I concur that this bike is from 1974 or 75. Ilkeston production started in 1974 and this is a low frame number. The mix of components is not original, but would be considered quite normal for a bike that the owner was not concerned about keeping original.
It is almost certainly not made for a TI-Raleigh team rider. If it were, it would have more information than just the size stamped into the BB. It would likely not have an SB serial number either, but I am not certain about that.
Gerrie Knetemann rode a 57cm frame (I don't know whether c-c or c-t) with 57cm top tube, so he did not race this frame (not to say that he wasn't persuaded to ride it at some point so that the owner could say that he did).
There appears to be no evidence that the frame is 753 rather than 531 tubing. 753 is pretty unlikely in 1974 for a frame that wasn't made for a team rider. Any frame, team or not, might or might not have a tubing decal. I have not seen a photo of team frames of that era with half-chrome forks. In fact, I thought it was a no-no to chrome 753.
My conclusion is that this is a nice early build Ilkeston frame, probably 531, not built for a team rider. It could easily be fitted with the right equipment and made into a really nice bike -- of unknown history.
Hugh Thornton Cheshire, England
In a message dated 21/09/04 02:17:30 GMT Daylight Time, tr4play@cox.net writes:
> Take a peak and tell me what you think about this bicycle.
>
> Advertised provenance with an odd mix of components for a Team bike. The
> Campagnolo SR items would seem appropriate but the Campagnolo Nuovo Record
> and Japanese SR items seem out of place. SB serial number, so she's
> definitely a special build bike from the Ilkeston Workshop; but being SB
> 128, I would date her as from 1974 or early 1975 at the latest. The paint,
> chrome and fork all point to 1974/75 and not 1977 which by then chrome was
> gone on both the genuine team bikes and the Team Pro's available through
> your Raleigh dealer. Not your average Raleigh frame though and given the
> serial number/753 tubing, undoubtedly built under the watchful eye of G.
> O'Donovan.
>
> http://ebay.com/
>
> Eric Elman
> Somers, CT