"DRehus" notes: A recent find is a 64 CM Carlton-made Raleigh Super Course. The 52/42 Stronglight Chain ring, and the end of the left 170 mm crank arm hits the bottom drop out tubes. It's almost though the cottered Brampton "made in England" bottom bracket is too short, worn, or the incorrect length not allowing clearances. I am also wondering if maybe someone widened the spacing "cold set" the drop outs, I don't have the original specs for these bikes but this one has an inside of 130 mm. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ------------ I would be quite sure that the rear has been widened, since you seem to describe the relatively early steel cranks of the 60s. The early 60s Super Courses had 3 main tubes non-butted 531, and stamped rear dropouts. My memory is that these were actually narrow slots, carry-overs from Sturmey-Archer days with anti-rotate washers and stuff. Those were all 120 mm if shipped with derailleurs (as I recall).
If the interference is very slight, widening is likely to be root of the problem. After all, 5 mm. on each side translates into 1 - 2 mm. at the chain ring, depending on the exact length of the chainstays.
The question is what to do about it. As always, it depends, mostly on how concerned you are about appearance, how much work you want to do, etc.
If there is decent thread showing on the LEFT bb cup, I'd just slip in a 1 mm. spacer on the RIGHT side, sliding the unit out a mm. Be careful, though, there are rumors that some of the SC frames used Raleigh's proprietary tapered thread bb cups instead of the conventional 1.37"
If not, the next easiest is to carefully dish the chainring spider, pulling out the rings a bit. If I recall correctly, this setup has oceans of space between the 52 and the crank arm, so that should work easily. At home, I use a "proper" tool from the 60s, just a bar with a slot, but I've done it with a pair of crescent wrenches, too: a small one grips the spider arm, and the larger grips the smaller so you can bend it out. I use the front derailleur to make sure that all "adjustments" leave the rings going round and round w/o waving.
Any of these will be easier than finding a proper spindle today... Since it is your bike, I'd be willing to re-set to 120 mm, too.
Have fun
Harvey "ex-Cleveland" Sachs
McLean VA