gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » done it again! Goto page Previous  1, 2    View previous topic :: View next topic  TdF Decals   Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:31 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area So far, I've not seen any of the early 70s TdF foil stickers available. The same stickers were used on Interclubs, TdFs and Super Corsas. I pick away surface rust with a screwdriver or other sharp tool and then use fine steel wool to finish the job before touching up the paint. Remember, it's touch up (like camouflage) not a respray job. If you can't see the touch up at 10 feet then you did a good job. Cyclomondo in OZ has French 531 decals on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Reynolds-early-French-531-Frame-and-Fork-decals_W0QQitemZ300149329661QQihZ020QQcategoryZ56197QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem BTW - it's called "patina" not corsion.... Chas.   Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:44 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area verktyg wrote: sandranian wrote: There is another 85/86 frameset on ebay...this one is pretty trashed though. You can see that it is the identical bike as the one you bought, only it has the decals. I'm watching that frame to see how much it sells for. I've noticed that after a bike or frame sells for a lot of money, a number of similar items show up on eBay. Sometimes they bring more money, sometimes not. Chas. That frame only brought $100 USD! I should have popped for it as the components are worth almost that much. The dent in the top tube - probably caused by using it as a fixie concerned me. A lot of current fixie fans have recently moved up from skateboarding and their bikes are pretty well kludged together plus they are beat to hell from "shredding". That's been the case with other fixie frames I've looked at. "Oh, it's in great shape" meanwhile it's a refugee from Hyundai or Toyota. Chas.   Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:31 am bowser Joined: 17 Jul 2007 Posts: 94 Location: lancashire uk took some pics of frame have put nos on registration forum dropout stamped h2 bbrkt stamped 3 (one number) steerer tube stamped zy no other markings Serial Numbers   Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:48 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Bowser, Look on the dropouts. That's where they used to put the serial numbers on some of the older models. It doesn't look too bad. A little polish and steel wool should clean it up nicely. White is easy to touch up. We used to get some Gitanes in that were in worse condition out of the box than yours. Have fun. Chas.   Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:26 am bowser Joined: 17 Jul 2007 Posts: 94 Location: lancashire uk hi chas ive decided to try and touch up as you say i doubt i would get the stickers anywhere the french 531 decals i will source through e bay i have managed to find some mafac and simplex equipment through the classifieds of a cycling magazine in uk i think wheels maybe a problem unless i can find some normandy hubs to build up! cheers ken b   Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:15 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Nice bike. Those are really nice rides, and you should enjoy the project. Careful with the Bottom Bracket and Headset threads... _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com Paint touch up   Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:28 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Hi Bowser, I start cleaning with some kind of quick drying household cleaner like 409 (try Mr Muscle or Flash in the UK). I use a small amount of 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and/or naphtha to clean off old hardened crud that remains. An old toothbrush works great. After cleaning off all of the dirt I use automotive rubbing compound to polish off stains - use with care as the paint on those frames was never very thick. Afterward judicious use of steel wool and sometimes Scotchbrite to remove light rust. Don't use Scotchbrite on the chrome as it will scratch it I don't know if you can get small containers of automotive touch up paint with a built in brush in the cap in the UK. If so it works well because it goes on thin and drys fast allowing multiple coats. I happen to have a set of French thread Normandy Luxe Competition high flange hubs but I paid dearly for them. I suggest looking for a set on Campagnolo Nuovo Tipo high flange hubs as they were the alternative to the Normandys. Mafac Competition brakes would look better (and stop better with good pads) than Campys on a TdF. Chas.   Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:52 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Are you serious about Mafac's stopping better than Campy? I love the way they look, but man are they "spongy".... _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com Mafac Brakes   Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:38 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Mafacs were the choice of the pros until around 1968 or 1969. Even then it took a while for Campy brakes to catch on in the peloton. One problem with Mafac brakes is the pads get hard and loose their stopping power. The soft pads work well especially when they're cambered in at the front which reduces squealing (notice I didn't say eliminates). There IS a difference in feel between side pulls and center pulls. Mafacs with soft blocks are spongy but they stop! The Mafac Competition brakes have a shorter reach which improves their stiffness. I have Mafacs on a number of my retro bikes including a set of the gold anodized Competitions, cantilevers on my touring bike and the rare GT side pulls on one of my Bertins. None of the older style brakes whether side pull or center pull have the stopping power of the newer dual pivot brakes and newer pad materials. I like to feel a little retinal detachment when I apply the binders. I've never cared for the stopping power or lack thereof with Campy NR/SR brake blocks. I put a pair of long Mathauser brake blocks on the front and long Kool-Stop blocks on the rear of a Motobecane that I'm building up with Mafac brakes. I'm going to see if they improve stopping. It's funny, we used to look down our noses at Mafac brakes. We'd change them out for Weinmann or Universal center pulls before quality side pulls became readily available. Now they bring almost as much as Campy brakes on eBay! Chas. Re: Mafac Brakes   Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:34 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area verktyg wrote: Mafacs were the choice of the pros until around 1968 or 1969. Even then it took a while for Campy brakes to catch on in the peloton. Chas. Stephan, Here's a historical note from the Holdworth web site talking about the 1969 Holdsworth/Campagnolo Team and Campy brakes: "..."this pic was taken March 1969, by Easter the bikes were fitted with new Campagnolo brakes...Les West got them last. HC was the first UK team to get these, the other teams were envious" http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgariff/ Holdsworth was the importer for Campagnolo in the UK at that time. Campy brakes were hard to get. So when the importer has problems outfitting 6-8 Campy team bikes..... Peter Rich of Velo-Sport in Berkeley, CA told me he bought 50 sets of Campy brakes when they first came out which wiped out the factory's supply. He said that they were plain with no logos or writing on the calipers or other parts. Chas.   Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:12 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California I wonder what those "no logo" campy brakes would fetch on ebay today.... _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:29 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area I've seen one or two sets pop up on eBay but wasn't interested in them at the time. I wasn't aware of the historical value..... Speaking of history, here's al ink you might be interested in: http://www.berkeleybike.org/about_us/history.html Chas. done it again!     gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours   Page 2 of 2   Goto page Previous  1, 2 All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First  Select a forum Gitane USA----------------Vintage GitaneGitane RacingModern GitanePro Racing - Classics/Giro/Tour....Owner Gallery   Powered by phpBB © 2001-2004 phpBB Group Designed for Trushkin.net | Themes Database.