These chainwheels were similar to the Williams 'utility' model F170, found in catalogs of the period. Typically they had a brand unique headbadge and transfers, mattress saddles instead of leather, a generic chainwheel not containing any brand names, initials,or symbols in the web of the chainwheel. The frame was the same as used on the Raleigh Sports. These budget versions were manufactured at the Raleigh plant at Nottingham. Importing a three-speed allowed them to compete in the expanding US market for light weight 'English Racer' type bikes. AMF had its own RoadMaster bicycle line but these where the typical heavy single speed American balloon tired bikes. This is an example of a bike exported to the American Machine and Foundry (AMF) company and marketed as an Hercules/AMF three-speed. This practice of exporting re-badged budget versions of brand named English three-speed bicycles continued after the merger with Raleigh. You could check the locations of where the decals should have been for traces, but I don't even see any evidence that it was primed, just blasted and one good coat of spray paint.Before the merger TI had been exporting re-badged budget versions of their bicycles to the US manufactures, chain stores, and mail order companies, These were sold under the customer's own brand name. The inside of the headtube might show some original color also. Or the underside of the fenders if they weren't chrome originally. Except for maybe the inside of the crank housing. It seems the whole bike was sandblasted, no paint from the original. That part of the forks takes the most stress. I did that once with a girl's shockmaster springer, put a spacer at the bottom to make up the difference and it ruined the fork tube. Since they added an extra cap to make up the difference in size, that's probably what caused the mark on the tube along with a very slight bend in the forks. It has two raised circular portions on each side of the cap while AMF only used one on their chrome caps. The cap on yours isn't what I remember as being AMF, although I have seen that style. If the forks were replaced, back then the girls bikes had longer tubes, that may explain the extra length to the threads.
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