1988 TVT Carbone restoration & rebuild with Dura Ace 7400/02

mAdam

Old School Hero
It was both the clichéd desire to always own a TVT back when i was a junior, and always seeing so many fantastic examples on this forum that led me to finally use another 'mid-life crisis' card and go in search of one. I eventually came across a red TVT in my exact size for sale on here by forum member Mircea

The only problems were that it was a complete bike & it was located in Romania. I already had a box full of Dura Ace 7400/02 set aside for the build, so contacted Mircea to see if he would be willing to split? which thankfully he was and after a few (viber) phone calls i was totally at ease about doing the deal. Mircea speaks excellent English and is a true gentleman. The frame arrived within 5 days perfectly encased in polystyrene.

Manufactured in 1988, i was prepared for 28 years of wear & tear on the frame, and although structurally sound it did certainly display a multitude of battle scars. First things first were to remove the non original decals and see how the frame would clean up. My intention was to try and keep the frame original, and despite my best efforts and squinting at certain defects, it became clear i was going to have to think seriously about some new paint. :cry:



This is how the frame arrived. Looks pretty good from this distance, but the MEYNET (not sure who they are) decals had been on there a long time and left a shadow in the lacquer when i removed them........



..................and up close pretty much every tube has a few scrapes that certainly wont buff out!

I've taken the decision to apply some fresh paint. I'm not exactly happy about losing the originality of the frame, but the scrapes & scores detract so much from it, that i feel its a necessary evil. And given that i plan to build it up and use it as much as possible a refurbishment will hopefully help prolong it for many more years of service?
 
Re: 1988 TVT Carbone

good project .

in 5 days i am riding this everyday :
 

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Nice project! :cool:

Maybe try some matching nail varnish on the scrapes. You can often find something pretty close in colour too!


Mike
 
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cchris2lou":32gws5xu said:
good project .

in 5 days i am riding this everyday :

Cheers Chris Another great example. I really like your frame with the more modern integral head tube. Glad to hear its getting used as well. Health to enjoy.


Mike Muz 67":32gws5xu said:
Nice project! :cool:

Maybe try some matching nail varnish on the scrapes. You can often find something pretty close in colour too!


Mike

Thanks Mike, i did have a go at paint/nail varnish touch up, but honestly there are so many tiny nicks & scratches i'd be painting for days. Also again, it would look good at a distance, but up close would be very patchy no matter how good the touch up was.
 
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The frame has been stripped of all its old tatty decals and is looking really tired and a bit sorry for itself. :( It has gone off to Liquid Colour Design for a bit of a freshen up. Iain paints crash helmets for a living and is a true artist. His work is fantastic and his skills with an airbrush & spray gun will hopefully breath new life into the old TVT........................

 
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While we are waiting on the painting process, its as good a time as any to dig out the old china and recommission some bits n' pieces :D

 
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The point of no return :shock: (of course i can always strip it all back to the bare carbon again, but that's slightly more than an evenings work!)

I decided a rouge TVT with Dura Ace wasn't exactly that unique, so i let the House of Kolor paint samples get the better of me :D The brief was to keep the original fade pattern of the frame as much as possible but add a more intense red with a candy flip. The red has had to extend slightly beyond the dark carbon sections of the tubes in certain places to cover some of the big scratches, but i am very happy with the result as the paintwork is perfect and it looks like a new frame. Some new decals, lacquer and the lugs unmasked and polished, it will hopefully still be retain the TVT look just slightly re imagined? :D
 
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