I've written a bit in a couple other threads about this 1949 Rotrax I came into owning and I figured I need to do a little recording of the process of bringing it back to life.

This actually started with a pre-WWII Wastyn track frame posted in the "are you looking for..." Craigslist/FB Marketplace thread. I missed out on that one and then started harmlessly looking at old path racers and track frames on the web. Up pops this link to an ebay UK ad with a dirty, nasty, stove black Rotrax track frameset, with a headset. I checked it out and began a discussion with the seller. He offered me a lower price, and I made the mistake of looking at his other items. There was also a 24" touring frameset identified as an A.S. Gillott, built by Ron Cooper himself. Anyway, the seller "made me an offer I couldn't refuse" and then TWO British lightweights were on the way.

When I received the frames, the Rotrax was ugly, having been brush painted in possibly black tempera paint. Here's a couple photos as it was advertised, hanging on the old owner's fence:




So, I pulled the fork and there was a nice rich blue on the steerer tube with matching number to the frame. According to Tim at Rotrax, this was produced in the first couple months of 1949 and is a Shirley track frame.
I took a sponge with a bit of rubbing alcohol and wiped off the black paint from the bottom bracket, and it came off with only a couple wipes of the sponge, revealing the same blue, so I set to carefully removing the rest of the black paint.
Here's the frame about an hour after I received it and began the removal of the brushed paint.



The build of this bike is intertwined with the build of the Gillott, as well as a bit of parts swapping with my R.O. Harrison. I say parts swapping, because I initially built the Harrison with a Stronglight Competition 55 crankset, Stronglight bottom bracket cups, and an unnamed French spindle, which was just too long for single chainring duty. I got a Williams C1200 and swapped the French spindle with a nice hollow one I have from my old Rudge Clubman (which has since moved on). So I have gone back and forth about which bike will receive the Stronglight crankset and which will receive another Williams, and decided the Rotrax will get the Stronglight, and the Gillott will get a Williams with a Chater Lea ring, but that is for a different thread.

The headset that came with the Rotrax doesn't look like anything special, but it is in fantastic condition, aside from the black paint, so it will stay. Bottom bracket will be the Stronglight cups from the Harrison, and a yet-to-be-found Stronglight spindle.
As this bike will be actually ridden, I am not shoeing it with 27 x 1 1/4 tyres, instead choosing to use a set of 700c Mavic MA2s laced to some high flange British hubs. I have a set of Racelites, but they are a bit later than 1949, so I think I'm on the lookout for yet another set of Airlites, or Bayliss Wileys, though if I find the right set of built wheels, I will definitely entertain the possibility of rolling on tubulars. I should, but the roads and even MUPs here in and around Philly can have way too many flat hazards, I swear kids shatter bottles on the Schuylkill path just to purposely flatten tires. Saddle is probably going to be this BIM 39 that I just got, unless a Swallow finds its way into my garage.
I'm not sure about the stem and bars yet, but I do have my old shorter Titan stem and a couple sets of GB Maes bars, though a criterium bar would be more appropriate. Again, since this bike will be ridden, it's gonna have a front brake, probably GB Hiduminium caliper pulled on by this old French lever which currently resides on the Harrison.
Night before last I filled a dent in the top tube where a handlebar had impacted. I actually popped out a little chunk of bondo or epoxy, as the same procedure was done years ago; this time I used JB Weld. Smoothed and leveled it today before painting.
The frame and fork just got a respray with a matched blue as there was way too much original paint sanded off of the head tube lugs and a few other places when I received it. Photos of the first coat coming soon.

Phil

Here's the frame after the better part of a day of curing, after the first coat.





I'll sand this coat with some 3000 grit then shoot another coat on. I'll be lining the lugs with gold paint, as originally painted, then I'm going to clear coat it with a 2k epoxy. That should kind of hide the blemishes I can still see here and there. As soon as payday rolls around I'll be ordering a set of decals and a headbadge from Rotrax (who knows, as I'm scheduled to start my new job on the 30th but HR and hospital compliance/occupational health are all messed up right now, so it may be in October.)

Phil

I’m really looking forward to seeing this build progress. So far, great progress.

Based on the size of the Rotrax frame and your description of the seller's goods, it sounds like you're dealing with Giles. Excellent fellow! I bought the 1951 Claud Butler Olympic Sprint that I fixed up a couple of years ago from him (and have since passed on to another forumite). If anyone has Facebook or Instagram follow his restoration work on a multitude of British classics from this era at GB vintage lightweight cycles.

-Gregory

Kilroy1988 right you are! He is a great guy to deal with!

Final color coat applied. Photos to come in daylight after the paint is no longer tacky.
Clearcoat will be applied in a couple days when I have time, maybe Friday morning, before I head to DC for an event with a bunch of other Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Phil

I saw that on eBay as well and had considered it. You could have used an air brush and touched in some of the white spots to keep the originality if you wanted.

I have a 1948 Track model I'm in the midst of restoring. All in primer now and just got the paint last week. Have all the decals now so it's close. Hopefully I can post pics soon.

Looking forward to seeing some finished pics. It's a great blue color for this!

That blue looks really thick and rich, compared to the original worn finish of the frame, but it is a spot-on match of the true unfaded, undamaged overspray on and inside the steerer tube.
I may get to lining the lugs tonight, and considering that this is MY frame and my paint job, I think I'll do a little personalization of the seat stay caps.
Phil

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thanks very much for sharing this excellent find

we get precious few examples of the marque here in the forum

frame bits -

lug pattern appears NERVEX

there are several feature cut patterns which bear a close family resemblance but me catalogue, published 1958, showeth not an exact match

makes me suspect it might be a pattern discontinued somewhere between 1949 & 1958

closest match shown in the 1958 catalogue is Nr. 83. there is a gap in the illustrations between Nr. 75 and Nr. 83 so perhaps frame's pattern be one in that area

this is the sort of information you can likely receive from the VCC marque enthusiast for Rotrax in case you are in touch...

crown appears it may be either a Haden or EKLA pattern, they offered similar at this time; EKLA are often marked with name on underside

blades appear oval rather than round, is that correct?
drilled crown and oval blades would suggest an intended application other than pure track





do not recognize the nozzle cuts on the frame's bottom bracket shell
possible it could be a discontinued NERVEX cut or perhaps a Haden pattern
there may be a marking on the underside

fork ends appear to be plug type, as with a shoulder; is that correct?

did you discover any tubing markings when you prepared the frame for its respray, A&P perhaps?

thanks again for sharing this frameset

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juvela correct that these are round fork blades and the crown matches the EKLA round shown in the catalog and you posted. I thought these were EKLA lugs on the head tube at least.
There are no markings on the bottom bracket shell, aside from the serial number. I noticed a very small (<4mm height) stamped "A" with serifs on the left side of the seat tube lug but neglected to photograph it. The stamp impression was very light, almost as a scratch, and I can't see it through this second coat of paint. Lower head tube lug and bottom bracket shell both have oiler ports. Here are a few images of the lug and side of the bottom bracket shell.




Many thanks for your knowledge and contribution to this build!
Phil

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thank you for the additional information

if for example the bottom bracket shell were of French origin the letter "A"

could be a reference to anglais as in "English", referring to the threading

the letter "A" is sometimes found on French manufactured lugs to indicate that the tubing sockets are of English dimension

just speculation


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Regarding the provenance of this frame, its lack of markings and first (?) brush repaint in black, my discussion with Giles began with the serial number placement not being along the shell edge, as seen on most Rotrax frames. I asked if it was one of the frames produced while Rotrax were licensed to Witcomb, though the lugs appeared to predate that period by about 15 years. Giles stated that the marque enthusiast verified the frame as being genuine and that he'd seen early frames with the serial number across the shell, as opposed to along the edge. He also stated that he was pretty sure the lugs were EKLA, but there are some small inconsistencies, with the caveat that the lugs were filed and could definitely have been shaped. I sent photos of the frame to Tim Maund at Rotrax, who stated it is a Shirley, which tracks (pun intended) since it doesn't have the intricate lug work of the Vel D'Hiv.
Regardless of any skepticism I may have, it's still a decent frame that is straight and hopefully proves to be a nice rider.

Phil

I forgot to add that the seatpost size is 26.8mm and seat tube outer diameter is 28.6, indicating straight walled tubing. The frame has the weight of a non-butted tube set, to be sure. The fork is English threaded, 22.2mm inner diameter, with a 27mm crown diameter. Fork dropouts are spaced at 97+mm and the rear fork ends are spaced at 106mm (no bent seat or chainstays).

Phil

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97 front spacing is suggestive that a hub of frankish origin may have been employed

ordinary quality brits are usually 89 and quality ones 100

110 was a common rear track spacing


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Very cool history there. Didn't know Rotrax still existed (actually never had heard of it at all before Phil bought the frame!)

Dave

I was thinking that the fork blades and rear triangle had just been squeezed a tiny bit sometime in the last 75 years. I haven't made my hub selection yet, though I will be test riding it with the wheels that are currently on my R.O. Harrison, both Normandy track hubs. This will inspire me to finally build the wheels for the Harrison, many months after sourcing all the parts.

So now my question is about decals: under or over a clearcoat? Last time I tried to clearcoat over decals, they bubbled and melted.

Phil

I did what we'd call in the Navy "good from afar, far from good" job of lining the lugs in gold. I'm just going to live with it. I can't be bothered to strip the bike and do it all over again. It'll be fine, just a little jagged edge here and there due to my hands.
Anyway...

Phil

Which is why I have not yet tried my hand at lug lining!

Actually don’t think I have anything to lug line anyhow...other than Eeyore the Raleigh.

I'll send you a couple lugged frames. I could use the space!

Phil

Nooooooo....

When spraying my usual 2K clear coat over decals I start with a very light coat and let that flash before applying the final coats. This has always worked well for me but I don't know if this works for one-part clear coats.
Brent

Change of plans: instead of faffing about and swapping the Stronglight cups to the Rotrax, the Rotrax will be getting the Bayliss Wiley bottom bracket and the Williams chainset with the 48 tooth Chater-Lea ring which is now on the Harrison. Then the Harrison will be getting the Stronglight chainset. Not that anyone cares, I just figure the older Rotrax deserves the older British chainset.
Phil

I've done light coat followed by a full coat with both 1 part and 2 part, I've never had an issue, but that could just be good luck.

I'm building up 2 British bikes from a similar era, I've run into the exact dilemma. Which bike gets which part? Good luck, and I'm sure the plan will change many more times.

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if i understand correctly the kitting aim is to keep it as much period Brit as possible

be that correct?

from your posts it sounds like you have pretty much a complete ensemble to hand & in mind

you mention headset to be in good order, wondering if it be conventional cup & cone pattern or one of the floating u-race persuasion

am guessing it to be T.D. Cross model, checked the ones have drawings of and it is not among them, they are probably all a bit later designs

have a Brampton catalogue of 1948 and checked it but nothing there lines up with your set

asking because so many Brit irons of the era received the u-race type

thank you

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juvela the headset looks a lot like a Stronglight P3 with an old style "lockring" top nut. I haven't cleaned it yet to see if I can find any markings. I guess my aim is to keep it as period appropriate as I can but still reliably ride it...
...though now that I've repainted it, there is a set of clogs that just got thrown into the gear works. I recently started getting a few hours of bike shop work with my old employer and I've been doing 3-4 days per week. Anyway, over the weekend he asked me what my birthdate was and I thought he was going to put me on the payroll. It turns out he was trying to remember my birthday for a gift he gave me when I got in this morning. He likes the job I did on the Harrison and knows I'm doing a loose restoration of a Rotrax path racer, and he handed me a set of gorgeous (in the eye of the beholder) tubular sprint track wheels with BSA hubs! The rear was dished to take a freewheel but I will soak the nipples in kroil and gently persuade them to move. I'm missing a few in the front, which I'll have to find, but these may become a set of "Sunday parade" wheels.



I haven't yet poured over images of Italian tubular rims with gold foil labels on the joint, so I'm not sure what they are. Both 36 hole wheels, though the hubs are Anglo. Also not sure about the spokes, or if they can even be ridden. Even though they need a lot of work and some parts, I'm pretty excited about these ancient wheels.
I just got home and dragged the Rotrax out for a glamour shot before going back in the basement for a week

Once I start a full time job, I'm not going to have nearly as much time to play with my toys. Whichever job I've interviewed with that either gets onboarding squared away or offers me what I'm asking, not $12000/ year less than my minimum (that was the last offer.) I'm hoping we have a few more sweltering days ahead so I can cure the clear coat quickly, instead of having this frame slowly outgas over the course of the winter in my basement.
Anyway, I'm really jazzed about the sudden appearance of those wheels.
Phil