tiger1964 

Photo of "Completed" bike added on most recent post.

No reason I had to do it, but I saw the Masi Gran Corsa frame that brian3069 was selling here, and decided I wanted it for my “daily rider”. After a lot of questions — Brian was very patient — I bought it and it has been here a couple of weeks. I hope to swap everything over soon from my 1980 Palo Alto (mix of Campagnolo and Avocet components).

A few changes are needed to get it on the road. The biggest is the frame is set up for a 126mm axle, every bike I’ve ever had has been 120mm. So I needed at least a new rear wheel (and my existing rear rim was developing a crack, so…). I found one on “local” craigslist in a nearby city, looked decent; sent him a message, after three weeks, I gave up and bought another set from eBay, and told the first seller I’ve moved on. He finally responded, with 4 words: “You are f——— pathetic”; wow, glad I did not get into a transaction with him! And that wheel is still listed on Craigslist, sheesh. Anyway, wheels might arrive today, the description was: “Atom low flange quick release sealed hubs with Simplex skewers, Sachs EY 13/28 tooth 6 speed freewheel. 36 spokes laced to Mavic Module-E doublewall eyeleted 700c 622 mm BSD clincher rims drilled for presta valves. Hubs measure 98/126 mm over the lock nuts”. Well, sounds nice even if the hubs are not Campagnolo.

Hoping that most of the stuff swaps over. A few things I have not thought through: (a) seat post diameter, both frames are Columbus, but…??? Should have checked. (b) I see a slight recess on the back of the fork crown and the frame’s rear brake bridge — recessed-nut brakes? Can I adapt? Rather not buy all new stuff at this time, the current Campy brakes work well enough for me.

The wider axles means more cogs, which will be a new experience for me; the wheels come with 13-28 6 speed. Hmm, will the Nuovo Record span all those cogs? Short term, don’t really need the 38T anyway. Might consider a newer Campy RD later, should check online which ones might work, I don’t mind the looks of the black/silver one newer than a NR. Might be contacting PastorBob for 6/7 speed narrower freewheel eventually, maybe 13-24?

I plan two stages. (1) get the bike on the road now, and enjoy it, using as many of the parts swapped over now. (2) an eventual re-paint and aesthetic re-fresh, thinking of doing the handlebar tape, cable housing, et.c, in yellow. In between, the problematic Avocet cranks may go away, I need to join ($) so I can place WTB ads in the For Sale sub-forum.

tiger1964 

BTW, been looking online a bit, plus I measured. The frame needs, flat surface to flat surface, 1/"2 on the rear brake bridge and 1-3/16" on the fork crown to mount brakes, and both of my old brakes have plenty of bolt length; but the opposite-the-caliper hole is a bigger diameter on the Masi. I did a Goggle and found a post on another forum about swaps (apparenently it's usually the other way) and mentioned "get those plastic thingies made for the purpose", I presume a plastic bushing with a small flange. Alternatively, I see some places sell replacement recessed nuts, like Problem Solvers -- I could order a pair, cut to desired length and drill out the threads and make my own (Ti? ) bushings.

merziac

Glad you took that Masi off the table, it was going to really muck up some other already really mucked up foolishness.

seypat

I thought this was going to be another movie bike conversion thread.

The Golden Boy 

Same here.

I'm looking forward to the build!

tiger1964 

It's really pretty, I'm excited about that first ride. Already looking at Masi jerseys on the internet. The wheels from eBay showed up right after I posted, they look great except the spokes are not chromed or SS and will need some polishing.

??? A reference that just went over my head.

The Golden Boy 

Reference to a guy here who "converted" a Free Spirit into a Masi. A "Breaking Away" tribute.

merziac

A Trek was trans formed into a stunning replica and a stellar melee ensued.

SurferRosa

Yes, usually. And even a 7-speed...

Try to keep the chainring difference around 10t if you want to use the NR RD.

tiger1964 

Thanks -- like most things on the internet, it makes sense once it makes sense.

Cool. Right now the chainrings are 42/52, and I think I've gone down into the 42/28 1st gear perhaps twice in two years. Eventually, I see either leaving the chainrings those sizes and go to a 13-24 freewheel, or leave the sprockets alone and narrow the chainring span to, eh, 45/52?

tiger1964 

I got lucky on one thing; I held the bike up to the car and Porsche Guards Red looks really close; so I hit a hobby shop and got a bottle of model car paint in that color. After a little clean-up and cleaning up the scratches and pockmarks, I applied some. Really close! Again, no substitute for a complete re-paint, but OK for now.

Well, a setback. I got the wheels out and the hubs felt like gravel had been substituted for bearings. Two cone wrenches later, saw these were not sealed bearings, bone dry in there, didn't even bother breaking them down to examine the races. Contacted the seller, he's doing the right thing and taking them back, apparently an accidental mis-description on eBay. $$ to ship back, how does BikeFlights work?

Well, Friday I'm driving perhaps 75 miles round trip to see a guy with a set of wheels on Craigslist, both hubs and rims are Campy, sealed bearings this time, in the same price range. Seller is even checking to see if he has a freewheel broader than the 13-19 (yikes!) 6 speed that's on it now.

fietsbob

Masi of Italy, had shifted frame making to California for the US market, nice steel, lugged frames..
in the 80's

Probably one of those...

more recently you see the logo on welded aluminum and steel framed bikes

from the large Pac Rim OEM contract factories ... names being a commodity.. to resell .

so the latter 2 , (and likely your red one), will be not Italian standard threaded BB,etc.
But (near universal ) British..









...

tiger1964 

Been thinking about this - any reason I cannot simply buy some of the "nuts" for recessed-nut brakes and bore out the centers to admit the brake shafts (apparently plenty long enough) to use as a "centering bushing"? Any pitfalls here?

Got them home, beautiful even if the rims (apparently never used after the wheels were built up) are what I'd call semi-aero, a bit modern for my tastes but it is a late-80's frame after all. The rims have one sticker that says "Campagnolo", and another that says "Moskva 80"

The wheels came with tires, Continental Ultra 2000 in 23mm, they've clearly never touched pavement. Looking on-line, over 10 year old type IIRC, should I simply discard?

Kuromori

They sell adapter bushings. The disadvantage of drilling out nuts yourself is that if they're stainless they're hard to drill and you need a cobalt bit or similar. If they're plated, you're still drilling through chrome, and it's raw steel under the plating. Coming up with a way to hold the nut for drilling can also be a challenge, and while I've done it, I wouldn't consider the things I tried satisfactory methods.

tiger1964 

Great . Who is "they"?

tiger1964 

Apparently... no, they don't. Didn't hear back and I spent a lot of time making various online searches and tried Velo Orange, Problem Solvers, etc. So eventually I gave up and went back to my original plan, using some Sram recessed nuts from Amazon.



There's truth in there. Playing around with the micrometer, 15/64" would have perfect... perhaps a bit snug. Wearied of looking for that size drill bit locally, should have ordered online. Using a simple vise and handheld drill (a drill press would have been sweet), a 7/32" starter bit basically removed the threads. Then I bored out to 1/4" which leaves a whisker of play (1/64", obviously). By taking small diameter steps, the bits followed the axis of the recessed nut's hole well. Yeah, not easy to hold the nuts in a vise and, even going slow and using a lubricant on the bit, the nuts did not yield any metal easily (not cobalt, but DeWalt "Titanium" bits which I figure is just a coating). A purpose-built adapter bushing would be ideal I got results that should work well.


I think I have enough small incidental parts and supplies to convert now...

Kuromori

Rivbike used to sell them but I guess they don't anymore.

Wildwood 

I want to see the Palo Alto.
We see more Masi than PA.

(I'll search for the Zeus and Falcon)

tiger1964 

Doh! Forgot about them. Didn't come up in any searches, either, but:

ADAPTER


I stand corrected. Still, I made mine, so I'm good to go.

tiger1964 

I'm horrible at taking photos, in that I just never take them. But I'll try to remember to take a final picture before disassembly.

Wildwood 

Not picky, just as long as it's drive side.

Now the Zeus and Falcon (which are also in my collective) might be a reason for asking more detailed shots.

tiger1964 

OK, here it is, "final" photo -- I didn't even clean it.

Phil_gretz

fify

tiger1964 

Well, the Palo Alto is a bare frame now. As expected, the hardest part was removing the headset (without specialized race removers!) and the bottom bracket.

Did I say that? Checked the topic, don't see it, maybe I did, but an interesting idea. Oh, I did a google search and "FIFY means "Fixed It For You", I just learned something. I do have a Masi jersey coming, yellow, from eBay, hopefully will compliment the yellow cable housing and handlebar tape.

tiger1964 

Spent some time cleaning parts today while I recover from some poison ivy:

(A) I was planning on using some Stronglight 93 Cranks that I have, but, while 170mm all right, French threaded (quelled surprise), to the dreaded Avocet cranks go back on and shopping for Campys moves to the head of the shopping list. Probably need to do a WTB here or hit eBay $$$.

(B) The brake levers look rough, scarred, and February's wreck did not help. A session on the electric buffer might remove the worst marks. I'll swap them left to right. One Rustines hood, perhaps a year old, has the beginning of a split along one seam. I see that inside, there's a setscrew to hold the cross pin in place that the moveable lever pivots on -- and one is missing. Anyone know the thread size of are replacements available?

(C) The stem pictured, branded Domino, I do not like because the upper back rubber covered part has to be removed, loosening the bars, to make a left-right adjustment. Thus I am riding a little off right now. I will use but once on the road with the new frame (longer by 8mm?) I'll determine what length stem I need, and I should check the diameter of the Cinelli bars.