It was a very nice frame in its day, Tharg. I had it hand built by M&B Cycles in Dronfield, specifically for touring so with cantilever brake bosses and low rider piercings in the front forks. It might even be 531 Supertourist rather than plain 531. It's about 25 years old and it was the only time I ever said to a bike shop "Right, I'm not a student any more, I want the best you can sell me".
However:-
- there is plenty of superficial rust on it, so it would need a strip and powder coat
- the front forks, if I can find them, are slightly twisted because I bent them separating them from a seized stem. I didn't use colossal force so I am sure they could easily be straightened. At the moment it has a pair of tatty 531 forks off a similar sized racing frame, which I probably have the rest of.
- I'm only 5' 5", so it's a small frame, but with a longish top bar. 20.5" C to C, I think.
Come to think of it, I also have a Brian Rourke frame which I did the Etape on 15 years ago. That is a really good quality hand built racing frame. A bit of rust round those faddish 'through-the-top-tube' cable holes but otherwise in excellent nick.
I suppose I ought to keep the Rourke but I have several other road bikes and am partway through building up another, so the reality is that I'm never going to ride it again. I would much prefer that this stuff went somewhere where it will be used rather than being melted down for Nissan doors. The M&B frame and bars is yours for the cost of delivery/collection, plus the other 531 frame if I can find it all. The Rourke frame probably has some value.
Let me know what you think.