 |  | | | |  | |  |  | Headed to paint....redux |  | |  |  | |
 Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:48 pm |
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| JerryC |
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| Joined: 06 Mar 2014 |
| Posts: 39 |
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Happy ending and all's well that ends well. The first paint shop I went to tried to scam me. They were anxious to take the job and gradually delayed and edged the price up to the point I picked it up and took my business someplace else.
Stopped by Milwaukee Bicycle Co. for advice and turns out they are happy to do the work for me. I'm anxious to see what the frame looks like after stripping. The entire fork is chrome and in great shape. I've heard it's possible that the entire frame is likewise. If so I may leave the chain stays and seat stays chrome and maybe the lugs on the headtube..... all sorts of possibles....excited once again. |
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Jerry
Milwaukee ,WI |
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 5:50 pm |
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| mountaindave |
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| Joined: 22 Jun 2010 |
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| Location: Flathead Valley, MT |
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| | | | | | | | | photos for sure | | | | | |
| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:05 am |
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| JerryC |
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| Joined: 06 Mar 2014 |
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| It should be back from the dip strip soon.... |
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Jerry
Milwaukee ,WI |
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| | | | | | | | | paint shop redux....update | | | | | |
| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:32 am |
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| JerryC |
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| Joined: 06 Mar 2014 |
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Tuesday is the day I get to see the old girl freshly stripped....
Some thoughts... I had heard that the entire frame, not just the fork was chromed prior to original paint. The fork is in great shape so it the frame is the same I'll have lots of options. If just the rear stays are chrome then it will still be awesome.
If the entire frame is good quality chrome I may be inclined to leave the rear stays chrome to the seat tube. I may also leave the head tube lugs chrome. With the blue paint I've chosen (similar to the original blue Gitane used) I think it will look great. I thought about chrome for all of the lugs but decided that was too much with the chrome fork and stays.
If the chrome is so so I will paint it as originally planned. I have decals from Cyclomondo on the way.
I've been pouring over photos for unique ideas. Also considering a thin gold pin stripe at the chrome/paint junctions...
Yes I'm obsessing.....a little. With a project like this it's hard not to.
The bare frame will pretty much dictate the next step.
Any thoughts, photos to point in the right direction if there is one? |
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Jerry
Milwaukee ,WI |
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| | | | | | | | | Chrome Plating | | | | | |
| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 2:02 pm |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
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| Location: SF Bay Area |
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Gitane only chrome plated 1/2 of the rear stays. As I mentioned in a previous message, they plated the entire fork because it was less time consuming that masking off the areas that were to be painted.
About the only fully chrome Gitanes you'll see were the Traveler folding model:
http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=14246
And... what I assume to be bikes made for display or trade shows.
In the early 70s there was an embargo against several African countries that mined chrome ore. The cost of chrome plating became prohibitively expensive for a while.
Add to that are the environmental concerns associated with chrome plating. The chemicals used and the waste products are extremely toxic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_plating
During that period, many Belgian made bikes (and some entry level French bikes too) had silver painted forks and stays instead of chrome plated. 
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Last edited by verktyg on Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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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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| | | | | | | | | thanks | | | | | |
| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:12 pm |
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| JerryC |
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| Joined: 06 Mar 2014 |
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| Thanks again... you are a wealth of info. I do appreciate it. |
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Jerry
Milwaukee ,WI |
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