OK Gang,
Some help please - if anyone can.
I have been sorting through a number of old frames that I have acquired over the last decade, with a view to a bit of a clear out (wife moaning) and have just come across one which I bought from an old gent in Birmingham (UK not Alabama!).
At the time it was described to me as having been built by 'Tommy Godwin'.
I was already aware of the GB Olympian / double bronze medal winner of that name - and assumed it was he...
_http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/text/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=85657&CONTE NT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=126_ (http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/text/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=85657&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=126)
and
http://www.solihullcc.org.uk/
however some googling has revealed another Tommy Godwin (this one no longer with us sadly)...
_http://www.phased.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=7 _ (http://www.phased.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=7)
Now I'm baffled! In neither case does there seem to be a mention of them as frame builders or even being in the cycle trade, but both hail from the right area of the UK.
The frame itself is very interesting because of one particular quirk I've never seen before - in that the bottom bracket is not treaded but has a sliding sleeve inside which is. The Baylis Wiley B/B cups screw into this sleeve and have to be finely adjusted against a supplementary lockring on the non-fixed cup side. Very tricky.
Before anyone says it - I thought of fitting a integrated B/B unit (as you might use on a frame with stripped threads) but the B/B width is some way under 68mm - more like 64mm on my calipers. Weird!
Frame material is unknown - not super lightweight, but not gas pipes either and takes a 26.2mm seatpost. Pencil stays, plain lugs, plate rear drop outs and the number '184' stamped in two places on the B/B shell.
Nicely put together it's a 23 3/4" c to t and has been resprayed (some while ago apparently) in black with nice red & gold lug-lining at some point by Major Nichols of Smethwick and carries his refurbishment crests on the head and seat tubes. No makers decals are present on the downtube.
It's a touring frame with appropriate clearances. Although there is no sign of crash damage the front forks are non-original generic chrome clunkers.
Any info or help on ID either the maker - or indeed if it either of the Tommy Godwins mentioned above would be most welcome...
Ian Briggs
LUTON
UK (wet but quite warm-ish)