PDM Concorde Team Issue

[jackosbournesnr]

Tuesday lunchtime was a fraught time... Overnight, I'd been watching​ a PDM Concorde that nobody was bidding on.

The description was relatively vague and the photos fairly minimal... just a full frame shot of each side, and close-ups of the BB, fork crown and brake bridge. Enough for me though...

A last minute bid went and I won what I believe is a genuine team issue Concorde from the earlier half of the PDM team era.

Its got several key indicators of it being a team bike:

SLX tubing
Reinforced fork
External cable routing
Cinelli spoiler bottom bracket shell with slots cut in it
No model/type decal on the top tube

Deep clean and a quick "test" polish tomorrow to gauge how much work the paintwork needs

 

[bartsince1975]

Re:

Very nice score, don't think I've seen the brand name on back of the seat tube on the regular frames. Paint looks like it will polish nicely, they have a very high quality paint. Will follow this with interest.

Bart

 

[jackosbournesnr]

I'm delighted to have got this.

Couldn't resist giving it a quick spray and wipe... its filthy!

The paint is obviously oxidised, so a lot of dirt has become ingrained. I think all it will need though is a wash, a careful T-Cut (metallic) and a good bath and buff with silicon polish.

The chrome is great with only tiny spots of surface rust. Diet coke and tinfoil are ready and waiting.

At this moment I have no idea what I'm going to equip this with but I think it deserves the best of either current or vintage.

 

[cloonaghpat]

Re:

Great score, looks like it was well taken care of.

Regards,

Pat

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Signing in to watch the build and generally take the pi$$.

SLX could indicate that this was a 'classics' bike, this is what I read when I was researching my Lemond TSX.

Looking forward to this one.

 

[jackosbournesnr]

I'm looking forward to this one too!

I'm going to take my time with it though... however strong the tempatation to chuck major cash at a full Record Gruppo may be.

Then again, I might strip the shiny Centaur group off my "First Love" Bianchi (the one thats been hanging up in a shed for 2 years completely unloved) and just get this baby on the road. Given I still need to road test the other Concorde though, that would, obviously, be a silly idea...

SLX could indicate a classics bike, but I'm happy with it being a team issue bike regardles of whether or not it has done a Grand Tour.

 

[MartinB123]

Agree- strip Bianchi and focus on this.

 

[jackosbournesnr]

Have done the deep clean and T-Cut and left some Rustin's Rust Remover to do what it does and remove some rust.

There are a few scrapes and chips in the white paintwork that would probably disappear with some careful touching up. The anthracite also has a few chips, but matching it might be challenge.

Full set of Columbus decals required, but overall condition is good.

 

[jackosbournesnr]

Paint around the bottom bracket isn't so great... Not now that I've chipped it trying to get the drive side fixed cup out.

There was a liittle bit of rust hiding underneath so just the merest touch from a slipping spanner was enough to make some big chips.

I guess I'm going to be mixing paint after all.

I couldn't get the cup out, so its a trip to the local shop next weekend. The bearings need serviced so theres no chance of just sticking a chainset on and going for a blast. :cry:

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Such is a nature of the beast.

Whenever I think a build is going to be simple and straightforward, it isn't.

Still, if a job's worth doing........