[CR]Horace Bates dating question

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PY-10)

Date: 2 Sep 2001 14:19:05 -0700
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: <brucerobbins@worldmailer.com>
Subject: [CR]Horace Bates dating question

Hello all Bates fans,

I've picked up a REAL classic bike (none of your Masi/Waterford stuff here ;)) and am keen to date it.

It's a Horace Bates with the Cantiflex tubing and Diadrant forks. The underside of the bottom bracket shell says British Made but the serial number, if that's what it is, is unreadable.

However, the steerer tube has 081038 stamped on it. I was told this was a 1940s bike but could it be a 1938 model?

I've stripped the frame of its brushed on black enamel and it's in suprisingly good, rust-free and non-pitted condition. The forks will need some work as they've been bent back about half an inch. The lugs have wee scallops out of them but they're quite heavy looking-no finely filed edges in this case.

It's going to make a cracking bike, though, with Airlite Continental/Conloy Asp wheels, Hiduminium brakes, Swallow saddle and Benelux rear mech.

Any info about the date would be greatly appreciated. Also, can anyone say what a "typical" paint job on a 1930s Bates would have been like? There's a trace of emerald green on the steerer tube.

Thanks, Bruce

Get your free email with GroupWeb Worldmailer at http://www.worldmailer.com. Send and receive e-mail from any computer with a web browser.