A buddy brought over his "new" old Raleigh to roll some dings out of the top tube.
It's really got me puzzled, even that it is really a Raleigh.



Serial number is 2F2857
Reynolds tube sticker says 531CS
Dropouts are Suntour GS
Component group is almost all Shimano 600 with "C" prefix (78)
Highflange hubs are Shimano 333 with "R" prefix
126 rear spread
Raleigh stem is forged in England by Sturmey-Archer TI, and finished in Taiwan.

More photos and then a couple of questionable points.






I at first thought that it was one of the bikes made in the orient for Raleigh England in the 80's, but these points make me question that it is what it is:
Seat post is 26.6 - I wouldn't think that points to 531.
Only two badge holes in the head - 35mm apart, and there may be a round discoloration (I don't see it) in the paint under them.
I haven't seen the plain, long chrome headlugs in any '82ish Raleigh catalog. Maybe I have on a Schwinn Volare?
It's the sweetest riding bike that my buddy has ever had, so he's keeping it no matter what it is - but we'd sure like to know what's going on.