Mercian Pro

[fiveSixteenths]

Well, new year, new project...
Mercian Pro, looking like 1976 but awaiting details from Mercian on the stamps.
Looks sound and while the paint's well ratty the decals aren't bad.
Dilemma No.1 - repaint or not.
Came with a reasonable Tange BB and an interesting Stronglight h/s - looks like a v3 or 4, so earlier than the bike?
Dilemma No. 2 - replace the h/s?
Rear spacing takes a 130mm wheel, but the brake drops... massive isn't the word. Front fork centre of the drilling to the top of the 700c rim is 65mm and the drilling seems to be symmetrical (so doesn't take the Allen key bolt brake fitting.) Also, rear brake bridge spacing is also huge. Got some Modolo's but this seems more like would need looonnnnggggg centre-pulls.
Dilemma No. 3 - Brakes...
Anyway, welcome any help / comments.
cheers

 

[Nob]

Definite respray needed
Campag Record Headset as a replacement
New brakes defo

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

Hmm. Could be right.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

Anyway, in other news, the h/s and b/b came out pi*s easy thanks to tons of grease, so that’s a relief (and thank you previous owner
Both are in quite reasonable nick, so the bb will definitely go right back in, in due course.
Fork and frame weigh-in and quite svelte considering, 2050 and 692g. And there must be at least 40g of paint on the frame...
Fork has matching number stamp plus an additional digit which hopefully will reveal the builder.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I'd leave the paint - are you sure it wasn't built for 27 x 1 1/4" wheels? That would explain the brake drop.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

Now, there’s a thought. Will check.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

Right, news from Mercian. Bit sketchy tbf but there we are.
No builder identified but definitely 1976 Pro
531DB throughout with Campag dropouts.
Came with mudguard eyes on (not standard) but no bottle bosses (er, what?)
Top tube 21-3/8"
And, “possible 27" clearances“
So, anyone got a wheelset for sells?

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

Parts bin-dive, with recent acquisitions, to see what's what and what's needed to get this moving.
Those hubs don't match, but the rear is an 8-speed freehub, so that's useful. Thinking about building up some wheels (grey-anodized Mavics?) around this might be neat. Maybe.
Won't be able to use the Campag h/s as the steer's too short (grr...) and would like something nicer than the Weinmann's to go with the fancy Modolo levers.
Decided not to repaint and preserve what's here, but before protecting, should I treat the rust or just t-cut and then (matt) lacquer?
And definitely will be rocking mudguards.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

In the meantime, been trying to clean things up a bit. Turns out the d/t decals are completely intact under blobs of miss-coloured overpaint, most of which is now off.
So now it’s almost just two colours, the original yellow and rust. Used Hammerite gel to tackle the rust but it’s pretty shit, but kind to the remaining paint. Anyone used anything else?

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Re:

With some (lovely) wheels on, brake drop is 60mm centre of the bolt home to the rim top. Weinmann 730 is too long...