Resprayed 70s Gitane

[Southwestslacker1]

Here's another one I painted up. I picked this up as an anonymous blue frame a while ago, tried the forums for help but it seemed to be a mystery.

I was planning to respray it and hang a Shimano groupset that I had recently updated.
Not knowing what it was and seemingly unlikely to find out I silver brazed some useful extras to it, cable guides on top tube and chainstay, bottle bosses and shifter bosses and a race number boss.

I also drilled and tapped the BB shell for a cable guide and added a bit of steel to the mech hanger on the right dropout to change the stop position from old Huret to Campagnolo/everything else.

I'll probably get some stick for doing that but the frame is far more user friendly now and well and truly rescued.
Under the blue paint was some orange paint a traces of old chrome, after a lot of googling on and off and a bit of luck I was pretty convinced it was an early 70s Gitane. Possibly a TDF. The fork rake and the lugwork round the seatstay bridge convinced me.
I went for a tasteful orange respray as it was before with off white detailing on the fork and stay ends. Not original but chroming is soooo expensive!

Sprayed with automotive paint and clear coat, and added some reproduction decals before lacquering over the top.
It's French threaded on the BB but the BB on there is smooth and probably Campagnolo tapered. I'm not sure of the threading on the steerer as the headset came with it but it has new balls and grease.

Let me know what you think and it'll be up for sale soon.

https://flickr.com/photos/157053716@N06 ... 8142743397

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

I agree with you, you have made what could have been a bit of an oddity into a usable frame. Love the colour

 

[NeilM]

Re:

That's really nice work.

 

[Nob]

Nice choice of color orange gold decals.. no sure about the white which should really be chrome.. but it will standout from the crowd

 

[Little Al]

Not sure I remember the TDF model having MG eyes could be brain fade (stand corrected ) Like the Orange not sure on the White but as said you'll see it coming in the dark

 

[Southwestslacker1]

Re:

Thanks for the feedback, I didn't realise the white would be so controversial! As I said the price of chroming was prohibitive for a side project.
I had a look at the 'easy chrome' (miracle spray) product but that kit was pretty steep too but seriously impressive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9-wFTU ... ture=share

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

Alchemy, burn the witch :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Jumphigher]

Looks great to me too, should make a really nice/quick ride once built up.

 

[Southwestslacker1]

Had this up for sale but no biters, think I'm going to go for full sacrilege and build it up with an 8 speed 90s Shimano groupset and try again. I guess that should lower my popularity!

 

[allenh]

Very pretty, although I'm not convinced on the white either it's not my frame so who cares, I can't decide if it's not right or just that I expect to see chrome there, either way it's a beautiful job and you've made an old discarded frame usable and useful again so yes build it up and use it, you'll certainly be standing out from the crowd with it..

And yes chroming seems to be eye wateringly expensive now, the last time I had anything chromed must be 30 years ago now but I got a quote to have a frame and forks chromed and was quoted £500 recently, I don't remember it being anything like that expensive.