Re:
It has been a long time !
well - still work in progress but it is nearing completion
The grime of 75 years on the brakes has been cleaned and it was no easy task :roll:
and these brakes - The Speedy - are amazing - probably the second existing cantilever brakes ( after the 1936 Barra ones), mostly dural ( even the bolt for the pad holder is dural) and they weigh 134g for a pair
they go on specific bosses
The Stronglight headset was in quite poor condition but luckily I had a NOS Stronglight period headset to replace it.
To replace the headset, I undid the fork and discovered a nice information.
Remember the stem is actually a sort of semi headset one with a regular threaded headset but is fixed to a unthreaded fork tube part above the threaded part.
The unknown frame tubing is actually Reynolds HM butted ( 16/13)
the period 1936/1938 is actually the time where the Reynolds 531 came to replace "marketing wise" the HM but in France, it is not clear when exactly and how. (I will expand further on that)
Because of some parts poor condition due to oxydation, the stem and crankset have been sanded down, polished and rechromed.
They were quite oxydized so still show some wear as the surface could not be "mirror polished". But they ar now decent looking
The non period bar has been replaced by a very rare Caminade Randonneur model I had the luck to undo from the prewar bike
The brake levers were planned to be some prewar "Le Grimpeur" ones , unfortunately, they are too narrow for the bar , so I replaced them with LAM super dural levers . But I have difficulties to make sure they were produced before the war.
Pedals are Tank ones ( The original Lyotard ones need a renovation)
Present weight is 8.9kg ( save freewheel, chain and brake sheaths) : not bad
Next part to come is a nice pair of very rare Le Paon fenders in 700 size.