Originally Posted by
Sixty Fiver
Frame builder's special... a custom built Proctor Townsend frame that will need it's front end rebuilt and may need a new top tube.
[...]
The main tubes appear to be straight as does the fork... would expect more frame damage but the lugs separated instead and the lower lug has a crack in it.
Time to fire up the torch...
Slow down there, 65er. 753 frames are not something to approach blithely. When I was brazing 753 frames at Trek, Reynolds told us the *only* tube that they would consider replaceable was a chain stay, and even then they didn't sound too keen about it.
That frame has a lot of problems. Not only has it taken front-end damage, but it appears somebody attempted a welded repair. I'd consider it a basket case.
Given the "wishbone" rear stays, it is conceivable that you could remove that from the main triangle, leaving the BB shell attached to the chain stays to minimize heat damage to the chain stays, toss the seatube and lug and entire head tube/top tube/down tube assembly and build a new frame around the rear stays.
If the fork is still straight, you could salvage that as well.
But a simple tube replacement is likely to be a disappointment -- potentially serious -- somewhere down the road.