Here's a mystery - possibly for all the Italian framebuilding afficiandos.
I've been given photo's of a Flying Scot built who knows when and by whom ? and that's basically the question.
Check this page first ; <http://www.flying-scot.co.uk/frame_pages/ frame_a3.html> Warning this page has almost 1mb worth of images on it.
This is supposedly a Scot, but the only identifying key feature are the seat stay ends which have the word "Scot" forged into them. None of the rest of the frame says "Flying Scot" to me, and none of the two numbers found on the frame comply with anything previously found. Unfortunately the present owner has no idea of it's origins.
A short history lesson first off might help set the scene ;
The original company was sold out of the family hands in 1981. The two partners who owned the company continued framebuilding but very infrequently and employing only one framebuilder. Shortly before the collapse of the company in 1983, the two partners fell out big time over money issues needless to say, and one parted the other, leaving the accountant partner in sole control. He continued some questionable practices for a short while, until they were forced to close and the company was put into administration. All of the staff were laid off and the remaining assests were sold at auction. One other large Glasgow dealer, purchased most of the stock, and almost immediately began producing the frames using Dave Yates at M.Steel Cycles from (presumably) the end of 1983 and the frame were generally based on Dave Yates own existing models "badge engineered". They did not however manage to acquire the rights to the name until two years later.
Returning to the mystery frame.
This frame to me looks positively Italian in manufacture and maybe in the year range 83-85, particularly of note is the finish to the ends of the seat and chainstays at the dropouts. Not a very British way of finishing them off, though I'm sure not unheard of. The bracket shell is English threaded, rather than Italian. As far as I can determine all of the frames built pre-1983 were made in-house, and there was no outsourcing. All of the frames used Reynolds tubing and in the latter years had frame numbers with the suffix "ER". From 1983, the frames were built by Dave Yates, and nothing on this frame is the same as any of his other Scot builds for which there are clear and different frame numbers (all with the suffix "FS">
The only identification on this frame is the stamping "A3" on the bracket shell and steerer tube, and the number "331" but only on the bracket shell. As A3 is in two locations I've assumed it's the frame number from the seller or shop who sold it, and "331" from the builder. I'm dubious without seeing it in the flesh - preferably bare of paint - that it is made from columbus tubing, Are those type of Columbus transfers not more modern ? The only thing obvious is the word "Scot" on the top eyes. These are exactly the same top eyes as those used by Dave Yates post 1983. I can see a Cinelli fork crown, and possibly the same make of brake bridge. Note that the brake holes are recessed.
Finally the questions ! Who made this frame - does it look more Italian than British built, who in Italy in the mid 80s was supplying frames to the UK for badge engineering ? Is there anything else obvious or obscure I've not picked up on.
Any help would be much appreciated.