Thanks, Steve, for setting a lively puzzle for us to toss about. Maybe J ohn Thompson is right, and it is British, but I'd vote for French, a prod uction bike at that, and late 70s date. My reasons are neither conclusive nor flattering, and there is one Big Hole in my theory, so here's the ar gument:
The sheet metal "cross lug" bridge looks like a production fitting that I haven't seen catalogued, but I haven't seen most catalogues. That and t he cable stops, generator mount, and similar braze-ons are the cheap-o st ampings we so frequently saw on French lower-line bikes of the era. They work ok but don't please my eye at all. I particularly note the near crim inal negligence about the appearance of the eccentric BB from the bottom, where it is unseen and also suffered damage at the hands of a bad wrench with malice aforethought. I think the execution of this area would have embarrassed Bob Jackson. There's a braze-on on the left chainstay for a h ub brake cable (Atom, of course). What doesn't fit so well in my "theory " are the Shimano ends. But, I have those on a late 70s Austro-Daimler, so they were penetrating Europe by then. Even there, note how the "bottom eyes" of the intermediate or lateral stays differs from that of the chai nstays and seatstays. This makes me wonder whether some amatuer replaced a broken drop-out with a pair of Shimanos that were lying about and thus in jeopardy. I've been known to commit such a crime myself. :-)
But, do check the bb threading; I'm eager to be proven wrong.
harvey sachs mcLean va
Steve Demchak wrote:
>> DISCLAIMER: I'm a neophyte to the KOF world.
>>
>> I bought this mystery tandem frame yesterday. It wasn't fun carryi
ng it home on my fixie. Fortunately, two of Seattle's Finest didn't har
ass me about taking a whole lane. It has Shimano rear dropouts with a 1
22-mm spacing. The fork has Brev. Campagnolo dropouts. The rear bottom
bracket shell is 68-mm. Supposedly it takes 27-inch wheels, but the di
stance from the dropouts to the cantilever brake posts are 290-mm, which
matches my beater 700-wheeled hybrid.
>>
>> Would anyone have any guesses as to the maker of the frame?
>>
>> WARNING: Lot's O'Pictures
>> http://home.comcast.net/
>
>
Nice frame!
Just a guess, but the lamp/generator brackets and seat stay treatment make me think "English." What's the threading on the BB shells?
Maybe a Bob Jackson?
-- John (john@os2.dhs.org) Appleton WI USA