unworthy1

Great job on that frame repair, David! Can you share the serial number of your '69 Pro^? I recently got a PM from the long-lost Skip Magnuson (who was compiling a Holdsworth serial number resource) and I have some doubt about what he told me regarding the year(s) of my 2 Holdsworths (1 Super Mistral and 1 Touring).
BTW, Skip is back at least checking his PMs after a long absence, so maybe he'll get the serial number project up and running again.

sced

Waaaayyyy beyond the call of duty. It's gotta be one of a kind.

masispecial

Frame number is 69106.
It was built, probably by Reg Collard, for the W F Holdsworth store in Putney, so the frame number will not be in sequence with factory frames.

masispecial

A Reg Collard built Italia frame, 1963-64. Some bloggage HERE, and some MORE PHOTOS
My workshop was a lot tidier back then.

unworthy1

Thanks for the number. My Touring frame (see post #19) is serial number 69226 so Skip may be correct that it's earlier than the Holdsworthy Super Mistral (which he pegged at mid-70s)...I would have thought the Touring was later, but seems likely that it's a 1969.
And that Italia frame is fantastic! Pity the chrome is toasted, but I love the graphics and the spear-points!

amulinder

I have a Holdsworth Super Mistral from 1967. Lovely powder blue colour and no chromoly forks (appently earliest Super Mistrals were all one colour). Frame number is 31236. I'm rebuilding it at the moment and will post a picture when it is finished. Is Skip still around updating his database of frame numbers?

unworthy1

^ You could try sending him a PM with your SN and ask him...but as of July 14, 2010 this is what he wrote to me:

"My Holdsworth s/n list is in dire need of updating, I have 20 or 30 numbers to add - maybe one of these days.

Skip"

sounds like he has other things that take up his time...

amulinder

Skip, if you're reading this, you have a public duty to perform!

sced

Came across this history of Holdsworth. Maybe nothing new for hard core devotees.

https://www.lagazzettadellabici.com/2...n-twitter.html

Oldpeddaller

Nice find Sced! A number of extra little details I wasn't aware of in this. Thanks

amulinder

Yes I really enjoyed reading that one. Thanks

stubblad

So I've just got a '50 Holdsworth Tornado (?).......Its been resprayed a blue and cream colour.

So the serial number on the frame is 11184, the frame and forks match.

It also has Chater Lea stamped in the rear drop outs, pretty sweet.

I have attached the frame as it was prior to the previous owner having resprayed it. The headbadge is original, which doesn't match with the date the previous owner gave me.....Dec'50?

There were no top tube decals so I'm not 100% about the model.

Looking at some old brochures I think it is a Track model of the Tornado.

Has anyone got any thoughts or little gems about these frames, can anyone confirm the date? I want to get the correct stickers from H Lloyds and get the frame detailed in gold. Everything is on hold until I can work out the date..... want to get it up and running....or riding.




















ta

Alex


........Thanks for the heads up about the pics, I thought it wasn't quite right.

unworthy1

Alex, Your attachments aren't working. Try uploading the pics to a free image-host (such as Flickr, Picasa or Photobucket) and copy/paste the image code(s) into your posting.
Edit: All good, they're working now.

rhm

Alex,

There was recently an ebay sale entitled "WF HOLDSWORTH - Worthy 13006" for a very nice Holdsworth frame that did not sell, on account of being overpriced. The unusual lugs on that frame clearly identify it as either a Sirocco from 1951, or a Whirlwind from 1952; and I have reason to favor the former. I'll explain that in a future post to this thread. Anyway, look at the photos on the ebay sale; you have different lugs but the same seat stay treatment. Same head badges as well, though I'm not convinced they're original.

So... not presenting myself as an expert on Holdsworth or anything, but I am inclined to believe the 1950 date for yours, rather than the head badge.

I like the new color scheme!

Fixedwheelnut

I have had this bike for thirty four years, it was my Dads but always thought it was a Lambert.
Recently somebody mentioned it could be a Holdsworth Typhoon due to the lugs
The frame number is 56110 414 on BB & forks, I would be pleased if anybody could confirm this.
Cheers
Steve

unworthy1

possible, but how about some more detail shots of the lugs and seat cluster? The Typhoon model was last sold in 1958, perhaps your serial number's 56 means 1956 (?).

Fixedwheelnut

Sorry for the delay, here is the head tube close up

rhm

Is there a shifter boss on the left side of the downtube, or just the right side as shown? If just one side, that indicates a pretty early frame (50's I guess).

The stem and crank in your earlier photo look like, and may be, Lambert.

But if the same serial number is on the frame and fork, then it's not a Lambert. Holdsworths should have matching serial numbers on frame and fork, as you have. Lamberts did not; they had an aluminum fork, and if someone replaced it (good idea) then the numbers wouldn't match. I have a lugged frame Lambert; and its head lugs are different from what you show, though the seat stays, as far as I can tell from your photo, look similar. Is your BB threaded? all the Lamberts I've seen (but really all Lamberts? I'm not sure) had a smooth BB with sealed bearing pressed in.

All in all, I think Holdsworth more likely than Lambert, but what do I know.

robbied196

Hopefully I've found out where the Holdsworth experts hang out. I bought this recently and think its deserves a nice restoration, does anyone have any idea what it is?
The number on the fork tube and BB is 242
There is also another BB number G5364 and yet another number SR23 (could be the frame size)
Rear drop pouts are 120mm

Oldpeddaller

Could be a Typhoon - the lugs and fork crowns changed over the years this model was produced and to make things more confusing some 50 plus years later, you could order a Holdsworth Typhoon frame with your own choice of lugs, crown, drop-outs, braze-ons, even exact size and angles. These 'custom builds' were generally built in the Lower Richmond Road shop in Putney (or to be more precise the outbuilding at the back of the shop) and to make things even more difficult for us now, the frame numbers were a separate 'block' of numbers that were allocated independently of the factory in Penge. The frame numbers did not relate to models, just the sequence the frames were built in - and sometimes it took a couple of months from order to build.

Here's my 1954 Typhoon. Sorry about the photos. I repaired this from a damaged frame but you can see the lugs are the same as Fixedwheelnuts frame, except for the fork crown where the "spear" on the outside of the dork blade is split into a swallow tail shape on mine. This was only present on 1954 models. Thanks to Elias-Bland for giving me the frame, Bikingbritinmex for his help in asking questions of Mario Vaz, who used to work at Holdsworths and identied the frame for me. It's a sweet ride!

sced

I stumbled across this beautiful sucker on Ebay for any Holdsworth fans in the market. All chrome and reasonably priced to start, and it would fit me fine but I have two Macarios and a Bottecchia in the works.

https://cgi.ebay.com/WF-HOLDSWORTH-CA...item3a65530ebd

Oldpeddaller

That is gorgeous! Too big for me - sometimes wish I was taller/ had longer legs!

unworthy1

I wonder about the seller's description of it as a cyclocross frame. It does have very ample clearance below the calipers, but no cantilever bosses or top-tube cabling and can't decide if the geometry is particularly "CX". It's a 61cm with 34.5" standover, and no mention of how high the BB or other angles. Seems like it could be just a road frame built for 27" wheels with room for mudguards. Also would be nice to see the seatcluster in all those pics: can't tell if it's a Brampton-Victor fastback or not.

M_Wales

Nice looking rides...

sced

Check out these pictures... https://www.nianticbaybicycles.com/Cyclocross.html

That chrome Holdsworth looks to be 1970's with the head badge and I think that the differences between CX and road frames at that time wasn't as great as it is today.

It does look like a fastback to me too.