Unusual downtube gear lever boss or incorrectly installed?

fizzy.bleach

Retro Newbie
Hi all,

my first topic on here (although I have bought from the classifieds before now). I was sent here by some guys on LFGSS.

I have a "Peugeot" lo-pro frame which I understand isn't actually a Peugeot. Here it is part-built with the non-original fork.

https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/3 ... b57e8d.jpg

Not sure who built it and when, but it's reasonably light, fillet brazed, 27.2mm seatpost and British threading on the BB.

It has one DT gear lever boss (on the right), which looks like this:

https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 297f17.jpg

So the flats go perpendicular to the DT rather than parallel like every other one I've ever seen. As a result, my Shimano Dura Ace 7402 levers won't fit properly without an ugly bodge.

Does anyone know if this is an unusual boss type for a specific lever, or has it just been installed strangely? Looking at the raw bosses online, they're curved to match the curvature of the downtube, so I don't really see how you could install it wrong...

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
That's my other option after my initial bodge, but if they intended it for that type of lever, why not install a proper stop (and why install a weird/funny oriented boss?)
 
Installed sticking straight up for easy access?
Might ago have been built round a smaller cluster, 5 speed maybe, as you don't tend to need the number of sprockets you would on a road bike, so less lever throw needed.

I know a guy I used to race with in the 7 speed days, was only using 3 or 4 sprockets and then spacers to get a few nice gears and a good chain line.
Basically duplicating what he'd been doing with his freewheel wheels.
 
That's as good a theory as I've heard. Apparently the frame had a later mod of a front mech braze-on (despite the lack of shifter boss for it) so the mech could act as a chain keeper, so someone's spent time getting the frame heavily personalised. I'm actually trying to track down the original owner (or one of them).
 
It should work with a standard Campag DT lever wouldn't it? Only the friction washer and the thicker chromed outer washer had the hole with the 'flats' and the orientation of these wouldn't affect the lever at all as it has a round hole.
 
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