It's ages since I've done a build thread, so here goes.
The back story:
A neighbor who knows I'm into tinkering with bikes asked me if I was interested in two old bikes found in a barn attic he's clearing out. When I asked "just how old", I get the smart arse answer "when a Frenchman was winning the Tour de France".
Now I've been here long enough not to get any hopes up of finding a pristine Hinault TVT frame with a full Campag gruppo hung on it and thought it best to edge my bets safely on a pathetic Motobecane copy from the Anquetil era to avoid any disappointment. These types of bikes are 10 to the penny around here and I have very little interest in them.
So, as for the barn owner, originally from Paris he is now almost 90 years old; the only way into the barn attic is by an outside ladder and according to him he hasn't been up there since moving to Burgundy 40 years ago. Once up the attic, and with a flash light, I can make out a little pile of "bikes" in a state I've never witnessed before. In a bad way.
There and then I convinced myself there would be no way I would be drawn in and they are going to the tip without guilt. However....in daylight and after three consecutive days of WD40 soaking and squirting what should be moving parts I think it's "game on" after today's effort. :facepalm:
The back story:
A neighbor who knows I'm into tinkering with bikes asked me if I was interested in two old bikes found in a barn attic he's clearing out. When I asked "just how old", I get the smart arse answer "when a Frenchman was winning the Tour de France".
Now I've been here long enough not to get any hopes up of finding a pristine Hinault TVT frame with a full Campag gruppo hung on it and thought it best to edge my bets safely on a pathetic Motobecane copy from the Anquetil era to avoid any disappointment. These types of bikes are 10 to the penny around here and I have very little interest in them.
So, as for the barn owner, originally from Paris he is now almost 90 years old; the only way into the barn attic is by an outside ladder and according to him he hasn't been up there since moving to Burgundy 40 years ago. Once up the attic, and with a flash light, I can make out a little pile of "bikes" in a state I've never witnessed before. In a bad way.
There and then I convinced myself there would be no way I would be drawn in and they are going to the tip without guilt. However....in daylight and after three consecutive days of WD40 soaking and squirting what should be moving parts I think it's "game on" after today's effort. :facepalm:
