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Old 02-15-12, 04:46 AM
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olly708
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Morcambe UK
Posts: 101

Bikes: ALAN alloy, Argos Reynolds 753, Tony Oliver Custom Reynolds/Columbus tourer, Raleigh Richmond (Reynolds 531), Raleigh Hustler all-steel roadster Raleigh Road Ace (531c)Raleigh Vitesse Carlton Corsair (531)

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Which Raleigh lightweight model is this?

I picked this up the other day locally and would like to refurbish the frame. It came with a set of original fully chromed forks, with sloping fork crown and Campagnolo fork ends. The chrome was badly pitted and flaking, so I've removed the chrome and primed the forks ready for painting. The frame number indicates it was built at Worksop in August 1982. There is the remains of a Reynolds 531 butted frame and forks decal near the top of the down tube, above the braze-ons for the gear shifters. The rear drop outs are Vitus. The previous owner says the bike was fitted with Campagnolo Gran Sport equipment, which was removed prior to me acquiring it. he did give me the SR stem and SR seat post that he said came with the bike when he got it. Some photos here - maybe someone can help me identify which model this is, as the decals are very faded, some are missing altogether.











Any help in identifying the paint colour and code would also be much appreciated. I took the frame to an auto paint distributor that has a spectograph (?) colour identifying process, but even though the guy behind the counter was a vintage bike collector and as helpful as possible - the machine wouldn't identify the colour. To capture the pigmentation colours, it needs a good size flat panel to lay the "camera" onto, and as we both knew - bike tubes are round!

If the chrome forks had been in decent shape and the top tube/chainstays/seat tubes weren't badly scratched with rust showing, I'd leave the frame in its original condition. It's worse in the flesh than in the photos.

All help gratefully received. Thanks!
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