British Merlin (95?) rebuild - help!!

[gerryattrick]

After several months faffing around I’m just getting around to renovating this frame and building up a new bike, and I have a few questions before the next stage. I’ve just stripped the paint off (I still have the fiddly bits to do). I want to fit it with my1998 Pace RC36 pro class fork. The questions are
1. I’m stuck between powder-coating it white or possibly black (about £40) – boring I know but the only other colour I half fancy is red - or polishing and clear lacquering it. Is the frame worth the extra expense to powder-coat it?
2. Which option would look better?
3. I believe it’s an old UK Merlin aluminium frame around 1995 – any ideas of the model so I can source the best decals
4. There’s a little bit of marking on the frame from the chain – will this get hidden by powder coating.
5. I want to fit V brakes – is it a difficult job to get rid of the rear canti guide without damaging the frame.
Any ideas that will get me to shift my a**e, and move on this rebuild ? I don’t have a real plan, just making it up as I go along. Not fussed about period accuracy.

Thanks
:idea: :?

 

[gerryattrick]

Not sure how to add more than 4 pics to one post so here are some more

 

[Rampage]

My dad has a Merlin of a similar age, it looks like it. It will be a M.A.L.T. model.
I think most of them were chrome plated with a few being red and some possibly blue.
They got really good reviews BITD.
Do you know if it's a standard tubing one or a butted one?
If your desperate for stickers I could possibly ask my dad to take some pictures of his?

 

[gerryattrick]

Hi,
Don't know if it's butted as it has been repainted at some time and lost all frame info. Is there a way of telling if it's butted - without sawing through it at various points ?
Pics would be good to get some ideas.

Thanks

 

[Rampage]

I've rewritten my first post.
I don't know how to tell if it's butted or not. Possibly by tapping your fingernail against it at various points on the main tubes?

My dad will send me some pictures when he gets back from holiday. Remind me in a couple of weeks, as I'll probably forget!

 

[RAFbikes]

Hello bud, I've got that frame but I didn't know what it was, I think powder coating it black is the way to go with those forks.

Staf.

 

[Rampage]

 

[gerryattrick]

Thanks Rampage. The yellow decals look good on the plain frame. I assume the bike is original finish from your earlier reply.

 

[Dead Rats]

usually if you tap your fingernail down the tubes you can tell it's butted if the noise gets higher pitched in the middle due to thinning of tubes (it'll sound lower and less musically at the ends of the tubes)

 

[Rampage]

Yes, that one is origional finish.