Dawes Kingpin- finally found one :-)

[Yellow_Peril]

Hi folks
Just got back from a jaunt up to Cheshire to pick up a Dawes Kingpin. Been looking for a cheapy one to do up. With the fuel it owes me very little.

The wheels are rusty, and I may look to a re-chrome if this is possible. Getting replacement alloys might be tricky, and look wrong in the smaller diameter BMX type rims.

Headset is perect, some chrome s missing from the QD levers. The SA hub looks fine and I'll overhaul it. Paint is superb and. Love the overall finish. All in all worthnall the hype compared to other folders.

Will have a think what to do with it re: handlebars, etc. for the moment this post trip excited photo will have to do!
Jon

 

[Meejoir]

Hi Yellow Peril, ever since I saw this Raleigh Twenty viewtopic.php?f=23&t=254076
I've been thinking what a great urban commuter this would make, a real head turner too. There seem to be a lot of Twenty's going for next to nothing at the minute. I shall watch your progress with your Kingpin with great interest. Good luck with it.

 

[Yellow_Peril]

Cheers Meejoir! These Dawes have Standard threads on BB and Headset so upgrading should be easier than a 'Twenty'. TT handlebars and a slightly longer steerer might be in order cos I'm a big bugger

 

[Yellow_Peril]

Stripped the bike tonight. Wheels are knackered but the SA rear hub is a pretty nice one with nice sounding pawls.

The only challenge I can see is that some muppet has tightened the seat post with the post only partly inserted and dented the top of the tube and bnt the QD clamp out of true. Not sure how to fix this but I'm tempted to get a lug brazed on by a frame builder and avoid the problem completely.

The steerer is absolutely mint as is the bottom bracket and headset. The bottom bracket is completely sealed from the other tubes which may explain its mintyness!

Photos next week I promise!
Jon

 

[Carlp]

I have three of thesebikes, one I'm restoring/renovating, and two are "donor" bikes. I'm almost done finishing touches of cleaning up chrome and ali parts, amd next week putting it all back together.

I rather extravagantly sent my frame off to Merican for a respray, amd got them to refurb the headset and BB whilst they had it, I'm doing the (easy bit) rest. I'll post some before and after pics when it's done.

I'll be interested to see what your turns out like.

Did you see that custom job "fixie" Kingpin on eBay last week? It sold for over £250.00

 

[Yellow_Peril]

There's a belter up for sale on ebay. 65 quid collected from cheshire, but it looks in really good nick. I'm away for a while so won't get back to finishing this for a while. I have the rims and hubs but no spokes yet!

 

[gavr]

There's a belter up for sale on ebay. 65 quid collected from cheshire, but it looks in really good nick. I'm away for a while so won't get back to finishing this for a while. I have the rims and hubs but no spokes yet!

These spokes should do the job
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/spokes-14g-b ... pt753_pg1/

 

[Carlp]

There's a belter up for sale on ebay. 65 quid collected from cheshire, but it looks in really good nick. I'm away for a while so won't get back to finishing this for a while. I have the rims and hubs but no spokes yet!

Have you got a link for it, I can't find it?

 

[Yellow_Peril]

It ended last night! Sorry for getting your hopes up :-(

 

[Carlp]

It ended last night! Sorry for getting your hopes up :-(

No worries, I didn't want to buy just wanted look for research purposes.

Edit: found it, didn't sell by the look of it. Nice example but too much money as the start price IMO.