Advise for a rebuild needed! 1970/80's Merlin Road Racer

Plan: Turn my dads old Merlin road race bike into my commuter. Dislike seeing it sat doing nothing, I am sure he would approve to some degree .

Questions:
Are there any top tips, mistakes I could make easily?
Are there any companies you would reccomend for reprays? It all seems really expensive?
Are there any companies who make transfers?


Suggested to send it to Bob Jackson to get it repainted and decaled, if you had a choice would you? or keep it plain and simple?

Sorry for all the questions. I love this bike and want to do the best for it to preserve and use it! After all thats what there there for! Will submit photo.

As for not expensive quality resprays I would recommend Ellis Briggs http://www.ellisbriggscycles.co.uk/, decals from http://hlloydcycles.com/ There are some Merlin decals there.
If the frame is not in very bad shape I wouldn't advice to respray but preserve paintwork. It is original only once.
And of course post some photos

I am looking at getting my Mercian repainted and have been looking around for ages. There's no rush, but I like to have a plan.
For the Merlin, I agree with predki, if its not really needed then I would keep original. If it is needed, then there are a few decent painters about and for quality work, the price does vary, though not really by too much. Ellis Briggs work looks really special, have a look on their facebook page to see some great work and if their price is not expensive then brilliant. Bob Jackson do good work too and would have most likely built the Merlin so it would be a home coming of sorts, then their is Mario Vaz, Atlantic Boulevard etc.
Have a search on here for No Quarter paint as James work is very high quality and his paint shop do some great older stuff as well as modern frames and components.
The choice is huge but choose one, then do some googling and find out who has had problems and what to watch for etc.
The ones I have on my shortlist is Mercian, Ellis Briggs and No Quarter.
Best of luck with it

Jamie

Thank you!

I have considered getting a clear laqure over it to preserve what's there but worried about the rust and bubbling although reasonably minimal.

Re:

Will submit more pics soon

Splendid Complete with flint catchers.

Doesn't seem to need a respray from that small pic, just a clean and lots of wax.

Shaun

Flint catchers should be on more bikes!!

Doesn't seem to need a respray from that small pic, just a clean and lots of wax.

Click to expand...

I second that

Nice looking bike

I would just change the saddle for more appropriate looking, tyres for amber wall (like Veloflex Master), redo the bar tape, put hoods on brake levers. My choice would be white cables, white bar tape, honey Brooks Swallow, gum hoods

As for aluminium parts you can make them shine with Autoglym or Mothers Polish. For the frame T-Cut.

Stripped down all parts, patches were quite rusty so sent for a repaint. Polishing has begun!

I commute on older bikes. These are probably my top tips:

-90s brakes work a LOT better than 70s brakes and don't look too different like modern ones will.
-You get used to downtube shifters. Friction and ratchet shifters are fine, but indexed shifters are a game changing improvement.
-Alloy rims brake waaaaay better than steel ones, especially in the wet!
-Brooks saddles need a lot of looking after, and it can get tiresome on a bike you use ever day. Plastic saddles look just as retro for this era and are completely fit and forget.
-Michelin Dynamic Classics for good tan wall commuting tyres.