alexihnen 

Who has an opinion on whether this is something that could be effectively repaired?

TenGrainBread 

It is repairable and a relatively common repair at that.

I would NOT try to bend the dropout back. The steel has already been deformed and stressed beyond a safe point. Rather, the smart choice would be to replace the driveside dropout entirely. Old stock Campy dropouts are easily attainable still. This would involve de-brazing the dropout from the stays, cleaning up the stay slots, re-brazing the new dropout into the stays with a dummy axle or fixture, clean up, align the dropouts, and touch up, repaint, or rechrome to your liking.

alexihnen 

Do you have experience with a repair like this? Guestimate on cost?

noobinsf 

I recently looked into this for a different Paramount frame that I ended up missing on eBay. In this case, local frame builder Bernie Mikkelsen confirmed he had the correct replacement dropout in his bin, and the repair would have been straightforward. Paint/chrome was another story, but I never got that far since I lost out on the frame.

alexihnen 

Yeah. I could likely get this one quite cheap, but then it's a project.

cqlink 

Email Richard Schwinn/ Waterford for a quote. His shop can repair but as you likely know, you'll need to ship it. Also likely it won't be inexpensive BUT, their work is top shelf.

mpetry912 

Tengrain, I would not dismiss the possibility of bending the dropout back without inspecting it myself, I'd be looking for deep cracks in the material thru the chrome. If I saw none, I might try to bend it back using a mandrel or axle clamped into the dropout and maybe a little heat.

yes, it's badly bent. but if you only paid 150 bucks for the frame might be worth at least trying to put it right.

If not, you could probably find somebody to braze in a new DO for 200 bucks.

Just depends on how much / how far you want to get into the project

Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA

pastorbobnlnh 

Plus it would be an excellent time to refinish the entire frame. From the limited reveal--- the patina is deep and extensive on this frame.

What in the world would cause this failure?

repechage

I have bent a dropout back nearly as bad, but not that abrupt a bend.
Long story, a guy's BRAND new Pogliaghi, the rider was horsing around with another whom was thought to be capable, but was not, the other rider placed his front wheel into the rear derailleur.
Bent bike, other rider flipped and hit hard, KO, and the bleeding to go along with, this was in the hairnet helmet era, and who trained with a helmet?

Ok, to the repair- remove the dropout adjuster, in this case a bit of a challenge as it is bend at both ends. You want to get to straight threads and wind it out. Dremel is you friend.
fill that bore with another bolt.
create a 10+ mm plate to prevent the axle slot from collapsing, I would probably drill and tap a 3mm hole in the end to use the adjuster to hold that in place.
I made one 45 years ago- long gone.
I bent the dropout back, using the derailleur tab filled with a stray mounting bolt.
In this case- I would be tempted to have an acetylene torch at hand, #0 tip and heat the region up to a very dull red, bend it back then have a trough of oil and oil quench it.
It will fizzle, but the mass is small, fire needs oxygen to get going, and if you are worried, have another with a fire extinguisher at hand.

You can read about oil quenching of steel... the heat will anneal it, the oil quenching will hardened it and not to the point of being brittle.

Worst case, replace the dropout. I think you can avoid that. Will the chome discolor? yes.

I did this task without heat a second time, that time on a another Brand New bike, a Confente.

noobinsf 

Zooming in, it looks like that dropout is also split at the adjuster screw. I wouldn’t get my hopes up about simply bending it back into place...

alexihnen 

You're right - it's definitely split. It's possible the bike has 1st gen campy f/r derailleurs. Trying to get better photos...

Bianchigirll 

You might want to check with Franklin Frames. They are maybe 2-2.5 hours from you

Homepage

SurferRosa

It's Uri Geller's old bike.

easyupbug 

I paid $85 a couple years ago with a local frame builder, he also cold set to 130 in his frame table. The brazing and prep does a job on the chrome within an inch or so of the drop out. I live with the damage with just waxing the stay and drop out to keep it from rusting. I always do a mini risk assessment on repairs of this nature and to me the risk of trying to ride with it bent back may be low but the consequence of a failure in that area could be very high.

Dylansbob 

This thread is perfect for me. I've a really nice mystery frame with a cracked chrome Campy dropout too. I had always wondered if the chroming would complicate the repair.

mpetry912 

sure. if it gets heated, it will first turn blue and then maybe black, or flake off.

If I had the dropout repaired, I think I would just paint both sides if I could match the original color.

Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA

xiaoman1 

^^^^ Yes

crank_addict

That's a nasty one. Nothing more to lose at this point so might as well experiment before replacing and $$$.

The big issue and it appears cracked at the screw adjuster. If not, I would get it glowing and bend it back in place. Likely the hardness would be changed but you could be clever with quenching and live with it. Chrome is toast and as others mentioned, just paint it.

bark_eater 

Here's as far as I got on a similar repair. Dropouts didnt have screws and where probably softer steel to start with. I heated multible times to dull red in an attempt to reduce stress and work hardening. I would not quench something like a drop out. That seems like it would increase stress and brittleness.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ic-images.html

crank_addict

^The dropout hardness changed during the chrome process. Some builders in deep thought 'sez no chromie' is best.

Anyways, not the same situation as OPs but regarding fractured Campy-

These days can now be welded with a secret sauce rod. Brazing is NOT recommend and waste of time, won't last nor have the strength.