Update on the Thunderbolt. Couple of as-founds, Derek Bailey serial numbers and a JB Weld pinhole fix. Happy to have gotten a little more done sooner than expected. I've got a one month old in the living room so have moved my stand upstairs to hangout with my kid and wife while getting to put this bike back together.
This bike came to me in need of a lot of TLC but luckily it wasn't totally pooched. Seized post, seized stem, a bit of corrosion in the drive side chain stay, seat tube and down tube but overall, not a total loss. I guess having those pinholes brazed would have been ideal but JB Weld is pretty damn tough and a bit cheaper, considering the overall patina that already exists. I tapped aggressively hard all over the frame and found five small holes. Otherwise, nice and strong. I love how resilient steel is, even after years of exposure to weather. I tapped in those holes, blasted the entire inside of the frame with rust converter, filled the spots with JB, filed them down and touched up and kept everything original.
Lots of great parts to work with and adding a couple to accommodate the loss of the seat post and to replace the women’s touring saddle. Pretty stoked to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel! I'll be able to take it for a rip around my back yard by midweek if all goes well!
This bike came to me in need of a lot of TLC but luckily it wasn't totally pooched. Seized post, seized stem, a bit of corrosion in the drive side chain stay, seat tube and down tube but overall, not a total loss. I guess having those pinholes brazed would have been ideal but JB Weld is pretty damn tough and a bit cheaper, considering the overall patina that already exists. I tapped aggressively hard all over the frame and found five small holes. Otherwise, nice and strong. I love how resilient steel is, even after years of exposure to weather. I tapped in those holes, blasted the entire inside of the frame with rust converter, filled the spots with JB, filed them down and touched up and kept everything original.
Lots of great parts to work with and adding a couple to accommodate the loss of the seat post and to replace the women’s touring saddle. Pretty stoked to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel! I'll be able to take it for a rip around my back yard by midweek if all goes well!
