Does anyone know for certain when Haden released its "Concorde" lugs - long-point lugs with windows (hmmm, maybe celebrating the supersonic passenger plane? the cutouts sure remind me of the airplane ...
The Concorde plane was first flown commercially in 1976. I've seen these lugs on Raleighs as early as 1977.
Raleigh/Ilkeston special-products picked up these lugs in about 1977, claiming that the windows helped them to reduce the brazing heat and thereby strengthen 753 frames. Pretty soon, apparently, everyone was using them ~ Carlton, Ilkeston, Holdsworth, and other U.K. builders.
I think that Holdsworth seems to have frequently copied or imitated Carlton moves in framebuilding (for example, the Brampton-Victor fastback seat stay joinery) ... or was it the other way around ??
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA, USA