Orange P7 1995

ishay · Mar 23, 2020

After posting my last build at the end of the work (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=408488) I thought I'd start my next one at the beginning, so sorry, it'll be going a while.

It's also not going to be as much of a perfect rebuild for a few reasons, one of which is I feel guilty taking up delivery driver's time with bike parts right now; another is that unless I can improve the nickel frame more than I suspect I can, it's not going to be a perfect bike anyway.

At some point I will be buying parts again, but it'll probably the build I want rather the build the catalogue says because I did that last time.

Here are the sad eBay pictures before I bought it for £80. Frame dent is the biggest issue if I want to stay nickel...

ishay · Mar 23, 2020

jimo746 · Mar 23, 2020

Re:

The frame needs some work, but I can see this turning out very nice indeed.

2manyoranges · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Orange P7 (1995, I think... TBC)

hmmm....I managed to wrench an identical P7 away from a neighbour which was FAR worse than this - they didn't know what it was and had left it out in the garden all winter. I also accepted that it would never be concours (as if...!). I looked at it. I tutted. I then decided to Go For It. This meant GT85 and Spontex stainless swarf balls. I repeat my one was far worse, and had the same spalling on the lacquer. I just gently rubbed with GT85 and Spontex at all the rust spots. They all came out. No Nickel peeling (well done Orange). It looked great. The rusting around the BB was horrific. But came up beautifully. I had to put O2 alloy forks on mine since it had completely rogered Judy's on - a corroded mess of a set of forks. Yeeurk. Your forks are rather special - very sought after.

But back to mine.

I then thought that the moment it got wet it would look awful instantaneously. Nope. That bike has been through 8 winters without anything other than a wipe down. I think that doing it with GT85 got silicon based cleaner into every crack crevice and rust track. I did run it with mudguards whilst it was in the winter - but a couple of generation 1 crud guards front and rear is entirely in keeping.

There's only one problem with the one I have - my partner has nicked it as her run around. Bugger. It's a lovely thing.

rwm1962 · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Orange P7 (1995, I think... TBC)

Bit of graft & that's a winner, even with the dent.

ishay · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Orange P7 (1995, I think... TBC)

2manyoranges":1zu77615 said:
hmmm....I managed to wrench an identical P7 away from a neighbour which was FAR worse than this - they didn't know what it was and had left it out in the garden all winter. I also accepted that it would never be concours (as if...!). I looked at it. I tutted. I then decided to Go For It. This meant GT85 and Spontex stainless swarf balls. I repeat my one was far worse, and had the same spalling on the lacquer. I just gently rubbed with GT85 and Spontex at all the rust spots. They all came out. No Nickel peeling (well done Orange). It looked great. The rusting around the BB was horrific. But came up beautifully. I had to put O2 alloy forks on mine since it had completely rogered Judy's on - a corroded mess of a set of forks. Yeeurk. Your forks are rather special - very sought after.

But back to mine.

I then thought that the moment it got wet it would look awful instantaneously. Nope. That bike has been through 8 winters without anything other than a wipe down. I think that doing it with GT85 got silicon based cleaner into every crack crevice and rust track. I did run it with mudguards whilst it was in the winter - but a couple of generation 1 crud guards front and rear is entirely in keeping.

There's only one problem with the one I have - my partner has nicked it as her run around. Bugger. It's a lovely thing.

That’s amazing advice, thank you!

The forks are a quandary because they are special but I’m also in ‘need’ of one bike type at the moment, a front sus hardtail. Judys or Answer 2

mynchiboy · Mar 23, 2020

Re:

Very cool project there, everything mostly looks serviceable by the looks of things which is also a bonus

Aside from the usual possibly stuck stuff, do check the Mavic 230's for wear though. They are cool but built light, so are prone to blowing sidewalls if too worn (as I discovered...)

As for the forks, I would try and make use of the F7's if you can. They are a great fork and are of course designed for the frame. Most 80mm sus forks should also work well though.

A powder coat can also do wonders...here's how mine was looking mid build (now finished)

prezza · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Orange P7 (1995, I think... TBC)

Check my recent resto of the same model of bike here with same laquer issues:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=406573

Now proudly owned by user : rwm1962

ishay · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Orange P7 (1995, I think... TBC)

prezza":fcl2kgtj said:
Check my recent resto of the same model of bike here with same laquer issues:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=406573

Now proudly owned by user : rwm1962

Great pictures, and I'm now excited about what I might be able to do with this!

ishay · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Re:

mynchiboy":3nk3hf3i said:
Very cool project there, everything mostly looks serviceable by the looks of things which is also a bonus

Aside from the usual possibly stuck stuff, do check the Mavic 230's for wear though. They are cool but built light, so are prone to blowing sidewalls if too worn (as I discovered...)

As for the forks, I would try and make use of the F7's if you can. They are a great fork and are of course designed for the frame. Most 80mm sus forks should also work well though.

A powder coat can also do wonders...here's how mine was looking mid build (now finished)

Painting would certainly not be a disaster but the bling of some of these examples is definitely making me prioritise that if I can

Orange P7 1995

ishay

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jimo746

2manyoranges

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rwm1962

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mynchiboy

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prezza

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