Nice. Get it back to original - it derserves it. Look forward to seeing more of the build.
Loctez":3cm9ux8s said:Cheers for the replies. I think a bog standard powdercoat and do the black lining and decals myself would be a good idea. Should be able to get that done reasonably cheaply.
So I have decided to go for a nice restoration on this, put some nice drops on it and a more period seatpost.
The wheels are something I need to focus most about. I want to get together a matching set, I am thinking of using the original mavic hubs and building them onto new rims. The question is what rims? I like the mavic open cd at the rear but I doubt I will get another one to match. What do you guys recommend? H+son tb14s look pretty nice, or maybe open pros?
Another question, does anybody know what the biggest cog I can get in the back? Would a 14-24 work with the nuovo record?
Cheers
torqueless":wjhli86u said:Is it really bad enough to need a blast/powdercoat? I understand the impulse to take it back to bare metal and end up with something homogenously shiny- I've done it myself.. but, unlike my bike, this Carlton is still in (most of) it's original paint after 36 years. All the transfers seem to be intact and legible. It can surely be patched up- maybe not invisibly, but that is sort of the point... do you want a bike that looks like it has survived from 1977, or one that looks like it never left 1977? I may have a different standpoint on this to some others- there is no right or wrong. Some may say you've got rust creeping around under your paint even if you think you've got rid of it- That may be, but I doubt it's any more compromising of frame integrity than the blast/powder treatment- which, done once, is likely to get repeated some time in the future. This is 531db, not the Forth bridge.
If it were down to me, I would get a wire brush on any bad rust/flaking paint on the bracket and lugs, and gently scrape/abrade any rust on the tubes- getting inside the tubes as well, as much as that is possible. Then prime/paint where needed.
I may be being hopelessly naive. At 'ground zero', you have a better idea about what to do than I have..Excuse my rant.. I just thought someone should stand up for the original paint before it gets consigned to oblivion..
I don't think I will paint this. The only really bad rust is on the tope tube and that will be mostly covered by the brake cable anyway.