Spares bike id please

[raleighnut]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...te-markings/&usg=AOvVaw1Z3UUUWwFUTxkppDckKu60

Best I can come up with on Google.

 

[robsa]

Definitely no date on the hub. Sprocket is black enameled too. Tyres are britannia tourists. Made in sweden. Ive never heard of them

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The lack of chrome and black enamel finish makes me suspect it dates from WW2 or possibly just immediately after. Decorative brightwork also largely disappeared from motor vehicles during the war years and things were generally more plain and designed to economise on the use of materials & labour.
The donor bike is quite a nice interesting machine in it's own right.

 

[robsa]

Had quick potter on this this morning. Rides quite nicely.

 

[robsa]

Any ideas how to get that nasty black and white paint off?

 

[DCLane]

If the frame number's a Raleigh it may date it around 1947: 205108 / P from here https://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/dating.html although they were around the 400000 mark.

Mine's a 1950 Raleigh Sports with 958996 P as the serial number and 'high carbon' 2030 tubing, albeit now tidied up with better saddle, new tyres, cables and chain:

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Any ideas how to get that nasty black and white paint off?

The first thing I do with unknown and unwanted paint is dip a rag in thinners and rub the surface and see if any of it starts to come off on the rag. If it does, happy days and I'll continue with the solvent-soaked rag. When I recently found a dumped MTB frame, that turned out to be a decent cro-moly Saracen with a horrid rattle can paint job, I got all the rattle can paint off using nothing more than Xylene thinners (cheap enough if you buy it in 5 litre tins) and some rags made from old clothing.
Obviously, if the paint won't react with thinners then you are going to have to resort to heat, stripper, or mechanical removal. Thinners and rag is always my starting point with paint removal.

 

[robsa]

Cheets John.
I want to get the goopy paint off to see what the original finish is like. Wondered if there was a lazy way to do it. Hate it when someone slathers bloody hammerite on a bike to 'do it up'.
More so when they dont strip it down first and its all over the components and fittings. I'll bang some xylene on it.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The "lazy way" is get someone to shotblast it, but the reason I like thinners is that it's progressive and controllable. Think of it as chemical archaeology for bikes. If you take it steady and the paint does shift, you might be able to uncover original decals etc without totally obliterating them, which can be useful for dating & identification.
Handle Xylene with respect and treat it like you would handle petrol in a domestic setting. It's very volatile and the fumes can make you high as a kite in an enclosed space if you use it for a prolonged period. Avoid spillage and keep away from accidental ignition sources such as heaters with high surface temperatures or naked flames. It's extremely flammable.

 

[robsa]

I was an industrial spray painter for 14 years.