want to put rear steering on it...

Carl.

It just looks to be rods and metal arms attached to the steer tubes.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Colson was know to do some pretty weird things in limited numbers. Being Mead badged, it could have been in their contract to add that bar for some odd reason. There aren't many Mead badges Colsons that exist and definitely not many pictured to compare it too.

I'm going with not original unless Colson did something that I haven't heard about...

 

[GuitarlCarl]

It just looks to be rods and metal arms attached to the steer tubes.

No. There is a gear on the fork. I'm curious as to how it is attached. I'm guessing it is welded under the bearing race... As far as the assembly, some had chain all the way, some have a few inches of chain attached to rods. You can clearly see that in many photos. But, I've yet to see a photo of the fork alone, and I noticed he has his fork out! So that is what I asked for.

Carl.

 

[dracothered]

No. There is a gear on the fork. I'm curious as to how it is attached. I'm guessing it is welded under the bearing race... As far as the assembly, some had chain all the way, some have a few inches of chain attached to rods. You can clearly see that in many photos. But, I've yet to see a photo of the fork alone, and I noticed he has his fork out! So that is what I asked for.

Carl.

Ok, I looked closer at the picture and you are right. There is a cog and chain on the front forks.

A second picture that shows it a little better.

 

[dracothered]

It looks to be a gear and chain at booth ends.

 

[outsider13]

The first pic... looks like the red part of the frame [ minus the bottom straight bar] would make a interesting cycle truck. Thats if you found a damaged one ...probably wouldn't do it to a good frame though.