Raleigh Panasonic 531c Replica

I bought this second-hand in 1989. It was basically a collection of somebody's leftover parts, some of them not great. However, at the time, money was very tight and it seemed a reasonable alternative to a new equivalent which I could not have afforded back then.

There was a mish-mash of parts on it - Dura-Ace brakes, Simplex rear mech, Shimano 105 front, Shimano 600 headset, Ernesto Colnago chainset (of which more later), Sugino BB, Campag hubs with Wolber Aspin rims, a Campag seat post and a white Selle Italia Turbo saddle.

The forks were not original and I replaced them with a chrome fork rather than trying to match the paint colour. The Dura-Ace lever and hoods were quite ropey as I recall so I replaced them with a pair of (then) more modern aero levers.

The Colnago chainset broke the right crank some time after I bought it and I replaced it with a Gipiemme item, being the only one I could find with a PCD that accepted teh Colnago chainrings.

I never did use it that much and it spent its time hanging in the garage and in the garden shed. However, in 2011 when work-induced travel pitched me up in the UK, I started riding it again and even turned out for the Great Yarmouth 10-mile TT (my first one in more than 30 years) in August 2011. I'm sure it was the only bike there with tubs and down-tube shifters...!

However, since then it has been carted about in the back of the camper and seems to have deteriorated more than somewhat.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

These pictures were taken today (April 5th, 2014) and I need to figure out what to do next with it. The frame number indicates a build date of August 1984.

Should I re-paint it or should I try to recover the paintwork as far as it can be done in the circumstances? Any tips welcome.

Also, before I do anything with it, I really ought to try to find an original fork, miracle though that might be.





















Great Yarmouth 10-mile TT August 26th, 2011

The Reynolds decal on the down tube would suggest it's a 1985 (given that it shows 1935 - 1985)

What is the serial number? (I have found that although the date on the frame suggests one year, the bike sometimes was assembled later...)

Personally, I'd go for a full restoration on the frame and forks, but that's just me!

Re:

Thanks Mr W!

I'd never noticed the dates on the sticker! The frame number begins with WL4 so you can see why I thought 1984...

My first thought was simply to recover it to mechanical servicability and use it on the L'Eroica in October seeing as I've managed to get an entry for it.

However, the paintwork is not in great shape once you see it up close and the little rust patches are well established. I am very tempted to just strip it and start again, especially as it is possible to get replacements for the various decals and stickers.

I would, however, like to source a fork that is at least 531 which could be used as a substitute for the missing original and painted up in the proper colour.

From the 1984 Brochure:

http://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalo ... l84_03.jpg

http://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalo ... l84_05.jpg


From the 1985 Brochure:





I can't find the full scans at the moment from the 1985 brochure

Your frame number does mean it's an Lightweight (W, old Worksop stamp) built in August 1984. Like I've already said, it looks like it 'hung' about until 1985, when the Reynolds decal was added, and it was built up.

The above spec's show what forks you need, although I think it mate take you a while to track some down. (note that the drop outs changed from 84 to 85...)

It has Campagnolo rear ends, I notice, rhather than Gipiemme...any significance?

Definitely a 1984 bike then, although the frame number confirms this already

The 2nd link I posted above will detail the original spec, and also what forks you are looking for

Thanks again, Mr W...

I'll have to find a fork that at least looks the same or very close to the same.

To be fair, the chrome ones you have look close...

Take it that they aren't 531?

eBay is your 'friend' here, although a quick look just now didn't show anything much up

Yeah, I had a look myself but I've got time on my side in this case. I'm not in a rush to get it done but now that I've had a look again at it today, including some cleaning and rubbing down in a few selected places, there is no alternative now but to strip it back to metal and start with a paint-job.

The chrome ones do indeed look close and may well offer a "substitute" opportunity something more suitable might be found but they're not 531.

So I guess the next big question is where to have the frame and forks refinished...?

Will you send it back to the UK?

Edit: decals are easy, http://www.hlloydcycles.com/pdflistlatest.pdf

Plus, they do the Reynolds ones, both of them: http://www.hlloydcycles.com/531%20history.pdf