Great story. My favorite was when I started working on a bike and saw what I thought was a big earth worm in the chain rings and it ended up being a blind snake. So cool I put it in my garden. Steven Willis 1778 East Second Street Scotch Plains NJ 07076 908-322-3330 http://www.thebikestand.com
This is a curiosity.. a fairly recent Hellenic, I think, Mike. The reference in the text to the seller's father having a clear-out makes me wonder if it is from Harry Butlers "stable"? I suppose it could be an older model that has been brought into the 1990s so to speak, but it would surely have a frame number on either the fork end or the column.. It would be interesting to know if "Hetchins" is cast into the underside of the bracket.
I know that Harry has had a number of sets of the Magnum Bonum lugs, whether they were recent copies or the originals I'm not certain.
I've had a few Hellenics over the years and as I recall, the seat-stay-to top tube joint looked neater than this one.
There were a stiff ride in any case.
Bye
Norris Lockley.. Settle UK