 |  | | | |  | |  |  | Update: "love" the quirks of French bikes |  | |  |  | |
 Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:14 pm |
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| scozim |
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| Joined: 26 Sep 2008 |
| Posts: 629 |
| Location: Ellensburg, WA |
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I've been diving into the mid to late-60's Gitane that I got from the bike shop. Due to cash issues this will be a Frankenbike. It'll be heavy but a great winter trainer and one to ride around with the kids.
For the most part it's gone pretty well except for mushrooming the end of one of the cotter pins. The races on the bb spindle are pitted pretty badly so I can't adjust it properly without side play in the spindle or too tight that the bearings catch. I have someone who is supposed to be sending me another so I can see if it works.
The seatpost - what a pain today. The original that was in it was a cheap steel 25.4 (actually measured a little over 25.3 mm). I grabbed another cheap one that came off one of the kids old bikes and it said 25.4 on it. I measured with my calipers and it came out at 25.17 or essentially 25.2. That one worked but it's ugly and I'm not going to use it. Now the search is on for a 25.2 seatpost (preferrably alloy).
The Simplex Prestige rear derailleur cleaned up well and the Weinmann 27" rims with Helicomatic hub and freewheel on the rear fit well. I have almost NOS Dia Compe center pulls for the brakes.
The handlebar came from another French project bike. The bar is steel so I'll look for an alloy version. The Pivo stem came with the frame. The Nervar cranks (cottered 52-36) and Lyotard pedals have cleaned up very nicely and will go back on the bike.
I took some photos just to get an idea of what it will look like when done (that's a long time off) and decided to include it here. The paint is pretty rough. I've waxed it and tried to remove most of the rust but am not sure if I can find a close match to the blue to fill the nicks and scratches.
Original photos from a few months ago of the cranks and frameset
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| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:14 pm |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
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Scot,
It's looking good! I think that I have some old Gitane cottered BB cups that I'll send you. You'll have to find your own BB spindle.
There were some 25mm alloy seatpost that were made for some of the early aluminum frames - Vitus, Alan??? The standards for seatposts were 25mm, 25.4mm and 25.8mm.
I found some metallic blue enamel at a hobby shop that's a close match to the blue flamboyant lacquer that Gitane used. It's not the Testa brand. I don't mix up the metal particles, just use the transparent paint portion. |
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Chas.
SF Bay Area, CA USA
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1984 Criterium
1969 TdF
1971 TdF
1974 TdF
1984 TdF x 2 Bikes
1970 SC
1971 SC
1972 SC
1984 SC
1984 Team Pro
1985 Professional
1990s Team Replica |
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| Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 8:26 am |
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| LeicaLad |
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| Joined: 12 Jun 2010 |
| Posts: 142 |
| Location: Northern Virginia |
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Chas,
What brand of touch-up or model paint best matches the Gitane white? I've done 3 bottles from both auto parts store and hobby shop. None seem even close. I've got top tube issues from the crappy cable clamps... |
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| Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:34 am |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
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| LeicaLad wrote: |
| What brand of touch-up or model paint best matches the Gitane white? I've done 3 bottles from both auto parts store and hobby shop. None seem even close. |
I've been using some Scratch Fix 2 in 1 color number NG CC 362 Bright White for Chrysler cars. It's not perfect but it passes the 5 foot test.
Before, Note, the left side was after about 30 seconds of cleaning with 409 Cleaner plus 30 seconds of 3xxx steel wool on the chrome. The right side shows what it looked like before cleaning but after I vacuumed 20 years of barn dirt off of the bike!
After:
I apply multiple very light coats of touch up paint and let it dry for at least a day between coats. After a month of so I rub it out a little with automotive rubbing compound.
Remember, in restorations and preservations, the closer you look the more imperfections you'll see. These bikes were made to meet the consumer demands of the early 70s bike boom and cosmetics were pretty low on the list.
In the early 70s, bike dealers could buy Campy equipped Gitane Super Corsas (with MAFAC brakes) for under $300 wholesale including freight.
French bikes from that era were made to ride, not look at. That's one reason why I like Gitanes.
| LeicaLad wrote: |
| I've got top tube issues from the crappy cable clamps... |
What kind of issues are you having? Pictures please. |
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Chas.
SF Bay Area, CA USA
==============
1984 Criterium
1969 TdF
1971 TdF
1974 TdF
1984 TdF x 2 Bikes
1970 SC
1971 SC
1972 SC
1984 SC
1984 Team Pro
1985 Professional
1990s Team Replica |
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| Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:40 am |
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| LeicaLad |
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| Joined: 12 Jun 2010 |
| Posts: 142 |
| Location: Northern Virginia |
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I agree totally on the aesthetics vs ride. I just have little nicks that I want to touch up because I can, and to protect against future rust. It's all small.
Photos later. Gotta run. Family duty. Sorry to hi-jack the thread. |
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| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 2:20 am |
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| Gtane |
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| Joined: 14 Sep 2007 |
| Posts: 681 |
| Location: UK |
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Scott,
That's a nice chainset on a great looking machine. One doesn't often see 5 pin cottered cranks. Williams also made one - the B100 which allowed for interchangable chain rings.
Progress is looking good.
Tim |
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Everything has a cycle |
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