DB Prototype ID'd,I think anyway. LOL

[db-oldskool]

An update.
Kinda longwinded so please bear with me.


After a bunch of research & knockin heads with other DB fanatics I've come to this conclusion,hopefully it's correct.

I've compared this frame to all of the other DB models,it's exactly like my 79 Sr Pro & 80 Med Pro except for one thing.The headtube angle is off,otherwise it's built as a SR Pro.The headtube angle is a match for my 78 frame,the 79 & 80 are slightly more angled.
This is a 78/79 built Proto of a 79 Sr Pro.
This pic is of the closest matches,the others were left out so as not to confuse.
The chrome is the 79 Sr.
The blue is the 80 Med.
The red is the 78.
And the black is the Proto.




Now comes the interesting stuff.
Here's a pic of the Proto & the 78,notice how the headtubes are a perfect match.
Sorry but it was the best pic I could take,being that close distorts the view but it's exact.






Here's the Proto with the 80,lesson learned from pic 1.






Here's the Proto with the 79,it's closer but still not exact.
If the cups were removed it'd match with the 80.





All the other geometry matches up with all 3 frames,but here's another difference.
Notice the size of the diamond cut out & the arc cut of the gusset.The arc is the slighest of any DB out there,none of my other 9 frames each of a different model has that same slight arc to it,it's more pronounced like on every other DB I've seen.
Now the diamond cut out is larger by far on the Proto than the red 78,the other DB's I have is closer in size but still smaller(Yes I measured).These gusset plates were stamped not cut by hand,so that theory is out the window.






Here's better shots of the geometry,they're not perfectly aligned but you get the idea.









Also take a look at where the down tube is attached to the bb on the red 78 compared to any other DB out there including the pics above.It's more centered on the 78 than any other DB,every other DB has the connection near the bottom of the bb.
Including the Proto which can be seen below.




And lastly,every 79/83 DB has a serial similar to this.






This is the serial on the Proto,I had to take a close up so it could be seen on the black.






Ok I'm done now,gonna go rest my typing hands.

[harris]

very interesting,well worth keeping hold of to match up any new finds that come along very indepth   

[theRuler]

could the proto be a copy? made by some joe in his back shed so his kid had a "diamond back" for xmas?

[db-oldskool]

could the proto be a copy? made by some joe in his back shed so his kid had a "diamond back" for xmas?

You could kinda say they started out that way.

The first DB's (77) were made by hand in southern California,the 78 lineup was also made by hand in so-cal.
In 79 they went to a factory in Japan,that's why you see that baseball symbol on the serial #'s but not on my 78.The 77's & 78's were made by hand by the same company that built SE frames believe it or not,that tidbit was going to be disclosed on my future DB history site.
In late 83 they moved to Taiwan,that's when the baseball symbol was dropped & the serial # began with an F insted of a #.
Most 83 models have a # as the first digit in the serial,if you see one that is F3#### insted of 3F#### it's a late 83 Taiwan job.


So basically DB started out as a garage type build,they only made proto's by hand after 78.
And yes this one could have been made by Joe Schmoe in his garage,I seriously doubt it though cuz it'd be pretty uncommon for repros back then & not that many people get into DB as say Hutch today.
The black Proto was originally the same red as my 78,the red can be seen in the inside of the bb,somebody rattle canned it.

[Waxintaxin]

could it be a factory riders , tweeked ride? as it looks to me that the blue frame ws made in Japan with the baseball symbol and maybe the black was made in the usa for a factory guy ?

Just my 2 cents , and what rubbish they are 

Rich

[Moose]

could it be a factory riders , tweeked ride?

I reckon Rich may have something there. I'm no DB expert but I've read somewhere that the early frames, made for factory riders, had their initials stamped at the beginning of the serial number. Factory rider VM?

Prolly talking bollox though. Like I said, I don't know my DB's 

[db-oldskool]

That's a very good question.

I've thought about that too but I can't think of a rider with those initials.
The only one of two other Proto frames I've seen is this one here,the other had Sandys initials in it but I can't find that pic.
Why that serial is so different than mine or the one with Sandys initials is another good question,I never had the chance to ask him about the serials on Protos.