Simplex introduced their Monobloc vertical dropout in 1939 - this dropout has two bolt holes just forward of the slot in order to mount one version of their tourist style gears - this was made for many years. Forward facing dropouts for mounting Simplex gears directly were also available in pre-war years; in post war years there were two versions, a forged one, the Competition and a pressed one, the Tour de France. A forged vertical dropout to mount standard Simplex gears - the parallelogram ones was introduced around 1962-4. These details are taken from Simplex catalogues and from the English Simplex importers catalogues.
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
> From: "Peter Brown" <peterg.brown@ntlworld.com>
> Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 17:03:53 +0100
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: RE: [CR]Dating Simplex vertical dropouts
>
> It seems I may have caused a little confusion with my request for
> information about Simplex vertical dropouts, so I have posted
> photographs of
> them at http://ntlworld.photobox.co.uk/
> 1951
> Rotrax Super Course frame. The Rotrax catalogue of the time offers
> Simplex
> dropouts as an option, but is not specific about the type. I am trying
> to
> establish whether or not these dropouts are original before stating to
> renovate the frame.
>
> Peter Brown. Lincolnshire, England
>
>
> Hello Peter,
>
> If you mean the forward-facing dropouts for the Tour de France, Juy 51,
> etc., they aren't listed in the 1952 Brown Brothers catalogue, but they
> are
> in the 1956 catalogue. I don't have any catyalogues in between the two
>
> dates. The fitting instructions in the 1950 Fonteyn catalogue don't
> mention
>
> ends with an integral gear hanger; they only refer to the fixing plate.
>
> This tends to confirm that they may not have been available, in England
> at
> least, until after 1952, but that they certainly were by 1956.
>
> They were no longer listed in the 1960 Brown Bros. catalogue.
>
> I'm afraid I can't get any more specific.
>
> Neil Foddering
> Weymouth, England
>
>
>> Is anyone able to tell me please when Simplex vertical dropouts with
>> integral gear hanger were introduced, and possibly also when they went
> out
>> of production.
>
>> Peter Brown, Lincolnshire, England
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> From: "Peter Brown" <peterg.brown@ntlworld.com>
> Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 17:03:53 +0100
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: RE: [CR]Dating Simplex vertical dropouts
>
> It seems I may have caused a little confusion with my request for
> information about Simplex vertical dropouts, so I have posted
> photographs of
> them at http://ntlworld.photobox.co.uk/
> 1951
> Rotrax Super Course frame. The Rotrax catalogue of the time offers
> Simplex
> dropouts as an option, but is not specific about the type. I am trying
> to
> establish whether or not these dropouts are original before stating to
> renovate the frame.
>
> Peter Brown. Lincolnshire, England
>
>
> Hello Peter,
>
> If you mean the forward-facing dropouts for the Tour de France, Juy 51,
> etc., they aren't listed in the 1952 Brown Brothers catalogue, but they
> are
> in the 1956 catalogue. I don't have any catyalogues in between the two
>
> dates. The fitting instructions in the 1950 Fonteyn catalogue don't
> mention
>
> ends with an integral gear hanger; they only refer to the fixing plate.
>
> This tends to confirm that they may not have been available, in England
> at
> least, until after 1952, but that they certainly were by 1956.
>
> They were no longer listed in the 1960 Brown Bros. catalogue.
>
> I'm afraid I can't get any more specific.
>
> Neil Foddering
> Weymouth, England
>
>
>> Is anyone able to tell me please when Simplex vertical dropouts with
>> integral gear hanger were introduced, and possibly also when they went
> out
>> of production.
>
>> Peter Brown, Lincolnshire, England