[Roger Aldersley]

Just joined the club. Have had Moulton since late sixties, somewhere between 1968 and 1971, now staring to clean and refurbish.
Cannot find any frame number.
Think is is a Mark 3: “Made in Nottingham” transfer, no Moulton Transfer, straight rear forks, metallic blue (anyone tell me where I can match?).
How do I set about identifying it etc.. The classic book is NA
Anyone able to point me in the direction of help please?
Located Plymouth

[Keith Hales]

Welcome! Frame number should be at the top of the seat tube, might be hidden if it has been repainted.

[Roger Aldersley]

Many thanks, Keith.
The paint is original, except for the mudguards.
The number is 013837.
I have decided to limit my work to new tyres and brake blocks, the use occasionally “as is”.

[Dave Minter]

http://www.moultonbuzz.com/models/ shows a red/ black Mk.3 Moulton. Does your bike look like that?

[Roger Aldersley]

Dave, sorry for the delay in reply, I have been offline until today.
No, my bike is blue and has been since new. I have re-checked the frame number and it is correct.
Nor am I sure it is a mark 3. I clearly need to do some more research on the website. It was purchased in Westbury, Wilts., very near Bradford-on-Avon, so conceivably could have been an old-stock Mark 2? It has a Sturmey Archer 4 speed, with caliper brakes and no dynohub, biut with an added bottle dynamo.

[Les Crook]

Hi Roger,

As a relative novice Moultoneer identifying older models seems to mainly be on the rear swingarm. You say yours has straight rear forks / swingarm. My 66 has straight rear end and is a mk2. The mk3 has a very elegant, almost bromptonesque rear triangle.

I think your approach of just do the minimum and get riding it again is a great way forward. Depends on how avid a fettler you are. My wife will attest to my being a pull it apart at every opportunity type of guy. Glad to have you in the fold.

Les

[Dave Minter]

The bike’s colour is irrelevant. Virtually all Moulton models were painted several colours. I was asking about the shape of the frame, the metalwork.

[Ian]

Is/was it like this?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/75157536/Mk3-2.jpg

That is a blue Mk3

Or does it look like this?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7514/15552975627_3429fdba28_b.jpg

That is a blue, Nottingham built, Major.

(ed – why is the forum not embedding images today?)

[Roger Aldersley]

Ian,

Thanks, that’s really helpful: it is definitely the second, with the extended lower tube and the stubbier rear forks, a Nottinham Major.
Many thanks. The colour is right too …. any clues to a car paint that might match, or do I get something made up?

[Alexander Johnston]

The Major is a nice bike.
Quite rare too.
I’ve possibly got the best one in the multiverse.

[Des Gibbons]

Looks like ford focus st blue would be a good match.

[Ian]

Take the frame to your local car paint shop on a bright, sunny day and use their swatches to match the paint from under the head badge (if it has faded) and find the best match. (Anyone who thinks they can match paint from a screen shot is deluded, and I’ve found that often blue wavelengths are badly fudged by .jpeg compression, let alone rubbish screen calibration)

I get the paint made up in rattle cans – my local shop does them for @£13 a pop.

[Alexander Johnston]

That blue Major Deluxe is a lovely bike – more rare than the ordinary Major.

[Roger Aldersley]

Thanks folks. That’s really helpful. What a nice crowd you are: pity all clubs aren’t the same.
Maybe I’ll make Bradford-on A this year, if I’m not on my bike in Nepal!

[CLIVE FENNER]

I’m a bit confused, whats the difference between a Major & a Major Deluxe?

[Ian]

Not much – the GH6 dymo front hub, a lighting kit and a bag on the rack.

The early Series 1 with ‘billiard cue’ paint, GB alloy stem, bars and Mk3 brakes and a posh Middlemores saddle was far more impressive!

[Author]

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