Keith,
If you have a thread gauge, check to see whether the TA cups are actually 24 threads per inch (i.e. British threading) or 1mm per thread (i.e. French threading.) I'm suggesting this, because as absurd as it might seem, it sounds as though your Holdsworth has Swiss Bottom Bracket threading.
Best regards,
Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)
> I got my mid 1970's Holdsworth bike for a real bargain
> on ebay recently.
> I completely disassembled the bike and planned to use a
> Campag. Gran Sport
> triple grouppo on it. The bike came with a TA 27, 40
> double crank which I
> didnt really need, so I agreed to send it back to the
> seller to help
> defray some of his shipping costs which exceeded his
> estimate.
>
> When trying to install the Campag. permanent English
> threaded cup, it got
> hard and started trying to crossthread about half way in.
> I backed it out
> and got the TA permanent cup. It went right in. I call my
> friend who has
> a Sutherland's vol. 3 manual and we make sure the TA is
> English threads (2
> rings on the adjustable cup) I try the adjustable Campag.
> cup about a
> dozen times but can't get it started. I try the TA
> adjustable cup and it
> goes right in, except that the lock ring is frozen to the
> adjustable cup.
> I screwed it in 90% of the way and used Liquid Wrench and a
> mallet trying
> to at least get the lockring off without luck. I was about
> to break my
> pin wrench and lockring tool.
>
> I then test the Campag. triple spindle in the TA cups. It
> will work but
> the races leave marks a bit too high up on the races, not
> exactly in the
> middle.