So I recently purchases a '78 Raleigh Super Grand Prix. I believe the BB is the proprietary Nottingham since the BB width is a tad over 70mm. It came with the right BB cup but that's it. I called a few bike shops about retapping the BB to standard english threads but they were not interested. Doe anyone know where to find a left Raleigh BB cup? Someone have one laying around that they'd like to part with? Also, would I need to find an Italian spindle to fit to convert to cotterless? I was going to just use standard ball bearings too...not sure where to find those either.
Any advice appreciated.

Ebay or a donor bike would be two options, if no one here offers to cough one up. There was also a thread a while back about someone using a 24tpi cartridge unit that they had modified by grinding off most of the threads. It was pretty inspired and they said it worked fine, but that's all I know. You can probably track down the thread using the search function.

Cool, I'll try and find that thread.
Thanks

These guys may have what you need: https://www.goldstarind.com/botparts.htm

I checked out that website and they seem to have Raleigh BB parts. Now I'll see how much they are...
Thanks

'Twas me in my previous incarnation as Squeazel: (3rd post down)

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...958&highlight=

FWIW, my SGP of about the same vintage was threaded standard English. I believe all SGP were made at Worksop. IMBWH.
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If you have a plastic cartridge unit retainer ring laying around, why not try screwing it in and see how it goes? Or take one of the cups from the Raleigh and lay the threads against the threads of a standard British unit and see if they mesh.

The shell width doesn't necessarily indicate the threading. To be honest I'd be pretty surprised if they were still using the proprietary threading at all by '78.

Are you sure its a '78? The super grand prix came stock with cotterless cranks that year....if its got cotters its probably not a '78


https://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroral...talog-1978.pdf
look at the last page of the catalog, it lists the specs on the Super Grand Prix right after the Super Course.

That was my thought as well, until I read this on Sheldon's site: Right through the 1990s, the bikes built at the mighty Nottingham Factory were made to Raleigh proprietary dimensions.

Bear in mind its not true of all bikes from Nottingham. My '72 Super Course is Nottingham built and has standard threads. ...although I seem to recall reading that the Super Course and higher models were always built with standard threading regardless of when and where they were built.

before the OP goes crazy locating parts it might be a good idea to get out a ruler and count the threads in the BB just to confirm. Doesn't cost anything but 5 minutes time.

Wow-thanks for all the good info. I'm going to compare threads when I get home because now I'm thinking the threads are British! I also read Sheldon's site, but I am fairly certain it's a 78 because of the clear serial numbers. And yes it was made in worksop. This will be very good news. I also noticed yesterday that the fork ends are spaced less than the modern 100mm hubs. ANyone have advice on this? Can they be easily bent outward?
Thanks

CravenMoarhead, as a Carlton bike, your Super Course was almost certainly built in Worksop, not Nottingham.

doubtful Unless it got the wrong headbadge.

the Headbadge says "Nottingham" right on it.

**edit**
I believe the Super Course was built in Worksop up until the addition of the International and Professional to the lineup in '70 then production moved.

Good eye. They're actually something like 98mm, just use normal 100mm hubs and you can spring the fork open to accommodate them with no ill effects....its only like a 2mm difference.

All Raleighs said Nottingham, as that's where headquarters were (was?). You'll see that on all the Carltons.