My Winter play things

[stevevw]

Here are some of the bikes I am working on. I am planning on getting them all finished for next summer. But I said the same last year about the Grubb and Claud Butler.

First up is my latest acquisition a Joe Cooke Imperial Petrel Club Sports from around 1938

I have just picked up a NOS TriVelox 3 speed gearset for this and have some 26" constrictor rims lined up (fingers crossed) as for front hub I will be looking for something that is a close match to the TriVelox. Seems strange they did not offer a matching front hub. I will then try and find period correct parts to finish the project. Have had a lead on who may have some transfers for this frame, so will probably get it re enamelled.

Next up is a Maclean Featherweight from 1946 which is going to need more than a wipe over with an oily rag.
The frame and forks are currently away at the platers, the same company that used to do all Hetchins and other north london frame builders plating work when they had premisses just down the road from Hetchins. It is a good bet that thet did the original plating on the Maclean too they are still going strong in Hoddesdon Herts.
I have decided that the Maclean will be fixed gear with a single Resilion cantilever brake and try I will try and follow the spec. I have found in an old catalogue from the period for the other components

18 months ago I built a nice pair of Ralieghs for my son and his girl friend.

He does not ride it as much as he would like for fear of getting it stolen so asked if I could find somthing not so good for an everyday ride. I found a usable Claud Butler that fitted the bill.

And then I got carried away again. Nearly finished, just a bit more polishing to be done. Guess I will be on the look out for another daily ride for him or he may just have to ride the Raleigh a bit more.

Finally for now is my own Freddie Grubb which is a late 1963 Super Routier. Non original paint colour and scheme, but as it had been blasted and painted satin black when I got it I thought I would do something I wanted as this is my bike.
I have first generation Weinmann centre pulls for this along with the matching levers with the big brass adjusters sticking out of the hoods. Campagnolo Record hubs and Mavic sprint rims. Gears are Campagnolo Gran Sport with the pill box front changer. Bars and stem are GB, seat post Campagnolo and of course a Brooks B17 in honey with matching tape.

Loads more to follow when I have the time and money to find all the parts I will need to complete them. Although I have also nearly finished a Dyna Tech 705 with new 10 speed Campagnolo Veloce groupset I have not felt the urge to take any pictures of it so you will have to wait for that.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

There is some excellent work there! Those frames are in good hands. The before pictures are going to make the end result even more impressive!

 

[hamster]

I love the Grubb- especially the Almond Green / Old English White so reminiscent of a Mini Cooper S...

 

[jCymbal]

Lovely work and lovely bikes.

 

[stevevw]

I love the Grubb- especially the Almond Green / Old English White so reminiscent of a Mini Cooper S...

Thanks. The green is slightly darker than the pictures but strangely the white is about right?

 

[stevevw]

Lovely work and lovely bikes.

Thanks.

It is strange how my ideas on restoring old bikes have changed over the last few years. At first I would just repaint and replace new for old parts with no regard for authenticity or period correctness, I then started to use more of the old parts cleaned and polished but still painted the frames how ever I felt. Now I am only repainting when frames are too rusty to be saved and the repaint has to be as original as possible with the correct transfers lining etc. I am also using as many of the old parts and fixings as I can. The Imperial Petrel and the Maclean are becoming an obsession in finding the exact parts from the year of manufacture, which is proving to be expensive and time consuming. But hey I do not smoke and hardly ever drink so what the heck.

I am looking for idea's on a chainset for the Grubb was thinking Campagnolo Gran Sport but I think that may be too new. What do you guys think?

 

[Old Ned]

Chainset could have been a Campag Record or possibly a Stronglight/TA combo which was more common amongst those of us who couldn't afford a Campag one!

Looks very nice, one of the Holdsworth built ones?

 

[Goldie]

Keep the pictures coming - god only knows how many hours' work went into that lot. I love the Grubb in particular... but even more than that, I love the red anodised Weinmanns - I guess they were your work Steve? Genius...

 

[stevevw]

Chainset could have been a Campag Record or possibly a Stronglight/TA combo which was more common amongst those of us who couldn't afford a Campag one!

Looks very nice, one of the Holdsworth built ones?

Yes Holdsworth built so is the Claud Butler.

I had thought about a Stronglight but even they go for a few quid these days. Will probably go that route as I have just pinched the Campagnolo Bottom Bracket for the Dyna Tech. :roll:

 

[stevevw]

Keep the pictures coming - god only knows how many hours' work went into that lot. I love the Grubb in particular... but even more than that, I love the red anodised Weinmanns - I guess they were your work Steve? Genius...

Many more pictures to follow. A lot of hours so far just have to wait for the paint to harden off then blend the clear over the transfers, wet sand and buff up. I can then put them both together.

Weinmanns are original NOS that I picked up for the bargain price of £18 posted. I have heard of some in Blue but never seen any.