Just got a Vintage Frame

[ozboz]

Hi everyone ! ,
my name is Steve, I am new to this site and forum, I have just bought a vintage frame and forks , it has been ID'd by Robin Hatherall as a Hill Special 1948 .............. so it's on !
I've got a lot of ideas as to which way I'm going with this , to be honest I may not go the purist route , but will definatly. scource parts that look the part , , I've experienced a rebuild with a '97 GT MTB which was doomed until I retrieved it , took about 6 months , but enjoyed it and learned much , and a lot of good fun hill bashing !
This project is of a higher degree, I emember in my early teens back in the 60's drooling outside the local bike shops at all the racers' metallic paint ,gleaming chrome but alas never got one , so here's my chance ! Id never heard oh Hill Specials until last week , but very happy to get my hands on what seemingly is a quality marque machine.
I will be asking lots of questions , but have already found some answers in this forum , any way first thing , paint job , due to extensive pitting on the frame I've decided to go with two pack , the company I have decided upon has a good pedigree in frame finishing and can do all the braze on work ,etc , good price as well ,
Anyway that's it for now , Steve

 

[tyred]

Very nice. Nice lug work and good luck with the project. It is very rewarding to see something coming together.

Maybe I'm wrong but at a glance I have a feeling you need a binder bolt type headset for that which might be tricky to track down if you don't have it.

 

[ozboz]

That's all I have.
Binder bolt type ??
Oh well here we go !
I'll look around the web . Was this common for that era only ?
Has any one got a pic of one ?
Thanks for the nod on that ! Cheers

 

[Fab Foodie]

Is that a headlamp mount on the LH fork? Odd ....

 

[ozboz]

That is odd ? I will check this out ,

 

[Sharky]

My first serious bike was a Hill Special. Fixed wheel. Got it for my 10th birthday. Great memories of it, but alas was nicked a couple of years later when I left it outside a shop unlocked.

 

[midlife]

Could be that the picture of the frame is reversed for some reason. Looks like a Hilary Stone's pic with the block of wood under the chain stays?

Shaun

 

[steve50]

Nice project, will be watching your progress with interest.
Some info found via google ; http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/hillspecial.html

 

[Tony Raynor]

@Fab Foodie i was looking at some vintage bikes and noticed the left hand light mount but can't remember which ones. Could have been to see the verge edge better in the old days when traffic was a lot quieter.

 

[Lonestar]

My first serious bike was a Hill Special. Fixed wheel. Got it for my 10th birthday. Great memories of it, but alas was nicked a couple of years later when I left it outside a shop unlocked.

My first bike was a Dawes nicked from outside my house in the mid 70s and it was locked up.

 

[biggs682]

Could be that the picture of the frame is reversed for some reason. Looks like a Hilary Stone's pic with the block of wood under the chain stays?

Shaun

didnt realise Hilary was still trading

@ozboz that looks good

 

[Fab Foodie]

@Fab Foodie i was looking at some vintage bikes and noticed the left hand light mount but can't remember which ones. Could have been to see the verge edge better in the old days when traffic was a lot quieter.

I'd wondered that but had never seen it before .....

 

[tyred]

Is there a slot cut in the threaded part near the top of the steerer tube and is the bottom lug on the headtube shaped to hold a bearing race on the inside?

Binder bolt headsets were the common on pre-war British bikes and you will find them after the war too. With that type of headset, a collar fitted around the steerer between the top headset race and the lock nut pushes into the slot and holds the stem in position.

Would look something like this when assembled

 

[Drago]

Looks like the picture is reversed if the cable lugs to the rear mechanism are owt to go by. That's the foundation for a fantastic build.

 

[ozboz]

Hi again everyone . thanks for replies , the answers are
I did get it from H Stone
The photo is correct, lug is on LH fork
There is no slot on the thread , I will check the bottom lug
There are no cable lugs what so ever , I'm having some brazed on by finishers
Sorry to hear about the bikes that were nicked .

What other type of headset would fit on this if not the binder bolt type ?

And I really like those handlebars ! What style are they ? Exactly what I have in mind !


It has 4/12 " rear drop outs , could have been a single speed or fixed wheel job
I will have them widened , to get a multiple speed cassette in there , the old legs couldn't do one speed stuff that anymore !


Ok then , any more info greatly appreciated ! Cheers Steve