Help to ID a vintage bike's frame

[IvanSss]

Hi all!
I'm new to the forum and to retro bikes, as I'm an avid cyclist and MTB rider but last week I got my first vintage bike (for very cheap) from an ad online.
The seller had no idea about the make and model of the bike (said it was a gift to him), even though it has Bianchi decals all over - head label, 2 on seat tube reading "Bianchi Prodotto su Licenza P.V. Edoardo Biachi Italia" and the other reads: "TTS Tubi Trafilati Speciali Bianchi".

Over the last week I did plenty hours of research and looking at 70s and 80s Bianchis online but did not find any perfect match for my frame. Most of the components aren't stock - wheels and brakes are Weinnemann (see attached photos) but I have not idea about anything else - like cranks. Derailleur was swapped for modern cheap one.

   

Do you think this is a Bianchi at all and what model/year? Or was it some other bike repainted in the past and slapped with Bianchi stickers.

1. Another peculiarity is the form of the welds between the tubes - like no other Bianchi I've seen online. See the welding style just below the seat clamp - where the Seat Stays go OVER the front top tube. Very uncommon I think!
2. Neither frame, nor fork have pantographic 'B' or 'Bianchi' visible anywhere.
3. Also it has 2 pegs, on the Top tube, for a long pump to mount.
4. Cables go inside the Top tube.
   
5. Strange looking dropouts. Plus they support mounting Racks.
6. Serial # is at rear of the seattube. NH 4205944

I'm very appreciative of any responses with suggestions, even just educated guesses because I understand the task is difficult!

Many thanks,
Ivan

[IvanSss]

Okay, after another load of digging - this time successful, I found out it's a 1960s or 1970s Raleigh bike frame and fork.

Again it doesn't completely match the models posted online on Forums - either the seattube Lug is the same (Rear going above and over the top tube - see photo attached), but the rest of the lugs are different, or the other way around. The right lugs are model: Bocama No. 14, Pattern II, offered in the 70s catalogues as customisable feature, yet I don't see any 70s Raleighs (Grand Prix or Super Course) with this same type of Seattube welding of the back above the front.



What do you guys think?

Ivan

[Jesper]

@IvanS
Thank you for the photos!
It would be a lower end frame given some of the lower end quality features like the stamped drop-outs, tubing type (if decal is original), "safety" brake levers, and what appear to be Simplex Prestige model shift levers (might be OE/original equipment; but they are poorly designed/poor functioning, and would be the first thing I would swap out!). It looks more English (wrap around seatstays, lugs [which were probably used by various builders], arched cable stop bridge) than Italian which would make me think Raleigh first (many of which were not built in England). I am definitely no expert on English bikes other than the few examples I have, none of which are of your frame's design.
First determine the bottom bracket threading and shell width. It's a rare thing to have anything but a 70mm wide BB shell if Italian from that era. Also Italian threading is 36mm x 24tpi (hopfefully stamped on the cups) so check those and let me know.
Since the decals have aged, as well as the paint they may be original, but I too am suspious about their authenticity to the frame and would not discount another brand, and the frame having been repainted with those decals added at that time.
If you look at the front of the head tube, are there any holes where a headbadge might have been; they may be filled in if painted over but usually there is a small dimple where the holes are unless some properly filled them in when doing a repaint. One hole higher with two holes side by side is indicative of a Raleigh badge.
Those Weimann brakes (rims also) were used ubiquitously on many brands of mid to lower tier bikes so not much help, but they are most likely OE
Fork at least looks straight so probably not banged up before.

[Jesper]

@IvanSss Here is are images of a couple mid '70s Raleigh Gran Prix models. If you look closely at the head lugs I think you will find them matching yours. That model was made for some years both in the'60s and '70s. With those safety levers yours would be a '70s bike. They had the Weinmann centerpulls, same lugs, and arched cable stop bridge, wrap around seat stays; but no pump pegs, no internal rear brake cable routing, and they have chrome 1/2 "socks" on rhe fork (your chrome may have been painted over). I'm not saying that is what you have, but pretty close. It is possible the if the model was made in different countries there could be some differences in details. Without better photos I cannot really tell if the holes for your cable housing on the top tube are factory or not. Your photo of the rear hole looks like if may be an owner modification, but again hard to tell; maybe you can make a better judgement of that peculiarity with the bike in hand. Possibly a Carlton build (they made some stuff for Raleigh.

Edit: trouble loading images; stay tuned!

[Jesper]

@IvanSss Better imagery than old catalogs. I was trying to give you a goid fork crown view for you to compare with.

'78 Gran Prix
           
(Photo credit ebay seller raleigh-katsaris)

'70s Gran Prix (Carlton built for Raleigh)
           
(Photo credit ebay seller theboys314)

'70s/'80s(?) Gran Prix
   
(Photo credit ebay seller Shop Dog Cycle Vintage Bike Parts)

'70s Gran Prix (mixte)
   
(Photo credit ebay seller Velo Bikes Madison)

'71 Libertas (Belgian brand) my frame; now I know why I recognized your lug pattern; variant of same with straight nozzle design and alternate/custom front.
       

As I stated previously, your features may be dependent on where the frame was actually built. The other clue would be your serial number convention and location. The Kurt Kaminer site "The Headbadge" has Raleigh catalogs and serial number info so you might want to check there for more info; I did not refer to it.