I leave my own thread for a "short while" [cough cough] and there are two thread bumps. Appreciated chaps!
Even for my own sake, here is a summary:
- The project is still there and in the back ground. Every time I go to the man-cave it's the first thing I see,
with a additions of even larger cob webs and dust layers, but it's dry and safe.
- Still the same objective, make it rider and then hang it in the man-cave. The spot is already allocated
above the work-bench with suitable steel pegs in the stone wall ready for that day. I simply can't
bring myself to get rid of it.
- Progress is just a back-ground task really; I'm still keeping to an ethos of trying to acquire the parts
from eco-friendly sources. Which is code for not Ebay.
Status of the bike:
- Frame, forks, headset, bottom-bracket, chainset, pedals, seatpost, bars, stem, saddle all in place.
- Brake calipers and levers ready to be mounted......there is no way I'm using new nuts and bolts
for this, so over winter I have deliberately had a few nuts and bolts outside on the window sill to rust.
Cables is going to be fun, I will painfully need to strip the outer plastic off normal every day cables to
make it look old. Them too I will probably need to leave outside to rust for while to make them authentic.
The next steps:
- The wheels have always been the hic-up: I have a source for some British roadster size wheels locally
that I need to trade for with either beer or house renovation laboring. Oh, I will also need to re-lace
the rims to the original hubs which are all re-greased and ready to go. Then, I can get tyres etc. The
Breixt chedder cheese curtain that has descended over Europe will not help I fear.
- I'm not entirely happy concerning the drive train; everytime I go to the tip or charity shop there is
only new fangled modern bikes equipped with derailleurs. Sometimes two of them even, front and rear.
This is causing a nightmare for a 1/8" chain and a freewheel. I'm toying with the idea of getting
two kiddies SS bikes from the tip to make one chain length and lord strike me down I may actually be forced
to buy a freewheel with the obsolete French thread if I don't get along with the fixed gear.
- Finishing kit like wooden handle bar grips and butterfly wing nuts etc. will probably add another year to the
build to properly finish it off. I foresee some short cuts on the way....
The future is bright, Spring is in the air.