>>>I never heard of this builder.. Anybody?
Dale Brown<<<
Yes. Well, sort of. I have a Charles Martin frame. I purchased it from a friend's LBS early last year. I think my friend had taken it in trade or something. I posted an inquiry to the CR list, and even posted some pics, in June of last year. It was during some discussion on "little known frame builders". I got zipp in response.
I suspect mine to be an early '70s frame, based on frame details and on the components, which appeared to be original. It has long-point lugs, fast-back seat stays, Campy semi-vertical rear drops, a "ball bearing" pump peg brazed to the under side of the seat tube lug, and the bottle cage braze-on are small threaded cylinders so there are no holes in the frame tube. All these details are evident on the eBay frame. However, the fork on my frame is different. Mine has a very interesting, beefy flat crown, with slots cut in the front and back, and medium point sockets with three holes, one larger and two smaller. The fork blades are round. Very track-like set-up. Other than that, mine is almost identical to the one on eBay, but painted red with gold lug lining.
I've been working on mine lately, and even took a stab at re-lining the lugs where the original lining had flaked or worn away (paint in general was not that good). I'm in the process of building it up with some first-gen Dura Ace stuff. My intention was to bring it to the Cirque this Spring, since the theme is rumored to be "American Frame Builders". I though it might spark some recollections or at least some interest.
I seem to have misplaced the pics I originally took, but since the frame is all cleaned up and being built-up, it's time for some new ones anyway. I'll try to do that in the next few days.
Wayne Bingham
Falls Church VA