fxsvelo

Can you help me identify this frame?

Here are the clues:
Tubes are stamped "Reynolds 531 Butted 19/22"
Tubes are metric sized 26mm and 28mm OD
Fork is threaded 25x1mm with flat milled at the top
Fork steerer ID 22
Campy 1010 dropouts with eyelets (numbers stamped on both L & R)
Campy fork ends with eyelets
Frame/fork have NO braze-ons
BB fixed cup is RH thread, 35x1 mm, spindle says "Nervar 117"
SS bridge brake hole is reinforced with tubing
CS bridge is seamed tubing with obvious seam

ST: 52 cm
TT: 54
CS: 44

PS This is a street find looking for a new home. Not my size and I don't need another project!





Both sides have numbers


Only a "0" stamped on the bottom of the shell. Fixed cup is RH thread

Clearly had a head badge, races are Stronglight

Hondo6

Flatted fork steerer with 25mmx1mm threading plus metric tubing implies it's a French frameset. Beyond that, I'll defer to our resident experts.

juvela

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lug pattern a NERVEX one employed by both Motobecane and Jeunet*

fork crown is NERVEX pattern Nr. 7

serial placement one employed by Motobecane

fixed bottom bracket cup puzzling:

it has two flats and no rings which would indicate T.A. Italian thread

Stronglight metric thread would exhibit one ring and eight flats

Stronglight CH thread would exhibit no rings and eight flats

possible fixed cup from another maker or marking worn away/poorly struck

another possibility is that original fixed side threads damaged and tapped to Italian with installation of a T.A. cup

tentative guess for identity and date:

Motobecane early 1960's

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* both firms own other marques so frame could be from one of these two companies but be otherwise badged

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Insidious C. 

The vertically offset head badge rivets with some remaining plastic at the top suggests about 1973 Motobecane. Grand Record?

unworthy1

Yep I think "Moto" as well. Probably pre-'74 (when for US models they went to the round badge) and (not sure of specs for these years or for other markets) if ALL the tubes are stamped Reynolds 531 DB then almost certainly a GR, could be a GR with only the 3-main tubes 531 DB, I know some were.
I don't think I ever saw a GR with the "crimped" stay caps this has, they often had a flatter surface cause they got painted with "lining"

noobinsf 

Actually, the seat stay tops look like my 72 Grand Record. Will post a pic if I can find a descriptive one.

Edit:

unworthy1

Ah ^ a '72 is a bit before my time (of seeing Motobecanes in the wild), thanks for the info point.
Does yours have all 531 DB or just the main tubes?

noobinsf 

One of the key remaining pieces of that disappearing Reynolds decal on my 72 has the number “3” to indicate the main triangle only.

juvela

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wrt suggestion of boom era Grand Record -

MB was employing Vagner crowns at this time rather than the NERVEX Pattern Nr. 7 worn by the subject frameset



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noobinsf 

Isn’t this a Nervex no. 7 on my 1972? It looks like it could also be a Wagner dp+, but I am not an expert by any means.

juvela

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Thank you!

Me roosty "memory" biteth me in ye olde hindquarters yet again.

Here is a feller in your same livery dated by its forum member owner as a '73 using information from the MB serial db created by T-Mar

​​​​​​Motobecane Serial Number Database

it exhibits a Vagner crown paired with a short-lived head emblem


perhaps '72 may have been the final year for the NERVEX crown

subject frame should be able to date to a specific year using the db

it exhibits two markings:

64116

14 _ _ _327 (middle characters appear to have been mooshed by qr)


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markk900

I have no input on the frame question but I almost snorted out my water when I read this gem. It’s why I always look forward with anticipation when juvela posts something - an extraordinary depth of knowledge and a killer turn of phrase .

unworthy1

whoever does end up taking on this project (and it will be worth some effort, IMO) they'll need either a 26.4 or 26.6 seatpost.
Might be either but perhaps the size that noobinsf is running in his would be the winner (?)
It's a plus there's a BB installed, hope it's still usable

noobinsf 

I’m running a 26.4mm…