PR: Proprietary Items Craven rack dimensions and drawings

Gerry Clarke

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The C Rapide I used to own had the most substantial Craven pannier compatible carrier I ever saw (it's still on the bike). This carrier was on another Rapide when it arrived in Ireland from the UK in 1961. The forged lugs are marked P & M or something similar I believe. It was truly as robust as the frame tubes, or more so!

Gerry
 

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craig

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Here is a set of Craven Golden Arrow mounted on a Vincent rack. The molded Craven logo patch on the pannier sides seems to be at right angles to the set I have. Also mine do not have the added aluminum tabs at the latches . Anyone know the first year for Craven Golden Arrow and/or the progression of this model or others?
CravenGoldenArrowSet8.jpg
 

craig

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I purchased a couple of new lock latches for Craven Golden Arrow.
Online at the Craven luggage website.
The new locks come with new keys as well.
The new keys, stamped 40, fit and work the old locks on the Golden Arrow as well.
As shown above on the Comet.
The new lock latches seem to have a different rivet pattern, but look the same externally.
 

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minivin

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Ah yes, breaking frames. Suffered the same back in 2003 at Montlhery when chasing ET43 there and back. Locking wire and Ty-wraps kept the ensemble together to get home and Phil proceeded to bend, fashion and weld four support tubes at the front and back. After that, the system worked quite well with Phil's Flat-backed D' Panniers.

I've now been gifted a pair of rotten Rodarks, I just can't decide how I want to mount them on the Series B.......
Form.jpg
 

craig

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I am finally mounting a Craven Top Case to my Craven Vincent rack and for years I have been wondering about the top case mounting. Every time I saw these Craven top case on eBay they had rusty fittings or usually no fittings. I would like to see the period instructions for this top case mount to a Vincent, but I have found none to date.

So I started collecting internet photos to learn the details. After viewing many Craven top cases , I found I could identify Vincent top cases by the holes for mounting hardware showing on the bottom....and there was one standard Craven way of "quick release" mounting a Vincent top case.

So here is what I think is correct.

CravenMountFairline1.jpg


Forward clip brackets 4 & 5 are simple "Z" steel bracket with possibly an aluminum secondary piece to protect the fiberglass of the top case. These two could clip directly to the steel tube rack or be able to meet with rubber or tape wraps on the tube rack.

CravenTopCaseBracket4.jpg


Rubber bumpers 2 & 3 are a combination of a rubber disc and topped with a appropriate size bumper to allow the top case , again, to be fiberglass protected. I don't know the sizes exactly of these rubber pieces, but visual guess should be easy.

CravenRubberDisc3.jpg


This lead me to the final rear clip that has confused me until I really studied it.

First, it has a down turn at the very rear, and this to allow you to "turn" the piece once it is loose for top case removal or mount.

Second, it has two holes in addition to the central bolt/nut hole which confused me.
These holes are for matching up with protruding alignment tits provided in the piece above ensuring locked alignment if the nut stays tight or even for slight nut looseness. It took this old man a while to figure that out.

Third, the final securing rear nut is a castle nut and not a wing nut, why?
I believe to allow for a wire clip inserted thru a small hole in the bolt to allow for fault free top case mounting.

CravenTopCaseBracket1.jpg


What would be nice is if I had more advice and input on this Craven subject........and a copy of the period Craven instructions for this top case mounting.

Cheers
Craig
 

craig

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As a note on Vincent Craven top case on Craven steel tube rack.
I have seen , most commonly, split rubber tubing fitted to all tube areas of the Vincent Craven rack under the top case to provide a more full support . In addition to the above pieces.


CravenFairline2018-13.jpg
 
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craig

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O yeah, here is top case on the rack with the rubber bumpers showing how they provide and secure alignment.


ClassicClipsForTubeRack2.jpg
 

minivin

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Evening all, part 248, the strap between the under seat swan neck links and the seat stays. Does anyone have a drawing of these what appears to be 3/16 x 5/8 pieces of strip steel. I may have just brought an incomplete luggage frame (yes, idiot, I know!).
 

craig

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I cant measure my #248 right now , but I can provide a crude drawing to pick at.
My guess is 1/8 x 3/4 steel strap.

I went out and measured two different sets of what appear to me to be original Craven#248 and they measure (A x D) 1/8 x 3/4" steel strap .
the distance between holes (C) is 1.75"
and the offset (B) varies 0.20-0.30"
Craven248.jpg
 
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