Product Description
This spectacular and and utterly rare early Hetchins road frame from the 1930's. It was FULLY restored in England, and has been on display since. Never built since restoration. This one has a frame number of 811368 on the steer tube, indicating 1938 build date (source here, The numbers on BB shell are individual lug numbers and not from Hetchins). It is painted a lovely maroon to red fade. At the BB shell and 1/3rd way up the chainstays/DT/TT is a deep maroon, and it slowly fades into the wet blood red that spreads to the rest of the frame and fork. This frame is on consignment from a collector, who tells me it was professionally restored in the UK before they acquired it.
The Brilliant model in the prewar era had a few versions, the no. 1, no.2, and "C". I haven't figured out exactly the differences in these, but Hetchins.org says the differences were largely in geometry. The fork crown is the pre-war "box" crown. The lugs are named "brilliant", and I believe were made by Chater Lea. This one has the "vibrant" curly stays Hetchins is famous for.
Condition
Fully restored and unridden condition! The paint and decals are immaculate an appear high quality. There are zero axle marks on the dropouts, and the paint is still fresh on the BB threads. From 5 feet it looks brand new. Up close, you will notice just a few very tiny marks in the paint from storage and transportation. There's a 1-2mm chip on the right side of the crown, and the bottom of the head tube above it. Drive side of head lug on the DT section has little dark spot. On the inside of the driveside dropout, there's a chip at the very back on one of the points. The underside of the bb has some scratches presumably from being displayed. Back of seat binder tabs has a chip. Aside form these, it is nearly perfect.
Details
- Frame number: 811368 on steer tube (170 on other side of steerer, unknown significance)
- Top tube: 57cm
- Seat tube: 54cm c-t
- Head tube: 126mm
- Seat stays, to center of drops: ~422mm
- Rear spacing: 120mm
- Seatpost: 26.8mm (measured with seat tube diameter tool, without cinching bolt)
- Color: Deep maroon to crimson red fade, creamy white panels, gold lug lining
- Tubing: reynolds H.M. steel (via 1930's catalog scan in photos)