++ On the clean up, you did a nice job! I definitely agree with the suggestions to ditch the "safety levers". IMHO they cheapen any bike and offer little in the line of safety. Personally, the kickstand would go too, but there seems to be a market for them and I could be wrong but the "touring crowd" may be the ones that like them. The good thing is that removing the kickstand isn't a destructive process so it could be put back on if desired.
I have a bike that appears to be quite similar RE: vintage and hardware. It's a Chimo made in Hong Kong. It wasn't my Dad's bike. I got it at a storage unit sale for $10. So, no provenance whatsoever. It might not clean up as nice as yours has. Others have suggested replacing those totally huge stem shifters with either newer (smaller) ones or even bar end shifters. I won't be doing either but perhaps you should. I'm not totally knowledgeable as to what needs to be done to make it a "touring bike" but lower gearing will figure into the mix. Racks are a given but they are pretty easy "add-ons". I look forward to seeing what you do with your "heirloom"!
Last edited by sovende; 09-26-20 at 05:21 AM.
Reason: Wrong country of manufacture!