1983 Carlton Corsair

[Spokesmann]

A recent purchase for me is this 1983 Corsair, built after Worksop closed, at Nottingham by Raleigh. Very much a Raleigh in disguise with only a Carlton badge (no Worksop name) and the usual C nut on the seat pinch bolt. Built June 1983 this is a decent, refined mass produced tourer. Finished in dark met grey with lovely gold tinted ESGE guards. With quite a depressed market in classic and retro steel, this one was very competitively priced. Ive given this a light service and clean as well as adding my usual touches such as a rack (NOS Pletscher) and Carradice saddle bag.

 

[wafter]

That looks absolutely lovely

 

[raleighnut]

A recent purchase for me is this 1983 Corsair, built after Worksop closed, at Nottingham by Raleigh. Very much a Raleigh in disguise with only a Carlton badge (no Worksop name) and the usual C nut on the seat pinch bolt. Built June 1983 this is a decent, refined mass produced tourer. Finished in dark met grey with lovely gold tinted ESGE guards. With quite a depressed marked in classic and retro steel, this one was very competitively priced. Ive given this a light service and clean as well as adding my usual touches such as a rack (NOS Pletscher) and Carradice saddle bag.

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Built by the same fellas that worked at Worksop though, I've got a Raleigh Road Ace with a 'W' prefix frame number from the same year. Raleigh set aside an area where the former Worksop staff* built bikes to the same standard and using the same methods for their 531 production.

* Apart from the guys who had gone to the SBDU factory in Ilkesten run by Gerald O'Donovan

 

[biggs682]

@Spokesmann another lovely example well done

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

NICE! The driveline looks like Suntour stuff. Those were the best derailleurs around until indexing took hold.

I run both Suntour Cyclone and Campagnolo Record on bikes of this vintage, the Suntour stuff wins hands down.

 

[midlife]

Smart . Known in the trade back then as a Demi Course

Launched on the same day as the Pro-Am, both sold quite well for different markets

 

[Spokesmann]

NICE! The driveline looks like Suntour stuff. Those were the best derailleurs around until indexing took hold.

I run both Suntour Cyclone and Campagnolo Record on bikes of this vintage, the Suntour stuff wins hands down.

Yes Raleigh Branded Suntour.

 

[Spokesmann]

Built by the same fellas that worked at Worksop though, I've got a Raleigh Road Ace with a 'W' prefix frame number from the same year. Raleigh set aside an area where the former Worksop staff* built bikes to the same standard and using the same methods for their 531 production.

* Apart from the guys who had gone to the SBDU factory in Ilkesten run by Gerald O'Donovan

Yes I believe they had a Special Bikes Division at Nottingham for 531 stuff. This still has a W prefix - WH3...