Half dead bird! Swallow ptarmigan (re model...page 7 on)

[Tootyred]

Having sorted the 7 speed hub conversion, now i need to be able to change gears!.

Of course m730 is 6 speed.....and ive got some nos shifters just itching to go on. So i now need to convert them too.....

This is pretty easy. Luckily @sparkybhp ..... i think it was him....was having a clear out and provided me with a slightly loose but exceedingly cheap m732 speed lever. You know what's coming don't you boys and girls....

First i took the shifter apart, all that was wrong and making it wobble was an upside down washer....that fixed, i polished the lever and put it back together with some new grease.

This was simply fitted with the m730 top cap, rubber cover (different pattern) and base.....bobs your uncle. 7 speed m730.

The original bits are safely in a box to go back if ever needed.

 

[Tootyred]

So heres the bike stripped of all its old bits.

Cranks been off, stripped, quick buff up and rebuild and is back on.

Heres all the other new bits to go on....but no rear mech. Thats still in need of renovation. So that's next......its a mess, but should come out ok.

All these bits were bought cheap and restored, its definitely worth a go.

 

[7Speed]

Swallow cycles used to be based in Basildon just round the corner from where I grew up (don’t judge). Produced a lot of nice custom bikes owned by some of the more affluent riders in the local clubs. Think MBUK reviewed the first Campag Centaur group set on a Swallow Griffon When it was first released?

 

[Tsundere]

Swallow cycles used to be based in Basildon just round the corner from where I grew up (don’t judge). Produced a lot of nice custom bikes owned by some of the more affluent riders in the local clubs. Think MBUK reviewed the first Campag Centaur group set on a Swallow Griffon When it was first released?

 

[raidan73]

View attachment 732428View attachment 732429

That bike belongs to a forum member

 

[27motorhead]

Thanks for sharing @Tsundere! I knew Campagnolo were bringing out a new groupset to rival XT as Euclid missed the mark and despite its average review by Paul Hinton I still got some Centaur bits... Hinton was also wearing some amazing stripy tights during this test!

There is another thread with this bike as pretty sure someone on here owns it now... Ah! I'm not going mad, @raidan73 has popped up with that exact comment!

 

[raidan73]

1989 Swallow Griffon - MBUK Test Bike... Finished - Page 12

After the Formula I fancied late 80s british steel again so I started reading through old bike mags for inspiration. One make kept coming up in the 1989 buyers guide – Swallow, the brand seemed to vanish in later years which interested me. I had an article on from MBUK in 1989 where they were...

www.retrobike.co.uk

 

[27motorhead]

Cheers @raidan73 !!! double U and double brake boss awesomeness!

 

[Tootyred]

Mine was made in essex....before they moved. The frame even has their old phone number on it. I had a mate who did the decals for me reproduce the little sticker too...

 

[Tootyred]

I think we also had a blue Merlin on the forum at one time too.