leecycle

Recently got this Fuji Finest at an annual community sale. I intend to restore it to as close to original as possible, except for the tubular rims. I've have previous experience with restoring/refurbishing a couple of bikes from the 80s (e.g. Japanese Bianchi, Miyata Ninety, Norco Avanti, Cannondale), but this will be my first restoration of a 70s bike. Its in pretty good condition overall except that the front Ukai tubular rim is toast. There is some rust but the chrome good as well as the paint, a couple of the tri-color decals are missing on the seat stays and the rest have tears; anyone know of reasonable replacements? The seat and the Kalloy seat post aren't original (can someone confirm the proper size). I've taken everything off of the frame and luckily nothing was seized (I think that it was stored inside). Any tips or comments from Fuji owners?

purevl

My only comment is "Daaaaaamn!"

You are a lucky man, my Fujis are my favorite bikes.

Sorry that isn't at all helpful or informative.

USAZorro

Seat post is 26.6

afilado

Stop It! Elvis left all the old hi-class Fujis to me.

And all the pretty women, too. LOL.

I love my Opus III and it doesn't even fit me. I rode it about 20 feet before tearing it down to restore.

Yours is impressive.

leecycle

Thanks for the compliments and the seat post size confirmation. One more question: I'd like to replace the plastic clips that hold the brake cable on the top tube with the nice metal ones, can someone point me in the right direction? What are those called anyways (tried to Google "brake cable clip" but that didn't work)?

GMS 

I am going to buy a few of these clips to try.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120187299710

robatsu

Cool. I recently sort of realized how cool these old Fujis are, having been a lot more interested in Treks and italian bikes. So after some hunting, I just bought the 1980 Fuji America shown below - check out the Super Mighty triple crank on it.

I like the Fujis from the mid Seventies to early Eighties. During that period, they seemed to have high grade design and production quality/components, but still some classic European styling & chrome. After that, they were still fine, if not better, bikes, but, imo, lost a little bit of the visual appeal.

One of those mid-Seventies Fuji Finest might be something to set my sights on now - really love the chrome seat/downtube panels (frame is fully chromed under the paint).

oldcrank

Great bikes in the 70's. I loved my Fuji S-10-S. While not their top of the line, I did load it up with DuraAce components (one by one) in hopes of moving up to a higher grade frame. Turns out, I enjoyed it just fine "as is". It was stolen from a bus terminal back in '79. They removed all of the signs off the pole, and lifted the bike, and kryptonite lock, over. Learned a very heart-breaking lesson on that one.

leecycle

The frame is indeed fully chromed under the paint but they only sanded and polished the tubing in areas that were not going to be painted. So if you strip the paint, the chrome under is not as smooth. On mine, the seat lug has lost some paint and has been scratched and gouged due to wrench slippage. I'll probably remove the rust chemically and them fill the gouge with plastic metal and paint with flat black as a primer (it seems that the painted areas were originally primed with black) and paint with a close matching car enamel.

TBART

That's a really good looking Fuji Finest that you found! I bought a 1972 Finest this last Sunday that looks like yours, same color anyway. The bike is way to big for me at 25", but someone had put all campy record on it & I wanted that. I stripped the bike & can't believe now light the frame & fork are for 25", sure wish it would have fit me!

leecycle

I stripped the frame to start the restoration and I have to agree that its very light, my Finest is 21" and the frame alone weights just under 4.5lbs and the fork (with the crown race) is 1.5 lbs.

TBART

Wouldn't you know it just my size at 21"! I have been checking the frame out & those are some very well build bike's. On the steerer tube is the mark for Ishiwata, but I can't make-out just which tubing it is, time to get out the 12x glass I guess.

Lamplight

These look good:

https://www.velo-orange.com/agpacableclips.html

I was going to get a set for a Nishiki I have, but I haven't gotten around to working on it yet.

leecycle

Let me know how you like them after you get them. I might just order a set too since I like that they are stainless steel, might be 2-3 weeks for shipping though.

leecycle

I'm leaning towards the ones that GMS found since they are stainless, but shipping time might be longer than I want to wait unless I can't find some closer by.

reverborama

That's a VERY nice bike! I stumbled onto a Fuji in my size a few years ago and have bought a couple more since then a really enjoy them. They are wonderful bargains.

zonatandem

Owned a new '75 Fuji Finest. The cable retaining clips were chrome, not plastic.
It had a leather-covered saddle and came with Ukai rims and sewups. Also had leather-covered steel toeclips. Very nicely built/finished bike.
Young son was so impressed, he bought a used one a couple years later, but that one headset adjusting issues.
Choices new were 2 colors: blue (translucent) or white. Bike weighed in at 21 lbs.
Just sold a '75 Fuji Professional to a collector.

leecycle

Here is a long overdue update on this Fuji Finest restoration (I've been away from cycling and BF for quite a while, but I'm now starting to get back into it). This Fuji Finest will be a Sunday nice weather rider, but as can be seen, at this point it is still a work in progress.















Components

Crankset: Sugino Mighty Competition (52T & 44T)

Rear Derailleur: SunTour V-Luxe

Front Derailleur: SunTour SL

Freewheel: SunTour Perfect Ultra-6 (replacement)

Stem: Nitto Pearl

Handlebars: Nitto B-105

Pedals: KKT Top Run (replacement)

Seatpost: Sugino SP-H (replacement)

Saddle: Ariake Jaguar II (replacement)

Chain: Sedisport (replacement)

Hubs: Sunshine low-flange hubs (replacement)

Rims: Araya 700C clincher (replacement)

bikemig 

12 years since your first post! That is a beautiful bike.

This is the build thread on my Finest; I've take it on some long rides. It is a great bike.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ld-thread.html

noobinsf 

What a beauty!

leecycle

Ride ready!

greg3rd48 

What a stunning Fuji.