Raleigh Gran Sport 1983 - Bringing it back from the dead

[allenh]

Re: Re:

Please, do not respray. :shock: Keep it how it is. Bikes of that age had a life behind them, which has to be respected. I like the patina. It is only one time original, you know. Andthat's now. I mostly do not respray, just polish and than spray with two layers of transparant paint :facepalm:

I'll offer the opposite argument and say no get it painted it just looks scruffy now and deserves better.

I get the point of keeping the patina if its a unique race winning machine or has some sentimental reasoning but its not, its a mass market machine (albeit a very nice one) that's been neglected and any originality was lost when you replaced the forks.

It looked all nice and shiny when it left the factory and whoever bought it new would have been rightly proud of it so as far as I'm concerned it deserves to look all nice and shiny again.

 

[Theoldfm]

Re: Re:

Please, do not respray. :shock: Keep it how it is. Bikes of that age had a life behind them, which has to be respected. I like the patina. It is only one time original, you know. Andthat's now. I mostly do not respray, just polish and than spray with two layers of transparant paint :facepalm:

I'll offer the opposite argument and say no get it painted it just looks scruffy now and deserves better.

I get the point of keeping the patina if its a unique race winning machine or has some sentimental reasoning but its not, its a mass market machine (albeit a very nice one) that's been neglected and any originality was lost when you replaced the forks.

It looked all nice and shiny when it left the factory and whoever bought it new would have been rightly proud of it so as far as I'm concerned it deserves to look all nice and shiny again.

By way of a brief update, I will be having the original forks rechromed now as the new ones just aren’t right...

There may be a bit of a delay though due to lockdown.

 

[ibbz]

Re: Re:

Please, do not respray. :shock: Keep it how it is. Bikes of that age had a life behind them, which has to be respected. I like the patina. It is only one time original, you know. Andthat's now. I mostly do not respray, just polish and than spray with two layers of transparant paint :facepalm:

I'll offer the opposite argument and say no get it painted it just looks scruffy now and deserves better.

I get the point of keeping the patina if its a unique race winning machine or has some sentimental reasoning but its not, its a mass market machine (albeit a very nice one) that's been neglected and any originality was lost when you replaced the forks.

It looked all nice and shiny when it left the factory and whoever bought it new would have been rightly proud of it so as far as I'm concerned it deserves to look all nice and shiny again.

By way of a brief update, I will be having the original forks rechromed now as the new ones just aren’t right...

There may be a bit of a delay though due to lockdown.

Good to hear this - curious to know whether you’re going to re spray or retouch?

 

[allenh]

Re: Re:

By way of a brief update, I will be having the original forks rechromed now as the new ones just aren’t right...

There may be a bit of a delay though due to lockdown.

Ooh that means proper commitment considering you were going to part it out and nice to see another one being saved whichever way you go with it.

Not sure where you are in the country but you could try the plater in Hull that Peachy used recently.

 

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

By way of a brief update, I will be having the original forks rechromed now as the new ones just aren’t right...

There may be a bit of a delay though due to lockdown.

Ooh that means proper commitment considering you were going to part it out and nice to see another one being saved whichever way you go with it.

Not sure where you are in the country but you could try the plater in Hull that Peachy used recently.

https://www.qualitychrome.co.uk/

 

[Theoldfm]

Re: Re:

By way of a brief update, I will be having the original forks rechromed now as the new ones just aren’t right...

There may be a bit of a delay though due to lockdown.

Ooh that means proper commitment considering you were going to part it out and nice to see another one being saved whichever way you go with it.

Not sure where you are in the country but you could try the plater in Hull that Peachy used recently.

https://www.qualitychrome.co.uk/

Thanks - I have sent them a message.

I have got a quote from a place at Basford in Nottingham but they want £100 plus VAT which is a bit steep...

 

[The History Man]

Re:

Just had a brainwave and looked at the location tag on the pic re paint matching. Stroudwater business park Stonehouse.........

Google:

J P Supplies

Unit 11 Springfield Business Centre, Brunel Way, Stroudwater Business Park, Stonehouse, GL10 3SX
Tel
01453 791158

 

[Theoldfm]

Re:

Awesome- thanks!

 

[Theoldfm]

I have bought some lovely wheels, campagnolo hubs, stainless spokes and polished Mavic ma2 rims for this build.

The stickers on the rims were polished through so I have sourced some replacements. The only question I have, is should the Mavic be read from the drive side or from the non drive side?

What is the accepted etiquette - assuming there is one?

I have seen both adopted - even from the same wheel builder!

 

[torqueless]

Re:

The only question I have, is should the Mavic be read from the drive side or from the non drive side?

What is the accepted etiquette- assuming there is one?

I'd guess that most people have a default orientation to a bicycle. They invariably mount and dismount it from the one side or the other, and if they stand there holding it upright they invariably have the bars in the one hand and the saddle in the other. they don't feel quite comfortable the other way around because it implies having to mount the bike from the 'wrong' side. Likewise when you push the bike, walking beside it, you have a default side to push from, which is the side you expect to mount it from. So the question is: Which is your side? My default is to have the bike on my right, bars in left hand, saddle in right hand, and if I'm about to scoot off, my left foot invariably goes in the pedal before my right foot. So for that reason I feel that the transfers should be legible from the non drive side, mainly because I'm not in the habit of posing for photographs standing behind a bike. Ymmv.

Actually I'm quite interested in this. Might have to do a survey to see what the majority orientation is? I might be a bit f*cked up because I'm right handed and left footed..