My tailor made Fred Dean was only a year or two later and had his name in a contrasting panel on the down tube. It is strange that a builder would put his name on the top tube when he can get more exposure putting it on the larger down tube.
My Fred Dean was fitted with an orange Unica Nitor. Not being orange myself, I did not see it as a potential embarrassment. The bike got wrecked when a little boy ran out in front of me as I was descending a hill at high speed. I took the frame back to Fred Dean for repair and he cheated me and the insurance company by doing less than he quoted for. I have not heard that he had a reputation as a crook, so this might have been when his business was going downhill and he was sufficiently desperate to give in to temptation.
Hugh Thornton Cheshire, England
In a message dated 16/05/2006 18:29:29 GMT Standard Time, alfredo.marcantonio@btinternet.com writes:
Hi all,
In 1961 and after much deliberation on whether to fit a green or orange model, I bought a green Unica Nitor (Yes, it was two words) for
my tailor made Fred Dean frame.
I reasoned that the 'nose' of the orange version could appear to be .....how shall I put this....a bit of unintended exposure of one's private part.
I was a 14 year old Mod. To whom looking cool was all.
In fact I chose a Fred Dean (of York Road, Battersea, London), rather than a more locally built Carpenter (of Kingston) because Fred used a Bauhaus like, san serif logo, applied to - wait for this - the top tube.
Mr Carpenter, like everyone else, signed the seat tube.
Anyone out there with a similar machine?
Alfredo Marcantonio
Twickenham England