Brian Rourke Restoration

Guitar106Music

Dirt Disciple
I have recently joined the forum, and i was planning on doing a bit of an upgrade on my old Townsend bike.

However these things never go to plan, and having checked out all the amazing bikes on the forum I started looking around for a better bike to spend my money on. I was interested in Harry Hall, Brian Rourke, Dave Yates and so on, and have been keeping an eye out for one on the site and on ebay. I didn't want to spend a fortune, and thought I'd struck lucky with a cheap Brian Rourke that I bought last week.

Anyway, I picked it up on Saturday, and unfortunately it's not in quite as good a condition as I would have hoped for.

It's going to need a fair bit of work doing to it. Not that has ever put me off, I've build a few mountain bikes in the past, and have quite a few tools, so it looks like I have a project on my hands.

Anyway, enough of the waffle, I think it's time for a few pics! This is as the bike is as I got it home.


Doesn't look too bad in this photo.
P1020453.JPG


However there are quite a few problems with it, not least a 4 inch long painted section on the top tube in gloss paint, covering up rust which is also along the rest of the top tube underneath the rear brake cable.

P1020455.JPG

P1020456.JPG


And also one the crank arms is cracked. I'm not sure which campagnolo cranks they are so any input as to the model would be appreciated.

P1020454.JPG


P1020461.JPG


So that's just the start of it, it also has a really loose rear hub, but I can't get the freewheel removed to have a look at it, as it needs a special freewheel removal tool for a dnp epoch freewheel.

So it looks like I'll have my work cut out for me, I'll keep you all updated, and any suggestions or comments/advice are most welcome.
Cheers, Stu
 
Nice Rourke (shame about that paint though)..
I think the cranks are Chorus but i expect someone will pipe up that theyr'e something else :oops:
I'd completely strip the bike down and see what is salvageable and what isn't.
I suppose it depends how much you paid for it as to whether it was a good deal or not but i look forward to see what happens with the build :cool:
 
Paint

I've had a chance to have a quick look at the paint and the rust on the top tube and to be honest it doesn't look too bad to me, I think someone had tried to paint over some rust, what do you think?

P1020480.JPG


I'm hoping to put some rust killer on it (any suggestions) and give it a quick spray over, so I can get to ride it. I may have a proper respray done at some point.

What about the cranks, is it worth replacing the cranks with another set of Chorus, or would it be better to go for Shimano 6400 tricolour, as that is what the rear mech is.

Cheers, Stu
 
Rourke's are always nice quality bikes, so you can't really go wrong. Its just a shame about the paint, getting a match to touch up an area that size could be very difficult. The trick with small chips is to use nail polish, there's so many colours you can nearly always get something close :) I send the wife to look though :LOL:

It will depend on what you've paid, but I'd completely strip it and get Jason at Brain Rourke to do a respray, should be £125

http://www.rourke.biz/renovations_restorations.shtml

It will be well worth the money :)
 
Paint

I know what you're saying it will be difficult to match the colour, and ideally I'd love to get a proper respray done at Rourke's, but just for the short term I want to get it on the road, and give it a shake down to see what else might need looking at.

So far I know I need; brake levers and cables and outers and a new crank arm, or new cranks, bar tape and bar plugs. Oh and not forgetting time and money!

Robbie, I was looking at the Harry Hall you had for sale, lovely bike, should have made you an offer
:oops:
 
Re: Paint

Guitar106Music":1enzvt1y said:
Robbie, I was looking at the Harry Hall you had for sale, lovely bike, should have made you an offer
:oops:

Its always difficult to take honest photographs of a bike, they seem to have a habit of looking better than they really are. The Harry Hall was actually the reverse, it was better than the photo's and got snapped up pretty quickly. Not sure I did the right thing selling :?

Sold it because of my Brian Rourke though :) http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 01&start=0
 
Rourkie

Hi Robbie, your Rourkie looks stunning mate, it was one of the bikes on the website that made me look to try and get one of my own. There was / is a stunning one in the shop in Stoke with Campy C record kit on it, it's a real looker!

The photos of my bike did indeed look better than the bike actually is, I'd go as far as to say they were "misleading" ! :cry:

However I only paid £125 for it so I'm not really complaining.
 
Re: Rourkie

Guitar106Music":192g1iq2 said:
Hi Robbie, your Rourkie looks stunning mate, it was one of the bikes on the website that made me look to try and get one of my own. There was / is a stunning one in the shop in Stoke with Campy C record kit on it, it's a real looker!

The photos of my bike did indeed look better than the bike actually is, I'd go as far as to say they were "misleading" ! :cry:

However I only paid £125 for it so I'm not really complaining.

I think you've done well at that price even if it needs a bit of work. When I get some free time I'm planning a trip to Rourkie's to find out some history on my bike. Apparently they're pretty helpful and can even tell you the spec it was supplied with when new.
 
Rourkies

I had a quick chat with them, but the shop was about to close, and their charity event was on Sunday, the Cat and Fiddle I think it's called. But they took the frame number, and said they'd call with any info they have on the bike, so fingers crossed, nice guys!
 

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