Mick Nash Lands End to John O'Groats 531 Peugeot

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Some of you may recall a couple of wanted ads I put up in the last few months regarding the interesting Peugeot I am restoring. Thought it was high time I uploaded a few pics of the huge bike and its restoration as I wait for the lacquer to dry over it's new decals before if re-fit the headset and get some pics up of the frame looking nice again!

The bike belongs to my friend Toby Nash's father Mick who used it to break the Inter-Services Lands End to John O'Groats record with his buddy back in 1979. It's sat unused for over 25 years in a barn and he thought it would be a great idea if I secretly attempted to restore it for Mick to ride in next year's London to Brighton ride when he will be the ripe young age of 68.

Since the project kicked off, Mick has become involved which is a good thing as I've got to share his witty memories of the ride and discuss in more detail the exact spec he requires to be able to fully enjoy the bike. It was left in pretty hardcore time trial trim with a single 56t chainring driving a 13-20 6 speed block (not the spec he used for the epic ride, this gearing was for a more normal A-road afternoon blast), with mismatched brakes, tubular rims and several other issues. Having spoken to Mick throughout the last couple of months, it's become clear that clincher rims and a double chainset are much more sensible options!

Here are a few 'before' pics, with more here:
http://deadrats.co.uk/2012/03/record-br ... n-day-one/

Big bike:

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Big chainring!

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The Mafac's went on Mick's tandem which he rode in the 1980s with his wife Jenny:

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Solec Cycles... LGF will know!

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Eek...

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Pretty Modolo rear brake... it worked anyway:

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Here be dragons:

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Simplex mechs... "sh*te" according to Mick:

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"Well-used" is such a fitting description for this historic bike!

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As I began documenting the bike and stripping it down, Mick's family sent me thse press cuttings about his achievements with his riding partner Cpl. Spence Parker:

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As you can see, yes they smashed it. Jimmy Saville's record that is... how's about that then?

Here's a bit of pre-ride press from the local rag:

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More details here:
http://deadrats.co.uk/2012/04/record-br ... A6-part-3/
 
The seatpost was stuck but eventually came free with a terrifying howl:

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The bar tape fell away to reveal serious amounts of dried sweat :shock:

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Some of the alloy parts after initial cleaning:

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The hunt was on for several bits & pieces including decals. Gil M kindly helped with a replica of the French 531 frame decal based on these in the photo below (at some point the original forks were replaced by more utilitarian ones, which did the job... so no need for Reynolds fork decals!):

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eBay came through with these for the frame which were the closest I could find to the originals. Expensive and not the best quality though:

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Read more here in my blog:
http://deadrats.co.uk/2012/04/record-br ... A6-part-2/
 
With the wheels we decided on clinchers over tubular rims hence the Mavic Module-E seen below, supplied by markyp on this here forum and as close in appearance to the originals as possible! The original hubs cleaned up very nicely, new stainless spokes were ordered and the wheels have started to take shape. Here they are as supplied by the Nash family after I'd whipped off the tubs, freewheel and mismatched skewers:

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... and being stripped down:

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Hubba-scrubba:

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And finally all the wheel parts sorted out and ready to rebuild. Spokes are Sapim Race DB, apart from the rear driveside which are Leader plain gauge:

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More in my blog:
http://deadrats.co.uk/2012/06/record-br ... A6-part-4/
 
Still lots to do! Got a few more parts ready but I'm on the look out for a few bits in this thread:

http://deadrats.co.uk/2012/07/record-br ... A6-part-5/

the bar end shifters... we still have the rubbers which have cleaned up well, but they look nicer without I think:

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the original headset... bit tatty but still smooth:

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that reluctant seatpost, with it's unusual clamp powdercoated (due to corrosion):

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the original Mafac brake levers with adjusters and NOS lookalike hoods... we're not paying £40 for genuine Mafac I'm afraid:

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decided on using these replacement matching centrepulls (left over from a previous 1978 Peugeot project of mine) which will certainly be an improvement over the mismatched ones it came fitted with:

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original 13-20 freewheel & barely worn chain (must've been replaced post John O'Groats!):

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More in my blog:
http://deadrats.co.uk/2012/07/record-br ... A6-part-6/
 
Just a thought on replacing the chainset... it is proving impossible to find the hen's teeth connecting bolts for the two chainrings hence looking for a complete double replacement unit. I could fashion something new to attach them, but with one of the pedal threads looking a bit weakened (and the lefthand pedal is stuck fast!) we've decided to cut our losses and replace the lot. Needless to say, there will be a fair few left-overs from the project once it's done and it's likely most of these parts (such as the tub rims) will be for sale once it's finished and test ridden. The bike however will never be sold!

As can be seen in the original pics, the bike was chopped and changed a fair bit during it's original racing career so that spirit remains and it's one I approve of... of course we want it to be as pretty as possible but it has to capable of being ridden hard. Ideally not by soft wimps such as myself, but by real men with legs like oaks.

However, don't get me started on the ever-so-slightly slightly mismatched bar & stem clamp sizes, the use of a Campy seatpost clamp as a stem clamp bolt, the original mismatched brakes... :LOL:
 
This is looking very nice indeed. great choice of colour, i also like the way its been cleaned and also that some of the parts show wear and tear, will make a really attractive mount. Keep the pictures coming.
 
Thanks, I will have some pics of the frame & forks with headset fitted soon.

The colour is actually a Daewoo metallic blue, the closest match Spray Quick could find without pushing the budget OTT. It's certainly a touch darker than the original... but then the old paint had been fading for the past 33 years! ;) :LOL:

Now the decals are fitted it's almost as if the colour has gone very slightly paler again :) either way, it certainly has a very '70s look again.

There certainly is a fair bit of wear & tear, but aside from the odd bit of flaked chrome it's all fine & dandy. The original brief was to keep it - within reason - just like the bike Mick was racing all those years ago, so stuff like seatpost zig-zagging doesn't really matter and can always be rectified later (in an unlikely fit of vanity!) as long as the frame is throughly restored.
 
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