Early 50s La Gazelle - Eau-de-Nil 🛠️ The Merlot Aftermath 🍷

[Woz]

With it's age and being post war, it could well be using old stock. Or maybe the stamping was a two part process, rings and lines are the second op? If that's the case Pierre was so p1ssed after lunch he just went at it, lit another Gitane and threw it in the parts bin with the rest. Marcel in QC just waved it through because he was hanging and no amount of Merlot was sorting it out. Rene just boxed 'em and sent them out. The fitter at La Gazelle shrugged lit his fag and smashed the cotters home. 2023 Merlot once again plays its part...

I'm certainly going along with this theory too. It seems clear doing the DS and NDS was whole different work line. The spider is not a swage fit to the cranks; appears either machined from one entire block or welded and hand filed smooth. It's remarkable. The engravings on the back are virtually non-existant and different stamps too - just crank length 170 on the NDS and 170 D (for Droite = Right ) for the DS. No mention of "Made in France" or similar, no mention of pedal thread. It's really odd that even being a stickler for detail and going over this many times such a thing passes by until the cranks are together. If only the bike could speak and tell it's story.

 

[vcballbat]

WARNING - OCD Triggers - Mystery - Wine Infused Rational Thought Content

Not going to make a secret of it, but I'm somewhat chasing my tale a bit with this bike. Thankfully via a "cry for help" type thread here that @Guinessisgoodforyou is helping with sound tech help and ideas, along with my alter ego @Imlach for moral help, I got re-focused and motivated again. Decided to re-visit the Stronglight cottered cranks, do some disassembly and cleaning with various wire brushes, scouring pads, and wire wool. It was all bliss and therapeutic .

While cleaning them I was admiring the extraordinary low weight of anorexic French steel, beautiful vintage precision machining, and pleased that they are in not in bad shape for something 70 odd years old.

I then put the cranks together to stand back and admire them and I swear I saw the solar system collapse in front of me.

View attachment 731049

All I could do was stand saying "No" repeatedly about an octave lower than normal. What seemed an eternity after there was no choice but to consult the interweb for answers via the fridge and a pick-me-up boisson.

Obscene time was spent thinking that one crank is newer than the other. Couldn't understand that they appear aged at the same rate. I found absolutely nothing on the web. The shape of each crank arm is identical. The closest I got is that from 1946 - 1949 there appears to be a mixture of logo types between old and new. No pictures or any other examples of Competition Crank different logo types to be found. Needless to say I then went in various rabbit warrens in doing so and picked up some interesting stuff for later . Including these two links that people have put some effort in this subject related to models and logos:

https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/classic_components/stronglight-steel-cottered-cranks/
https://veloretrocourse.proboards.com/thread/1095/les-strongs

I can't conclude this anomalie at all.

There is of course the famous "prototype" and "banged out Friday afternoon" theory, which was rather rudely put forward on @Mod-Master build thread here. There is also the "crash damage replacement" theory, but I see no evidence of this. Also, the French seem to be heroes for individual part ordering and supply so it may be something cobbled together post war from available stocks.

I'm now at peace with myself over this. I would actually like that it is a Friday afternoon job. In August 1956 French school kids at their school lunch could no longer drink wine. This bike pre-dates that - fact! This Saturday night, I feel there can't be a better way to connect to a bike knowing it may have been the result over many consecutive 3 hr Friday lunches with Pernod and wine drunk by many various people along the way.

The two dots on my 1960 PX10 French - English translation...**DO NOT TOUCH**

 

[vcballbat]

Stonglight 1958 catalogue...

https://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=11497

 

[Woz]

@vcballbat - yeah that fixed cup isn't coming out any day soon. Interesting seeing your before pictures and after pictures; it's remarkable how the dirt, grime, oil and grease have protected the whole BB area. Everything looks in good shape.

Établisssements L. Vérot created the Stronglight brand, and also (amongst others) the Torevess brand which may go someway explaining dimension similarities.

 

[vcballbat]

Bit of a mystery why the logo is different, my No 45 Competition (edit) @Guinessisgoodforyou cranks have more rub and loss of chrome on the drive side like yours. Very satisfying when they become very shiny . You're probably aware that French threaded pedals are available with narrow and wide thread for skinny steel and fat alloy cranks

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I thought the 49A was a steel version of the 49D, coterless. I have a pair. Have I been calling them the wrong name

 

[vcballbat]

I thought the 49A was a steel version of the 49D, coterless. I have a pair. Have I been calling them the wrong name

Ah okay, maybe I got it wrong, I'll have a look at the catalogue

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Ah okay, maybe I got it wrong, I'll have a look at the catalogue

Thanks mate

 

[vcballbat]

Ah okay, maybe I got it wrong, I'll have a look at the catalogue

Must have been having a 'Senior moment' (poured boiling water on me Cornflakes earlier) forgot about the cotter pins

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Must have been having a 'Senior moment' (poured boiling water on me Cornflakes earlier) forgot about the cotter pins

View attachment 731733

We all have those