Hetchins 1958 Magnum Bonum

[wiggle]

Last month I was lucky enough to acquire this rather tired but nevertheless very lovely curly Hetchins 1958 Magnum Bonum (frame no. H27018 - confirmed original). It had been bound for the scrapheap before my intervention.

I'm thrilled to join the Hetchins club alongside my dad, who has a fully restored Hetchins Experto Crede.

I've been thinking about getting it restored, but I am an exceptionally poor student so I may have to suspend that idea for a few years yet. In the meantime, I at least want to get it up and running. So in order to complete it, my question is this: what rear mech, front mech and shifters would be I need to buy to retain its originality?

 

[mydadscondor]

Wow! Stunning! What a lucky find/save and to think it was destined for the skip! Lovely Titan and Maes Kint stem and bar combo too.

 

[sisyphus]

Very special bike - keep it safe and dry until you're ready to restore it.

 

[Old Ned]

Nice frame, good find. Are the rear dropouts Campagnolo? If so then virtually the only Campag rear mech to suit the age of the frame would probably be an original Gran Sport. However, the ring size difference on the chainset would probably mean that a GS front changer wouldn't work so not sure what correct period front mech would fit.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

That is a wonderful bike. What a find.

 

[Spokesmann]

Love it!

 

[stringfellow1946]

Nice find well done, But the large Chainring to totally buggered so I would personally change both the outer & the inner at the same time Maybe 52/42 or 50/40 ? Good luck with the restoration this Frame deserves a lot of time & care taken with it.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Nice find well done, But the large Chainring to totally buggered so I would personally change both the outer & the inner at the same time Maybe 52/42 or 50/40 ? Good luck with the restoration this Frame deserves a lot of time & care taken with it.

Would some Velo Orange 50.4mm BCD rings fit? Then he could do a nice reasonable 48/36 on the front end which would make it very rideable for a mere mortal.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... g-46t.html

 

[stringfellow1946]

Nice find well done, But the large Chainring to totally buggered so I would personally change both the outer & the inner at the same time Maybe 52/42 or 50/40 ? Good luck with the restoration this Frame deserves a lot of time & care taken with it.

Would some Velo Orange 50.4mm BCD rings fit? Then he could do a nice reasonable 48/36 on the front end which would make it very rideable for a mere mortal.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... g-46t.html

I've no idea but anyone who puts modern Velo Orange shite on a bike like that need to be locked up & the keys thrown away.
Looking at the state of the frame as it is now it will need very very careful & sympathetic restoration by someone who has a lot of knowledge & experience with that type of frame.
Even being an ex pro bike mechanic for years & years myself, I personally would not attempt it. It would only take some ham fisted person with a sand blaster & the thing would be shot full of holes in the blink of an eye.

 

[Excel]

....always liked the "Coronation" transfers they suit the lugwork perfectly!

Griff