1950''s W.F. Holdsworth Tornado?

[Illaveago]

Well I went and got it! SWMBO wasn't amused! "How Much?"
It is a bit rustier than I imagined but I will sort that out. I was given a few extra bits which have offset the price. Once home I started giving it a good clean with some washing up liquid in a bucket of hot water. The original colour was a light blue and not the greenish shade like the colour of Bianchi cycles. I discovered that it has 2 grease nipples, one in the BB and one on the head tube. I also discovered that it was built as a 10 speed as there is a bracket brazed to the seat tube for a front changer. I looked for a frame number but haven't found one yet.
I was hoping to be able to date the frame from the parts fitted but I am thinking that it might have originally been bought as a frame and built up. I was hoping that the cranks might have a date stamp but I found Raleigh stamped into them! The Weinmann brakes also drew a blank with no stamp. The wheel rims are Weinmann alloy. The rear derailleur which I thought was a Campagnolo Gran Sport turns out to be Zeus Criterium. The front gear lever has Dawes on it. The leather saddle seems to have A E stamped into the top of it.It doesn't ring a bell with me. I thought that perhaps it was a Lycett but the frame doesn't look like a Brooks type. So with nothing much to date it from I think that the frame is possibly late 50's or just into the 60's.
I took some pictures but they are still in my camera at the moment. Stupid lap top!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Well I went and got it! SWMBO wasn't amused! "How Much?"
It is a bit rustier than I imagined but I will sort that out

How much? ... For that rusty old thing!!!

Looking forward to pictures.

 

[biggs682]

How much? ... For that rusty old thing!!!

Looking forward to pictures.

I have had that comment quite a few times over the years bless her .

I am sure @Illaveago will get some pictures up soon

 

[Illaveago]

Here are some pictures.

 

[Illaveago]

Here is another couple of pictures.

 

[Illaveago]

I thought cleaning the bike was a struggle but it was nothing compared with trying to download my pictures. I wish they wouldn't mess with things when they do an update!

 

[Illaveago]

This is how my bike looked before I gave it a clean, there is still a lot more to do. I noticed that the saddle looks like it has the letters A and G stamped into the top.

 

[FrankCrank]

Nice patina

 

[Dogtrousers]

Is the seat post free?

 

[Illaveago]

Is the seat post free?

I haven't tried that yet. Doesn't look promising. I'm hoping that it will move.

 

[Illaveago]

I was chatting to the sellers uncle. It was his dad's bike. He said that his dad worked for Rolls Royce engine division at Filton Bristol. A place full of history.

 

[Illaveago]

I have been doing some de-rusting on my frame using some phosphoric acid a toothbrush and a flat screwdriver. Here are the results.
I found a nasty rust spot on the frame so I thought I would investigate it with a file. There is quite a thickness of paint and it seems like the frame has been sprayed several times in the past a similar colour. I think I have caught the frame just in time.
Oh! the seat post came out easily. I just put the saddle back on and it came out without any difficulty.

 

[biggs682]

That's coming along nicely

 

[Illaveago]

The bike seems to be made up of a mixture of other bike parts. The saddle looks like it might be a Dawes Ace , the cranks are Raleigh and the brake levers and calipers are Weinmann which originally would have been GB. The rear derailleur is a Zeus Criterium which would have been much later.