De Vlaeminck Bros Tribute/Replica Ideas

Ello,

I have an old cyclocross frame here and I've been thinking of doing it up a
replica/tribute frame to the De Vlaeminck Bros. It's quite a nice frame - campagnolo dropouts, 27mm seat post, rather nice lug work. I think it's early
1970's - it has clamp on cable guides on the TT and BB shell, rather than braze ons.

I've been thinking about doing one of the following:

1) Flandria with Dura Ace/Crane parts

2) Gios with Nuovo Record

3) Groene Leeuw/Watney's with Nuovo Record

I've already got most of the parts to do the different builds, including some Mafac cantis.
Also wondering whether it's possible to get skin/tan wall cross tyres (not tubulars).

Am sort of leaning towards the Flandria at the moment because many Flandria riders used custom frames anyway, rather than the stock frames of the factory.

No intention of selling on, more just a vanity project (-:

Not in a rush over this, probably won't get started till after Xmas.

Cheers for any input,

Johnny

It's just GOT to be Flandria!

Nothing else compares......................

Old Ned":3uf0cq77 said:

It's just GOT to be Flandria!

Nothing else compares......................

Click to expand...

+1

I just associate DeVlaeminck name and Gios

Thanks for the replies, they are pushing me more towards the Flandria option.
Also because the frame was almost certainly built in Belgium.

Another question: would powder coating be a good idea? Since the colour scheme is just one colour with decals, I assume it would be easy to do, and
a tougher powdercoat finish might be a good idea for a 'cross bike. But would it look naff compared to enamel?

Cheers again.

Johnny

Powdercoat should be fine in a single colour. For my 'Flandria Homage' I did the name and headtube decals on the computer and had a local vinyl printers print them for me on plain white vinyl which I cut to size. The world champs bands were from Roger Spinks.

Johnsqual":311csarz said:

3) Groene Leeuw/Watney's with Nuovo Record

Click to expand...

Presumably all cables on that variant would have to have, erm, red barrel adjusters ("....and then you get cornered by some drunken greengrocer from Luton with an Instamatic and Dr Scholl sandals and last Tuesday's Daily Express....", etc.).

Johnsqual":311csarz said:

I've already got most of the parts to do the different builds, including some Mafac cantis.
Also wondering whether it's possible to get skin/tan wall cross tyres (not tubulars).

Johnny

Click to expand...

Challenge Limus, Fango & Grifo tyres come in a gumwall clincher ("open tubular" is the term they use, but they're not actual tubs) variant. RRP ~£50 each, so not cheap. As it's quite an old frame, however, all 3 may have clearance issues as they're nominally 33mm. Old CX bikes generally used 30mm, tops, and 28mm was nearer the norm.

All 3 of my bikes are powder coated. Done properly and with a decent top coat of lacquer, it can look really good. Economical, too - a single colour for frame plus fork should be in the sub-fifty quid bracket.

If you want to go "old school" on the pedals, at £20 or so a pair, MKS Sylvans in the 2-sided touring format look a good bet.

David

David B":3c7x54c8 said:

Presumably all cables on that variant would have to have, erm, red barrel adjusters ("....and then you get cornered by some drunken greengrocer from Luton with an Instamatic and Dr Scholl sandals and last Tuesday's Daily Express....", etc.).

Click to expand...

Haha :-D

Believe it or not, the Belgian brewers Alken-Maes still make Watney's Red Barrel in a 6% ABV bottled version. However, Alken beer is a bit p1ssy by Belgian standards, so I'm not in any rush to try their Red Barrel.

Found a place that can do a single colour respray for about €75.

Also, the Flandria bikes site has reproduction decals for £30 a set which doesn't seem too bad.

Cheers,

Johnny

Johnsqual":2aura0sk said:

Found a place that can do a single colour respray for about €75.

Also, the Flandria bikes site has reproduction decals for £30 a set which doesn't seem too bad.

Cheers,

Johnny

Click to expand...

One other thing to watch for (which is what I did with 2 of my 3 coated bikes; however, the Raleigh just has a metal head badge and no transfers) - you may have to do the decals yourself after getting the frame back from the coaters, which will entail a very careful rubbing of the relevant bits of any top lacquer (use really fine emery paper) to give the decals a "key", then an equally careful re-varnishing with an aerosol can afterwards.

David

You might need this:

http://www.custojusto.pt/Braga/OutrosVeiculos/bicicleta+antiga-6709451.htm?xtcr=64&