News from a less refined frameset - the Super Grand Prix. I took @
rustystrings61's advice and cobbled up my own version of his Improvised HTS-1:
That's a 1" stainless steel propeller shaft shoved in a foot-deep, cut fence post (or where a fence gate rotated; I'm not entirely sure). Either way, it is quite an immovable piece of kit, and I was extremely successful yanking the frame back into a more "original" state of alignment.
I bloody can't stand that the upper head lug quite clearly was welded together with a downwards slant, regardless of the actual damage though. I straightedged the top tube and downtube, and though the ripples remain, it looks surprisingly
right.
Unfortunately, my angle finder keeps indicating that the headtube is at 75 degrees and the seat tube is around 73-74. This bike is supposed to be paralel at 73-73, made all the more obvious as its upper lug is clearly marked as such (just like the lower is marked 60 degrees). For those wondering, I attribute the seat tube variance to the accuracy that I set the top tube at with the angle finder, and the angle finder won't fit on the headtube correctly because of the headbadge (it won't fit between the lugs on the back either). I'm considering building up a little C-shaped platform that'll fit over the headbadge, but it's probably not really worth it.
Let's not forget that this thing is STILL one of the heaviest lugged bits of plumbing (short of a Sports) I've seen from a Raleigh of this era. It deserves an IGH, chainguard, and upright bars at best. I really don't like the color, and I've disliked the phallic bird beak lugs of the Grand Prix since the first time I've put eyes on one, and someone has drilled the downtube for a waterbottle (They just drilled the tube! Good thing they chose a cheap frame with thick, crap tubing) - cockeyed, of course:
I really don't know what to do with this Pearl Green turd. Tempted to put it in Pay it Forward, but I need to make sure that I'll be able to move the bits onto another frame to flip. I've OfferUp'ed the rest of the junk to recoup some of the investment in the Pro, and so far, zero bites. Letting the SGP go wouldn't help matters.
I also found the front axle of the SGP's wheelset to be horribly bent. Must have been from whatever dented the front end.
It's been a
long time since I've wound up with something this bad on such an expensive deal...
-Kurt