Mid 1960s Walvale restoration
- Thread starter AlHodkinson
- Start date
Old Ned
Old School Grand Master
Maybe it would be better to complete it with MAFAC levers than buying hoods for Universals?
Can ordinary (from 'Racer') MAFAC brake shoe be threaded? Do you have any spare to compare if they are the same?
I am looking forward to see restoration and new photos.[/quote]
in my humble opinion I think you should keep the original levers as it was the done thing back in the 60's to have your Mafac centre pulls coupled to Universal levers as the full hoods on the Universals offered much better grip and cushioning, I can't recall anyone in our club not using this combination on their lightweights......if you do decide to change anything I would suggest that you offer the Top 63's on eBay (Worldwide) where they could possibly raise £200.00 or more and then purchase a pair of clean Mafac Racers (approx.£25.00) that would be perfectly in keeping with the era and the money you have left over would fund a large portion of your rebuild[/quote]
+1! Universal levers were used with all sorts of other stirrups, I used them with Weinmann 500's as on my avatar. The Top 63's were advertised by Mafac as being the next great advance in braking but I can't remember ever seeing them in use by any of the pro's who seemed to stick with the standard 'Racer' version. Not very easy to set up I think and as for replacement shoes........................ :roll:
Surprised you didn't send the frame to C&G in Liverpool who would most probably have sprayed it in the first place and where Norman Roberts can be contacted. A lot nearer than Bristol - if you are still in Southport that is.
Can ordinary (from 'Racer') MAFAC brake shoe be threaded? Do you have any spare to compare if they are the same?
I am looking forward to see restoration and new photos.[/quote]
in my humble opinion I think you should keep the original levers as it was the done thing back in the 60's to have your Mafac centre pulls coupled to Universal levers as the full hoods on the Universals offered much better grip and cushioning, I can't recall anyone in our club not using this combination on their lightweights......if you do decide to change anything I would suggest that you offer the Top 63's on eBay (Worldwide) where they could possibly raise £200.00 or more and then purchase a pair of clean Mafac Racers (approx.£25.00) that would be perfectly in keeping with the era and the money you have left over would fund a large portion of your rebuild[/quote]
+1! Universal levers were used with all sorts of other stirrups, I used them with Weinmann 500's as on my avatar. The Top 63's were advertised by Mafac as being the next great advance in braking but I can't remember ever seeing them in use by any of the pro's who seemed to stick with the standard 'Racer' version. Not very easy to set up I think and as for replacement shoes........................ :roll:
Surprised you didn't send the frame to C&G in Liverpool who would most probably have sprayed it in the first place and where Norman Roberts can be contacted. A lot nearer than Bristol - if you are still in Southport that is.
AlHodkinson
Dirt Disciple
Thanks for the comments here, lots to think about. I am in Bristol at the moment,I can walk to Argos cycles quite easily from our house so it made sense to take it there. Surprisingly there is another Walvale in there having some work done on it too.
As for the setup I think I will stick with the Top 63s and Universal levers especially if I can get the new rubbers (at a price
). I want to stick with as much of the original equipment as possible, partially for sentimental reasons and also because that is how the bike was when it was first built up and ridden. Surely ebaying the brakes would be regarded as selling the family silver!
Regarding the brake shoe there are a few options - any shoe with a threaded stud should work if the stud is long enough, that is what was used for a long time. I have seen more modern brake shoes in a similar style that could work too. Or as suggested tap a thread onto an unthreaded Mafac shoe.
What are people's thoughts on Simplex rear mechs from this period, this is one part that I need to get off ebay or suchlike. I have heard that they can be quite prone to snapping, not good if I actually want to ride this bike... I was thinking of going for a Record mech instead, plus they look better IMHO?
As for the setup I think I will stick with the Top 63s and Universal levers especially if I can get the new rubbers (at a price
). I want to stick with as much of the original equipment as possible, partially for sentimental reasons and also because that is how the bike was when it was first built up and ridden. Surely ebaying the brakes would be regarded as selling the family silver!Regarding the brake shoe there are a few options - any shoe with a threaded stud should work if the stud is long enough, that is what was used for a long time. I have seen more modern brake shoes in a similar style that could work too. Or as suggested tap a thread onto an unthreaded Mafac shoe.
What are people's thoughts on Simplex rear mechs from this period, this is one part that I need to get off ebay or suchlike. I have heard that they can be quite prone to snapping, not good if I actually want to ride this bike... I was thinking of going for a Record mech instead, plus they look better IMHO?
AlHodkinson
Dirt Disciple
Time for an update - frame is still with the resprayers - due back mid-April. Meanwhile just been cleaning up some of the parts and thinking what other bits I will need to get hold of.
First image is of the Ambrosio Gran Prix stem, it has cleaned up quite well with some Autosol and elbow grease.
Next up are the GB Ventoux bars - they are a bit scratched from the brake levers but this should be covered up with the bar tape. The worst job here was removing the old cloth bar tape, a few layers deep in places.
Third picture is the shifters - front is a Campag bar end, rear is a Simplex which screws onto a Simplex boss on the frame. I've done a bit of polishing on the rear shifter to remove some of the grime. The rear plate & screw are rusted - presumably these would have been chromed but that has gone. I have cleaned off the surface rust but not sure if I should just leave as is, or try to repaint with a chrome finish?
The screw could be replaced but not sure of the spec, presumably it is a French thread? The TPI is much less than a modern downtube boss screw.
First image is of the Ambrosio Gran Prix stem, it has cleaned up quite well with some Autosol and elbow grease.
Next up are the GB Ventoux bars - they are a bit scratched from the brake levers but this should be covered up with the bar tape. The worst job here was removing the old cloth bar tape, a few layers deep in places.
Third picture is the shifters - front is a Campag bar end, rear is a Simplex which screws onto a Simplex boss on the frame. I've done a bit of polishing on the rear shifter to remove some of the grime. The rear plate & screw are rusted - presumably these would have been chromed but that has gone. I have cleaned off the surface rust but not sure if I should just leave as is, or try to repaint with a chrome finish?
The screw could be replaced but not sure of the spec, presumably it is a French thread? The TPI is much less than a modern downtube boss screw.
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AlHodkinson
Dirt Disciple
Have just come back to RB after a while away and after seeing another thread on Walvale cycles, thought I'd post a new photo of mine. I did post a thread showing the completed bike here viewtopic.php?f=23&t=258025 but there was not much interest in it. Since then I have changed a few things - adding a stronglight 49D chainset, lyotard pedals & gum walled tyres.
Of course it is pouring down outside so just had to take the photo inside which doesn't come out too well on my camera phone so may have to take some more when (if) the sun comes out
This bike will probably annoy the purists as whilst I kept as much of the 1960's period kit as possible, I have used some more modern parts on it, e.g. NR rear mech, 700c modern rims, 49D chainset is late 70s. At the end of the day, I think I have done a sympathetic rebuild which isn't far off how it would have been in 1963 and it hasn't broken the bank. And best of all the bike is actually rideable rather than just being a museum piece
I was quite pleased to see via my Strava stats on an 9 minute local climb, I was only 15 seconds quicker on my full carbon uber bike than on the Walvale, which is more than 50 years older.
Of course it is pouring down outside so just had to take the photo inside which doesn't come out too well on my camera phone so may have to take some more when (if) the sun comes out
This bike will probably annoy the purists as whilst I kept as much of the 1960's period kit as possible, I have used some more modern parts on it, e.g. NR rear mech, 700c modern rims, 49D chainset is late 70s. At the end of the day, I think I have done a sympathetic rebuild which isn't far off how it would have been in 1963 and it hasn't broken the bank. And best of all the bike is actually rideable rather than just being a museum piece
I was quite pleased to see via my Strava stats on an 9 minute local climb, I was only 15 seconds quicker on my full carbon uber bike than on the Walvale, which is more than 50 years older.
