The frame is 1965/1967 and has matching fork and frame numbers. Also has a number 3 but I'm not sure what that means


In the meantime I bought a beater (I think its a melon) which has the harry Quinn stickers and 531 stickers all over it (although I do not believe it)

The "3" could be a builder number - they currently stamp the number of the craftsman building the frame, then the serial number of the bike itself. Been that way since at least early 80s, maybe much longer.

Do you know if polychromatic is better than enamel?

polychromatic has a nice sparkle, not a flat enamel paint.
look at this one
Raleigh Record Ace 1948

it would be my choice (oh it is, my frame at the painters will have silver base and magenta polychromatic spearpoints sympathetic with the original scheme)

Do you know why Mercian does not have these colours avaliable in polychromatic? I had a few colour schemes that I think I would have enjoyed quite a bit but it doesn't seem to work with their colour palette

You would need to ask them. Perhaps it is not a colour they have traditionally used.
I would hope they would want to work with you to get the outcome you want, but at the same time I would be guided to getting a style reflective of what could have been done at the time the frame was made.
If you look at the 1966 catalogue the original finish was one specified by the purchaser.

I wanted a magenta in the flamboyant (semi-transparent so the silver shines through) to be identical to the original 1952 finish, but in the modern 2-pac paints they discontinued the base needed for the magenta as it faded far too quickly and there were lots of disappointed customers. So I opted for the polychromatic magenta for the spearpoints.

not exactly sure what i want in terms of scheme but the poly-chromatic doesn't seem to have yellow, white or red. But that means i would have to use pearl colors to get a little sparkle, but not so much the paint sparkle alone would draw your eyes to the bike. Are the pearl ones the sort of thing i would call "Metallic"?

The Mercian pearl is definitely metallic. It's a pretty typical metallic looking finish, about like car paint. It isn't big flake 70s metallic or anything.

I haven't seen the polychromatic, but it sounds by their description like it is simply a very small flake metallic. I have seen this in 60s bikes. It doesn't really look metallic until you look at it very closely. It would make more sense if they called the polychromatic "pearl" and called the pearl "metallic", but it's probably an old shop tradition or something.

so if i was going for a period style bike i would go for the polychromatic?

The mid 60s was a transitional period, and all of those finish types were being used. I don't know the specifics of Mercian during that time, but I think you could go for any of their finishes and it would be period correct.

All that said, I'd lean toward the polychromatic myself.

just realised u have to choose what sort of paint u want for barbers pole and there is no white wtf, all the other colours looks grim with this choice

I think it's kind of traditional to use plain enamel for the contrast bits, even when the main paint is metallic/pearl/whatever.

FWIW I picked white enamel for my seat tube panel. The contrast between the plain shiny white paint and the sparkly main paint is nice.

BTW if you're playing with the framebuilder app, the pictures it renders are only approximately what the real colors will look like.

enamel for head tube as well?

Yeah it should match IMO. Take a look at some old 70s Motobecanes. They usually had metallic paint with plain enamel stripes and head tube.

as you can visit them, I would do so.
Have a chat, get their views. Grim is not an option.
The colours on their web page show the range, the colours as this visitor found look eyecatching for me.

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

i was thinking something like this, although i would prefer lilac but i cant come up with anything just from the website so ill have a better look tomorrow. Also want to include the barbers pole

EDIT: i know the website isnt necessarily what it would look like in real life but i dont want to spend hours gawping at all their frames

Another update

Bike is now at Mercian, went for no.12 polychromatic blue, barbers pole, white lugs, new top, bottom and head tubes, pip for band on gears, and some other cable stuff.

I have a headset sorted but need all the other stuff, hopefully period parts

This is going at stunning speed!
Time to go catalogue shopping, https://veterancycleclublibrary.org.u...20Library).pdf
gives you a guide as to what was available in the period.
Classic Lightweights Readers Bikes is also a guide, but some of the bikes are equipped with the owners preferences, and so are not fully period correct.
I use the Component Database or just look at bikes with the year band of interest, and then check using period catalogues such as the Holdsworth Aids found on the V-CC site.

I also use the period catalogues of other British frame manufacturers who were selling frames plus components.
This period predated the modern concept of groupsets, so selecting the best rather just one component manufacturer was the norm.
Claud Butler for example has useful component selections that were suggested to go with frames.
Veteran-Cycle Club Online Library

Then check on resources such as CL's Classic Components to see if any of the components promoted at the time as a breakthrough then failed to live up to expectations with use.
another very useful source is to look at the Speedbicycles site. Look at the bikes from the years of interest.
Speedbicycles - FAST BIKES SINCE 1900 - Basel Switzerland

Wheels, especially rims, are often hard to source. Look at this guide
Wheels for 1945-60s classic lightweights
and when you see wheels or rims appropriate to your period, buy them.

Once you have your wish list, time to research the market to see what they have sold for on the British ebay. There are some sellers that put a higher than market price on their stock and they tend to reappear at regular intervals.

You are very fortunate in not having to pay the outrageous shipping costs that I have to!

Also look at Hilary Stone's site. Pre-1970 items are found in the Classic Corner.
Hilary Stone Classic Corner Index

and always look out for (bike) Jumble Sales in areas close to you.

One thing that would guide my choice of brake levers is the availability of reproduction hoods.If there was a choice of two comparable brake levers, I would go for those that I could readily source reproduction hoods.
There are a number of sources so ask on here and members can offer suggestions.

As you might have garnered by now, I enjoy the research and the hunt for the components rather than buying in haste. Savour each moment. You will now have a heirloom to pass on.

Yes, but now is the long long wait

And how do i know what parts are better vs what parts? Say if i was building a pc and had two graphics cards, i would be able to check their specs vs the other one, but with bike parts is it just choosing what will fit, and the material?

and for the hoods, do they not come with the brake? and if not, what happens if i cant source any, will i have to make my own (maybe from extra bar tape?

the resources I have listed are excellent. I highly recommend you take your time and work though them. Understand the period.
I use a Google spreadsheet and list all components I need to source.
After reading the material you should soon come up with a list of the best for that period. Come up with other options for each component.
Enter those on the spreadsheet.
When you find sources note them as well. It is unlikely you will remember all the search results.

I tend to go for best of the newly emerging component models for the year, and if they remained in production for a number of years (because they were good) then the prices are generally sensible. I resist the temptation to put more modern components on period frames. It is not my style. If I want more modern components then I have another bike from that era!

Another way is search what these riders were using, https://www.flickr.com/photos/673944...-j6DwJk-oH3HDv

and another well photographed listing of bicycle components are at Speedplays Museum
https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedplaypedals/sets/

Original hoods are likely to be badly perished. So a few make reproduction hoods.
David's excellent tutorial https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...ria-hoods.html
My Shockstop 'honking rubbers' If you can't find it... Shockstop 'honking' rubbers - Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

But most people will buy the reproduction hoods from others.
That is why I suggested that you come up with lever options and then search for what hoods are out there readily available. Or do a search on threads on the Bike Forums for reproduction hoods.
I bought some Weinmann hoods from Frenos y puños - Reciclone after I found this https://bertinclassiccycles.wordpres...oods-a-review/
So this allows you some scope as to the brakes. If you wanted GB brakes and levers of the time you are competing with collectors of 1950s bikes also very keen to have these hoods as they dated from the very early 1950s.
https://veterancycleclublibrary.org.u...20Library).pdf
the superhood rubbers are very hard to get, and are fragile. I had to buy a number of sets and I will keep one for the making of a mould (if needed).
So do your research and note your finds and observations.

And ask back here. There is a good chance a member has already found that hard to get part.

Some of my projects have gone on for 4 years while I research and collect the parts. Others are in a few months. I enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

This is why building bicycles can be cooler than building a pc. You will have to do the research, determine what is doable and or affordable. All of this is subject to your will, patience or lack there of. Some things may be unobtainium or too cost prohibitive. Some things will have to be a judgment call based on all of the above. At this point I think you have the best thing by making the frame right. Everything else will benefit from this solid foundation. Have fun, try not to stress over exactly correct as you can get pretty close most of the time and correct is very subjective in many cases. Patience will always yield results, if you cast a wide net and be prepared to make some substitutions when necessary as some things will come along that will make great choices even if not correct. Keep asking questions and take all with a grain of salt including mine and you will end up with something very special. You are already well on your way, most excellent.

Very cool. I'm glad you're are having Mercian paint it. That should be a stunning combo. I suspect it will add more to the value of the frame than it costs, as you'll essentially end up with a brand new vintage Mercian, rather than an old repaired frame that your dad painted.

Better parts are generally last longer and are more reliable than cheaper parts. They are made of better materials, and are often lighter, depending on the intended use.

At any rate, to build a period appropriate bike from the mid 60s is easy. Typically a top end frame like that would have been built with all campy nuovo record, with weinmann, mafac or other centerpull brakes. A Stronglight or TA crank could be substituted. GB bar and stem most likely, but others are OK.

Obviously there are other components that were also used at the time. Campy NR is generally a good way to go because it was popular and expensive and people did not throw it out. Therefore, there's a lot floating around still and we can buy it for not too much money today.

Yes but instead he bought a 2nd hand harry quinn which had an atrocious paint job, so he wants to paint it lilac and turn it into a fixie rip

The headset and some other parts that i have already are the campy stuff u already said which makes life easier, and there is also front and rear deraillure on ebay which may prove fruitful .
Still have origonal handlebars but im not sure if it would make any difference to upgrade? but it would need new brakes aswell

The Nuovo Record was released in 1967
Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleur (1020/A 1st style)

In Holdsworth Aids for 1966-67 they had the top of the line Record and the older Gran Sport listed