Joel wrote:.. and that rear metal dropout thingie on the tourist model on ebay, i think the bare metal portion is probably just part of the derailleur, perhaps? you can just see bits of the purple dropout poking out behind it... but the actual dropout itself is pretty interesting as well, what with that extended bit into the chainstay...
The "extended bit into the chainstay" is a key, I believe. If I am not mistaken, that is the hanger for an old-style rear derailleur whose spring action was a door spring to a point near the BB. Travel was along a straight line parallel to the axle. Lots of them made by Simplex, Cyclo, etc.
Once upon a time, I converted one of these on a Taylor Tandem to take a modern derailleur; that tandem was built in the late 60s. I just don't know why Taylor was still shipping with that ugly thing. If I am right, then the shiny plate is something cobbled up to hang a modern derailleur.
Harvey Sachs
mcLean va