As the story was told to me, Mike Melton was associated with a cat named Joe Azar who ran a bike shop in the Five Points area of Columbia, SC. Azar has since left the bike biz for high-end audio component sales.
A friend has a funky '69 Mercian Olympic (?) that was struck by a car in '73. According to its owner at the time, Melton replaced the damaged 531 top and seat tubes, as well as the top head lug and seat lug. Oddity number one - the replacement lugs were Nervex Professionals, which distinctly clash with the very simple Prugnat (?) lower head lug. Oddity number two - the replacement tubes were allegedly Vitus.
FWIW, as found, this particular bike had Stronglight 99s on a Phil BB; GB Map of Britain bars and a Gran Compe stem with a triangular section extension; Zeus pedals; funky hubs laced to Wolber mod. 58 rims; and metal Simplex Super LJ derailleurs of some variant or another. In other words, a total mutt. I would suspect you can build a Melton with whatever period correct bits you prefer and be fine.
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood, SC