fender1

My suggestions:

1. Remove crankset and pour ammonia in the seat tube through the bottom bracket. Let it sit (outside preferably) for a couple of days or until it runs out the other end.

2. Do the same for the stem.

3. Make a paste of the Bar keepers friend and apply it to the affected areas and let it sit for a day or so. You can try repeated application and hope it works.


4. Contact RHM here on the forums for a saddle recovering. Perhaps w/ a Frejus logo or stamp?

Good luck!

aixaix 

Great bike.

I have two TdFs from around 1962. Yours is equipped almost exactly as 95055 was when I got it. Frejus stuck with Magistroni cottered cranks through the early 1960s, often branded Frejus. The Balilla sidepulls work OK, but the levers are awful. They require way too much hand strength due to low leverage. Also, the hoods are virtually unavailable. I replaced the brakes with Mafac Racers which are period correct and vastly better.
Like yours, the chrome on 95055 is rough, while the paint is pretty good. A white vinegar bath, rinse and wipe down turned the rust into dark steel without harming the paint at all.
Congratulations!

Rabid Koala

I picked up a similar bike a few years back at a thrift store, mine was a Frejus Tour de France as indicated by the TdF stamping on the bottom bracket. I don't recall if the lugs were chrome or not, it had identical Balilla brakes, a similar crank set and derailleurs. It came with some really strange Campy mid-flange hubs, one of which had a shot race.

phillyrider

Thanks for the comments suggestions...I forgot about the bottom bracket - It is stamped MC 56.

For the seat - I have a few ideale 80 saddles, which I will probably swapout (for now). I would like to keep things as-is and did notice that the brake levers seemed weak. I keep all the side parts in a bag - so I may revisit the seat re-cover option. The bottom bracket spins fine, so I may have lucked out in this department.

I am going to try out deck wash on some small parts (pedals/bolts) before doing anything on the frame. The barkeeper's paste is worth a try - I was not sure about how long to leave it on. Vinegar is also an option. It seems silly, but I can't get the rear brake off. There is a tension rod that is rusted onto the frame. I tried tapping - but along with removing the pump holder (also frozen), it will takes some patience/wd40 to loosen up.

I will post some more pictures as I make progress...

spacemanz

Glad to see it showed up, at least. Good luck with that rust. I haven't cleaned up a LOT of rust, but enough to know it can either clean up better than you think it will, or it's so bad, you curse yourself for buying it, LOL.

aixaix 

The MC56 stamp gives the model and frame size. That, plus the decals and head badge makes the frame a Supercorsa. I believe the SC was the top of their line, with the TdF just underneath it. I have no idea what the differences are, but I suspect it is in geometry rather than frame materials or finish.

phillyrider

Just a quick update on Man versus Rust.

Rust is winning...

I did barkeeper overnight, and then an OA bath in sections today - limited results. Some chrome parts cleaned nicely in a short amount of time with the OA dip - but the frame did not move much. Pantina it is....

I will take a few more photos.
Thanks all for the feedback/replies...

retyred

Kudos to you for taking on the task of saving that Frejus. Patina and rust is acceptable on those vintage bikes from the 1950s. Heck, I go way back to the late 40s and I'm loaded with patina!
A vintage Frejus from that era has been on my Hot List for a few years. More pics! More pics!

phillyrider

Another update...still a work in progress, but bike now has new cables, chain, ideale saddle and brooks bar tape. I took a quick spin and it rides pretty well. Aside from the seat, which I had - I kept everything original/as-is. Here are some updated pics for anyone who is interested:

retyred

Definitely interested! nice progress, thanks for the pics. What kind of wheels are on it? Alloy or steel?

marley mission

i'm diggin

phillyrider

Thanks...the wheels are alloy. Campy hubs. The wheels are from a 70s Gloria that I use as rain bike. They are just placeholders. As I use the bike, I will probably switch over to tubulars. I need for the snow to melt some more, but just used these to ride around the neighborhood.

rootboy 

Pretty cool Phillyrider. I wish you could post those pics separately instead of in a composite, so we could see some details on the bike.
Looking good so far. Though I'd move that saddle back a bit and level those bars.

phillyrider

I have not used photobucket before -> maybe the below link will work ok for better pics.

Thanks again for comments/suggestions.


https://s1299.beta.photobucket.com/us...29778790358788

retyred

Ahhh.. I love vintage bike porn! Much improved on the pics. Based upon the Campy RD without the adjusting barrel your Frejus is a 1962-63. Real nice find.

rootboy 

Yes, thanks for the P-bucket link to the pics Phillyrider. Might be a 62-63 Retyred, I don't know. Could be a bit earlier. Interesting that the frame is labeled as a Super Corsa but with the different parts group than mine. But that was probably up to the customer's specs and wishes. Here's my Super Corsa, which the original owner told he bought in 1963.

phillyrider

Not Mine, but this just came up on ebay. The seller indicates that this is 1952.
I have a similiar color from a mid 1960s frame...really cool stuff...


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ital...item2327a1a993

dbakl

Yeah, that one looks pretty cool...

Jonathon Stacey

Hi, Its a while since Phillyrider placed this post but I have a very similar Frejus in the same colour. It also has many shared components with yours but mine is the Tour de France model, frame number #90231 whereas yours is the higher spec SuperCorsa (grease port nipple on the back of the headtube and cut out seat stay lug). I'm in the UK but mine was originally purchased in early 1960 in New York, it has Columbus tubing (red sticker at bottom of seat tube) and I know they switched to Reynolds in the early 60s. If yours has the same tubing I'd imagine it's a very similar age. I was fortunate to pick mine up in pretty good shape and with all the completely original parts. I'm in the process of cleaning it up but here are some work in progress pictures in case you are interested. https://www.flickr.com/photos/124734...7644740683060/