1980's Raleigh bike help needed!

[pbolwell]

Hi folks,

Newbie here, after some help if possible....I've had passed from a family friend an old Raleigh Road bike, i think it's a 1980's model, based on the Campag bits.

Basically i want to restore it like new, and hopefully in the colours of a Professional team that might have used that bike at that time - if there was one.

The Frame number starts 'W A 5'

Any help on the bike will be hugely appreciated.

Thank you.

Paul.

 

[Midlife]

A bit after my time being 1985 (from the number 5=1985) but that's a nice looking frame. Fully sloping fork Crown and fastback seat stays.


Shaun

 

[mikeymustard]

A bit after my time being 1985 (from the number 5=1985) but that's a nice looking frame. Fully sloping fork Crown and fastback seat stays.


Shaun

And not a mudguard eye in sight!
Going by the "shot in" seat stays (as Raleigh calls them) and prugnat lugs I'd like to suggest it might be a Road Ace or a Competition; so unless there were framesets with W serial numbers then the campag stuff might be an upgrade.
Very nice frame, I'm quite jealous, they had a very similar one to this in our local "bike project" frame only, and they wanted an awfuk lot of money for it

 

[pbolwell]

Re:

Thanks for the insight....glad the frame is desirable, it'll make the build even more special.

What would have been the team racing this frame or similar, so I can start planning its painting with a paint shop....or is there a colourway that would have been typical.

I've seen so many variations online?!

 

[mikeymustard]

Take a look at teams that used raleighs eg. Panasonic. This is the obvious colour scheme:

This could even be your bike judging by the components

 

[Midlife]

I'd sand down the frame to look for what was underneath. It's steel and not carbon so some sandpaper isn't going to kill anything.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say so have it finished in what you would like.

Shaun