Help needed identifying an old Claud Butler

[CaptainWheezy]

Hi All,

When my elderly neighbour (a keen cyclist in his youth) passed away, his daughters began clearing his flat, and found various bike bits in his loft that fortunately for me they just gave to me. One of the items is a frame & forks that are decal'd up as being a Claud Butler. However, it appears to have had a poor respray at some point before being abandoned as a project (I think he was turning it into a fixie given the wheels they found with it) and as such doesn't have any markings as to what model it is. I also don't know if the decals applied after the respray are correct. I've had a read of various sites that show old brochures etc but have failed to identify it or even figure out what year it is. Could anyone help ?

The frame number on the forks matches that of the frame (21492):

The head tube appears to have had a hole plugged before being resprayed, but the bit of wood used to plug it fell out when I removed the forks so I suspect it had a proper rivet on head badge at some point.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[mjr]

The lugs, crown and dropouts look to my uneducated eye like a Universal-family frame instead of a Holdsworth/Falcon-family one, but the rear brake bridge seems too slick and is that a filler cap on the BB shell? That may be distinctive and prove me wrong.

 

[classic33]

Decals shown were available for a short time only on their bikes. "The Austerity Games" if I remember correctly.

Check the rear dropouts for any markings, as well as under the clamp on the seat tube.

Is that 63, below & slightly to the left of 21492?

 

[CaptainWheezy]

Decals shown were available for a short time only on their bikes. "The Austerity Games" if I remember correctly.

Check the rear dropouts for any markings, as well as under the clamp on the seat tube.

Is that 63, below & slightly to the left of 21492?

Thanks, although I'm not certain that they're the original decals, certainly the head badge is suspect.

I believe its actually C B that's stamped near the numbers, and appears both on the steerer and under the bottom bracket, its just not very clear in the photo's.

Not seen any markings on the dropouts, will take a look under the seat clamp, thanks.

 

[raleighnut]

Nice, the grease cap on the BB suggests it's quite old, what's the rear spacing on it 120/126.

 

[Ian H]

I think grease nipples on bottom bracket shells and head tubes had pretty much disappeared by the end of the 60s.

 

[classic33]

Have a gander at this thread here

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/anyone-id-this-for-me.192856/page-2

 

[CaptainWheezy]

Thanks for the information so far folks, its all greatly appreciated.

I'll measure the dropout spacing next time I'm in the garage.

The lugs seem to match the ones in this catalogue from 1954 (C.B Competitor Lugs):

and the Tour of Britain lugs in the 1956 catalogue:

however, the pump locating pins on my frame appear to be in the wrong place for either of those 2 models. It seems from the site referenced that CB folded soon afterwards and then it gets a bit more difficult to identify models and lugs used. Its a shame that that website doesn't provide any information on how to work backwards given the frame number

 

[classic33]

Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, 1956?
First part from the decals. Olympic Rings, 1957 the latest for those.

 

[Drago]

Is there evidence of a second hole for a head badge rivet? The only CB headbadges I can find are all twomrivet jobs.

 

[midlife]

Thanks for the information so far folks, its all greatly appreciated.

I'll measure the dropout spacing next time I'm in the garage.

The lugs seem to match the ones in this catalogue from 1954 (C.B Competitor Lugs):
View attachment 351700

and the Tour of Britain lugs in the 1956 catalogue:
View attachment 351701

however, the pump locating pins on my frame appear to be in the wrong place for either of those 2 models. It seems from the site referenced that CB folded soon afterwards and then it gets a bit more difficult to identify models and lugs used. Its a shame that that website doesn't provide any information on how to work backwards given the frame number

Slightly off topic but that tiny frame showing your lugs were a way of showing off the artistry in something that could be taken from shop to shop in a briefcase

Not seen one in the flesh for years lol

Shaun

 

[classic33]

Is there evidence of a second hole for a head badge rivet? The only CB headbadges I can find are all twomrivet jobs.

Properly filled before painting, it shouldn't show.

 

[CaptainWheezy]

Hi All,

I'm pretty sure there is another filled hole on the head tube, so the original badge would have been riveted on. I also measured the rear dropout spacing as 120mm.

The Photo above does look quite alike, however there are a few subtle differences with my frame. For one, the forks are different, and also the head tube on mine is much longer.

Also, looking at the brochure page for the Olympic Sprint model, it should have different dropouts on the back so I'm not sure that bike is even an Olympic Sprint:

I've spent ages staring at photo's of frames on google and the one thing that stands out is the design of the fork crown on mine seems not to match most of those I see elsewhere. Perhaps if I can find another bike with the same forks I will have a better idea of its age! Thanks for the help so far anyway!

 

[Drago]

Are you sure that the forks are original to the frame?

 

[Fenrider]

Are you sure that the forks are original to the frame?

The frame number on the forks matches that of the frame (21492)