Unknown Old Frame

[Buzzsaw]

Recently bought this bike from ebay and haven't got a clue what it may be. So if anyone can help it'll be much appreciated. It appears to be fillet brazed (no lugs), has a oiler screw nut for the bb, fluted double crown forks and wishbone style lower stays. The parts appear to be a mish mash including Italian brand Universal brakes, 2 speed freewheel, drilled Campagnolo levers, Olmo brand lock nuts, FB marked R. Giannini hubs, ITM stem and 3TTT bars. I thought if the frame is worthless the parts alone were worth the cheap auction price in the end. I'm thinking stripping back the cheap sprayover paint job and seeing what's under.

 

[biggs682]

looks different , keep us up to date with what you find

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re:

Spent the afternoon with a can of paint stripper and a wire brush and tackled the frame. Not much underneath the paint to work out what it may be. No brassy weld joins and bit rough finish to the workmanship so don't think this is an "exclusive" brand or model. Going to do a respray and rebuild with most of the parts it came with so will keep it 2 speed freewheel bike that requires you to dismount and undo the wing nuts to change gears! A old school twin cage handlebar mounted water bottles and a Brooks saddle should suit it. If I do a bit of overtime I may even think about redoing the hubs with wooden rims but that might cost five times what the bike cost me!

 

[mrcpea]

Nice one
I assume you used nitromors as a stripper?
The paint Dawes frame I'm removing the paint from at the minute is very hard. SO I'm using some 60 grade sandpaper and a circular wire brush on my electric drill.
I have some of the new "green" nitromors, but don't rate it at all.

Have you tried removing the Bottom Bracket cup yet?

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re:

I used a local brand paint stripper called Maxi. I guess it has similar ingredients and luckily for me the paint job on the frame was only a thin layered spray can job done by the previous owner and the paint came off real easy. I tried removing the BB fixed cup using two different bb tools made for that fitting plus a big crescent with a big hammer and it won't budge. Don't think it's been off since it was new judging how bad the grease in the bb was. Probably leave it on and mask it off when repainting as I may bash the beejesus out of the bottom bracket.

 

[mrcpea]

If you've got access to a good bench vise, put the flats of the BB cup in the vise and tighten it up. Make sure the flats are squarely in the jaws of the vise (always good to have some help here). Then turn the frame anti clockwise and the cup should come loose. Before this, spray in some release agent like plus gas or WD40, or a thin oil like 3 in 1, or whatever your equivalent is over in Australia.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re:

Thanks Mrcpea I'll give it a go tomorrow but need to head to a mate's place who has a good workshop setup.

 

[mrcpea]

Actually,
I was thinking about this earlier today. As the BB cup unscrews the same way as you peddle, you'll have to turn the frame clockwise in the vise.

 

[OldTel]

Re:

Hi, no answers but check the BB thread to see if its British, looking at the rear stays my money's on it being a french bike, the french seemed to like bolting the end of the mudguard on to the stay bridge hence the hole. Good Luck. Terry

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re:

Mission accomplished!! - putting the bb cup between the vice and turning the frame clockwise did the trick. Thanks for the advice Mcrpea. The sellers on Ebay that I bought the bike from said it was Italian but I have sneaking suspicions that it may be otherwise so Terry you may be right it might be French. I tried looking on the net for a similar frame style and virtually all old period Italian frame are lugged.