tsappenfield

I just "scored" a Raleigh Carlton Professional. Don't know the year as the serial number is partially obliterated, but the color scheme is blue mink and silver and there are no bosses or guides on the frame other than where the rear derailleur would attach. What I have is the frame, fork, and nothing else! Where do I start? I was thinking replacement of the headset, but maybe that's not the best way to begin the rebuild project. I'd like to stick to original pieces and parts as much as possible. Suggestions?

TSapp

Pwnt

Pics, so we can narrow down the year of the frame.

RobbieTunes

You are in the best place, with just the frameset.
Clean and repack the headset, then the sky's the limit.
If you want to restore, fine. If you want to upgrade, fine.

There are plenty of Raleigh folks here to help with the resto.
There are plenty of folks here that upgrade to modern components but value highly the great older steel frames.

Welcome to the forum, and bring it.....

Chombi

The absence of brazed on guides and fittings usually mean it's an older bike (early 70s and earlier) that requires clamped-on guides and fittings. Some really love the chromed clamped on fittings as they look add to the shiney chrome bling on a bike.

Chombi

realestvin7

Get us some pics!

randyjawa 

Welcome to the forum and interest in vintage bicycles. Spend a bit of time looking through How Old Is My Bike? and you should come pretty close to identifying the vintage of the bicycle. There are many other articles that lend a hand to some, like the OP, who is just getting started.

Hope this is a help and make sure you learn about what not to do to that highly collectible old road bike.

Captain Blight

Hey, I got me one a them!

Mine's a '74 in silver and black. And, like you, all I got is a frame and fork. Luckily, I found the person who bought the gruppo off it-- full Nuovo Record, natch-- and am buying that back from him, piece by piece as I can afford it. So far I've got the rear mech, the stem, the right crank and one of the chainrings, the wheelset without tires (tubs), and the shift levers but not their band. I think he's trying to keep me from riding it until I have it all paid for!

It's been a fun project. I am really looking forward to being done with it and riding it.

rhm

That's my story as well. I got the '74 frame and fork, silver with black, in 1980. Built it up with parts available at the time, upgrading to Campy over the years. By 1999 or so it was all campy NR, but I never did get the 3ttt stem and handlebar. Once it was all done, I rode it for a while but kinda lost interest in the whole thing... parted it out and sold most of the parts on ebay a few years ago.

Grand Bois

Building up a bike from a frameset is fun, but it can get expensive. I'm careful not to spoil the fun by adding up how much I'm spending.

ColonelJLloyd 

+1

I'm an accountant. So is my wife. We know what virtually everything we have cost(s) us. But, like Grand Bois, I don't wanna think about what I have in my bikes! They are the exception.

The only original parts of my favorite ride are the frame, fork and headset.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Is there a headset installed right now?

Is there a bottom bracket installed?

Personally I like to either start with the wheels or with one part that I really really want to use and then work the rest around that.

clubman 

I'd build it with any old parts that fit (singlespeed, no brakes even) and give it a quick test ride to ensure that the frame is straight and good. Then strip it back down, clean it, touch it up if need be and build it accordingly.

Grand Bois

I have built up bikes as single speeds first just to see if I like the frame.

tsappenfield

I'll get pictures up this evening. As I said before, there is nothing but the frame and fork, i.e., no bottom bracket, no headset, wheels, handlebars, etc. No one has said anything about the type of headset I should be looking for or does that have to wait until we determine the age of the frame?

TSapp

Pars 

It would take an English threaded headset. Original would have been Campy NR or SR. I'd use NR because of the steel cups/durability.

EDIT: I see these (SR particularly) are fetching pretty nuts pricing on ebay. Tange made a copy that I believe is pretty well thought of. Here's one:
https://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-Nuovo...item3f08c26014

Appears that several shops online carry them as well:
https://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CB0Q8wIwAQ

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Tange Levin does the job well and at a reasonable price.

Measure the fork crown so you know which size race you need.

tsappenfield

I don't know if this will help identify the year of the frame -- if not, tell me what will.

I believe part of the serial number reads: W???02384.

T Sapp

Grand Bois

I wouldn't put anything but Nuovo Record on that. I think I'd even use only parts with the correct date codes. It's worth the effort to do it right.

nlerner

Wow, that's in great shape! I hope the fork looks as good as the frame. i'll guess that it's a 1973 or 74 MkIV. Perhaps try to do an imprint/rubbing of that serial #. The third digit will be the year (W = Worksop, 2nd = letter/fortnight of when it was made, 3rd = number/year of mfg).

Neal

realestvin7

Gorgeous. Another old Raleigh in my size. Lucky guys, you are.

photogravity

Man, what I wouldn't give to get my hands on that frame!! It even looks like it could be close to my size.

Rabid Koala

Mine's a 74, I too got it as a bare frame.

mapleleafs-13 

i have one of these, but it's been messed up , i picked it up and it basically bought it for parts, i have the camy headset and strada campy crank and derailleur and BB they do need some serious clearning though.

as for the frame she's in rough shape, got a dent in the seat tube and a small dent somewhere else, i'm gonna drop it off to DevinFan this week, he says he's gonna use it as a beater.

This is the first time i've physically held one and looked at it, these frames look incredible, especially the if you look at lugwork and painting.

also mine came with weimann break levers and brakes, the brakes say weimann 605, did these come on this bike at one point? or is this all aftermarket stuff?

how'd you aquire the frame if you don't mind me asking? cause it looks to be in amazing shape

Pars 

Wow, that one is in really good shape. Looks like a 22.5" frame... just my size

I'd agree that Campy NR is the way to go (and is what the bike came with, including brakes). It would have had high flange hubs and been equipped with sew-ups new, but if it were mine, I might go low flange Campy hubs with good clincher rims and DT or Wheelsmith spokes.

realestvin7

Beater? I can have it fixed locally down here. What size?