Andy_K 

I'm not 100% sure about the year or the model, but I think this is a 1976 Austro Daimler Ultima. The color is tricky to capture in pictures, but it a nice sort of burgundy. I believe A-D called it "Bordeaux Red". It's got double-butted Reynolds 531 frame tubes and fork. The chrome is in good shape. There were a lot of paint chips that I covered with nail polish. The color match is great, but I did a terrible job with the surface contour. I'll include the nail polish with the frame, and you should be able to remove what I did with acetone and try again.

Seat tube: 58 cm C-to-T
Top tube: 57 cm C-to-C
Head tube: 15.5 cm

I'm asking $200 plus shipping (~$40 in the continental U.S.) as pictured or $150 plus shipping without the headset.






Here are some Ren and Stimpy style close-ups to show you the ugly things you'd find on close inspection.

















A couple of those might look like dents, but I assure you they are just chips in the original paint, which was fairly thick.

Andy_K 

This will fit 700x30 tires without fenders. It takes recessed brake nuts and a 27.0 seat post. Here's a pic of it as I had it built.

Andy_K 

Here are some pics I took while doing the nail polish touch up.

Before:


First coat:


Second coat:


The texture on that spot came out better than most.

bikemig 

Beautiful bike, my size, great price, and free nail polish. This bike will make someone happy. I just bought a bike or I might have been tempted to buy this bike.

Wildwood 

I swore any future purchases had to be 'the perfect fit', too small.

But you knew i would be tempted.


For anyone's reference - i have 2 AD 531 DB f+f - from similar era. Hard to tell geometry differences between my 'fast touring' and @andy k burgundy with 30mm tires. But my recommendation would be - if it fits and you like razor sharp & balanced in a road frame with 22/23mm tires, maybe narrow bars, this is for you. I fendered one of mine (part of the reason for narrow tires = lousy at fender mounting) and re-learned the joyous feeling of fresh air, damp day rides on known good pavement. The VN is running 25 Veloflex tubulars and it is a heavenly ride, with the right amount of feel even on light gravel sections I frequent. My frames are 61cm, 59/60cm would be perfect.

Without measurements, my guess is Ultima, a little "tighter" geo than mine. A chainstay length might be the best easily measured determinant - taken with the axle most rearward, given absence of adjusters. Let me go measure mine. And look at a few pics. Will edit this post.

nlerner

Nice, Andy! I'm working on an A-D Inter-10 that I picked up off of CL. It was pretty beat, so I stripped and respraying with a can from spray.bike that is much too red and not enough burgundy, but oh well. Decals from VeloCals should be arriving shortly, but it likely won't be warm enough to spray the clear coat until spring.

GLWTS!

Andy_K 

The geometry is odd on paper. I've got the head tube and seat tube angles recorded as 74 degrees, but the chainstays are 430mm to the back of the dropout. I would describe the handling as neutral (with the wheel a bit more than halfway forward on the dropout, as seen in the touchup pictures), so I guess the long chainstays counteract the steep angles?

As for the adjusters, I don't have the screws, but the holes seem to be in good shape. A prospective buyer should be able to pick up screws at a hardware store. With the Campy dropouts, I believe M3 x 0.5 threaded screws do the trick.

Wildwood 

430mm to the rear of the dropout = same as my Olympian and VN. But since model years are off by several years = not surprizing.

Versatile frameset.

rustystrings61 

All of those Austro-Daimler and Puch 531 frames built in Graz are silver-brazed. They are genuinely lovely bikes.

I rescued my long-lost ‘76 Puch Royal X last year, same frame as the Royal Force and comparable to the earlier matte black Vent Noir. Just for giggles, I’ll note that my 59.5 cm to top with a 57.5 cm top tube is 73-degrees parallel with 43.5 cm chainstays and 51-ish mm rake for 52 mm trail on 27 x 1 1/4 Paselas.

Andy_K 

One of the things that really amuses me about these bikes is that in 1976 Puch put out a press release claiming that these were "the world's most expensive range of production bicycles"! Now there's a company that was ready for the conspicuous consumption vibe of the 80's. Apparently, this one (if it is an Ultima) came with a lifetime guarantee. I wouldn't hold out much hope of making a successful claim on that, but I haven't needed to in the time I've owned it.

We all better stop talking this one up before I decide I need to keep it.

bikemig 

The specs from the catalog are interesting; this is quite the bike:

Wildwood 

Narrower tires, some dropout adjusters and ride it fast as heck. @Andy_K, too versatile to sell. Besides you’ve found the perfect touch-up paint.

Dfrost 

This the AD you brought to my first Velo Cult where we met. Great memories.

Andy_K 

You and @Wildwood aren't helping me to let go.

Wildwood 

I've got no fond memories of you+bike. (edit: i have no fond memories of you WITH THIS bike)

For the price, just wishing it was the next size larger.

Plenty of projects around here.

Andy_K 

I appreciate the edit.

Dfrost 

The big question is: How many bike hooks are available in your garage these days? Related question: What future bikes are needed to fill them?

Andy_K 

I have approximately -3 hooks available.

jdawginsc 

"WTB: Four very thin wall/ceiling hooks"...

Andy_K 

This is still available, FYI.

bikemig 

I'm surprised it's still available. What is the threading for the BB and HS? This is 126 OLD right?

Andy_K 

Threading is ISO. The rear spacing is 130 at the moment, but I could put it back to 126.

bikemig 

This is a fast bike. I could see this being a fun 650b conversion given the 130 OLD spacing assuming you could get a 650 x 38c tire to work.

SilverSteve

Yah, I have the Inter 10 model and it's a very deep purple color, but in the Sun it looks more like a brownish-red.

jamesBofDC

This is my size, I want to buy this frame. I live in DC. Let me know if it’s still available!