rustystrings61 

An alternative to the OA bath is to wrap the frame with shop towels soaked in Evapo Rust, then wrap the sopping towels with plastic wrap (I used mover's wrap for the task) and let it sit overnight, then remove it all and gently rinse and wipe dry.



It kills the rust, though admittedly does nothing about the interior of the tubes the way a full soak would. Evapo Rust is at least non-toxic, so much so that it's used to clean cast iron cookware, and can be re-used several times. It does not appear to create problems when used on multi-metallic objects, and my only caveat is that it may react to gold-foiled stuff on mylar decals - but the Frejus isn't French, so you're probably fine there, too.

Or you could go get some ER at Tractor Supply on sale, maybe two gallons for around $17 a gallon on sale, and use assorted objects under a tarp in a kiddie pool or a large box to create a space that conforms to the frame and soak it. Then after rinsing and drying, either 3alarmer's suggested Turtle Wax or my old favorite Meguiar's polish, gently, to clean things up.

obuckler

I have used evaporust many times with great success with one exception. On my 70s Lygie which had a white pearlish paint— it turned the paint green. Just a very thin layer. The only thing I can surmise is that they paint had some type of metallic flake in it that reacted to the evaporust . I had to polish out the frame to get rid of the green cast and re-coated with a white pearl top coat. Much more work than I planned on.

If if you use evaporust—and I still highly recommend it—I would definitely soak it to get full benefit

i soaked mine mine in a wallpaper trough from Home Depot and did one side at a time. Of corse did have to manually do the seat post.

vintagerando

I got some of that Turtle wax/rubbing compound as advised by @3alarmer. Did a quick rub of a small area; wow, what a difference. I am going to try some more areas tomorrow when I have more time.

vintagerando

@BlueDevil63 Your Frejus is impressive. My has the same colors, though yours looks more black rather than the deep chocolate color of mine.

vintagerando

I like this method; more controlled, less messy. Do you have an after photo?

rootboy 

I think yours was black to start with. Deep chocolate was not a color offered, I don't think. The paint has just oxidized.
Very cool old bike, despite the neglect, a worthy project.

rootboy 

Here's another one. With "mud guards". Or fenders as they're generally known here. ;>

rustystrings61 

If you go here, you'll see before and after photos of the fork from a '72 Liberia that had spent a certain amount of time outdoors, not too terribly far from Myrtle Beach in subtropical South Carolina. The difference is most profound on the back of the right fork blade. On a bike with dark paint like your black Frejus, I think this method followed by a gentle but thorough polish would yield dramatic results.

vintagerando

Very nice. That was what I saw when I bought mine; than I got home, the excitement of the purchase cooled. And, I said, oh boy, I got a mess.
Ahh, but are your fenders stamped "Frejus"? I got the real deal.

Bad Lag

WoW!
.
.
.
Just, WOW!
.
.
.
Save the paint and decals!

Do as little as possible. Stabilize the condition to prevent additional corrosion. You can always do more later on.

For example - The rusty cable guide could come off but I say leave it in place for now. Get rid of rust (Evap-O-Rust), add oil to slow re-corrosion. Removing bolt and spreading clamp could crack it.

Polishing compound is an abrasive in paste form. It is quite seductive but dangerous to paint. Be EXTREMELY gentle with that or don't use it. How about a cleaning and waxing, instead.

Bad Lag

UGH! Look at the lock ring on the bottom bracket. Someone used a screwdriver and hammer trying to remove it. Rusted in place, all they did was cut a groove into the ring.

The ring has to be removed for maintenance but get a proper tool kit.

79pmooney

Direction for restoration of Frejus

Counter-clockwise to remove, then clockwise to install. Fixed BB cup, Italian threads (and everything else except left pedal threads. Right hand threads. (Careful with the threads on the BB shell. Italian is the largest diameter BB so there is no re-tapping to a larger standard. (See https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html)

Ben

noglider 

@rootboy, it's nice to see you back. How are you?

vintagerando

@rootboy Is this pic from down the Cape?

cudak888 

I just realized I failed to respond or clarify. Any one of the "Scratch X/Scratch Out" type products would work to polish the paint.

The oxalic acid bath isn't that bad really. It's mostly water, very little oxalic. Then there's the alternate idea of a molasses bath (Google "rust removal molasses") - mostly water and a bit of feed-grade molasses mixed in.

-Kurt

vintagerando

Hi. @rustystrings61
Do you wipe with water or alchol? It seems like a bad ideas to re-introduce water to exposed steel? I have my Frejus wrapped in Evapo Rust now. Planning on taking the wrap off tonight/

rustystrings61 

I actually rinsed with water and wiped dry. With small parts I was literally dunking stuff into a bucket of water, swishing the part around and shaking the water off as I removed it, then wiping off as much water as possible. For the frame and fork I used a hose at low pressure, but I bet a wet sponge or cloth would work as well, followed by drying it off. I guess you could use alcohol and take advantage of its rapid evaporation, though.

rootboy 

Well, that's from my back yard, leaning up against my outdoor shower.
What a concept! Outdoor showers. Never seen that before I moved here.

rootboy 

Hi Tom,
I'm OK, thanks. But rarely check in here anymore.
How are you?

rootboy 

Yes,

Mine are stamped just like that. But yours have a bit more red paint in the "Frejus" than mine did. BTW, watch those little elongated acorn shaped cap nuts on those stays.
I had one rattle loose and fall off on a ride. Of course, impossible to find another. I had to make one and boy, that wasn't exactly easy. Just FYI. I used thread locker on them after that.

noglider 

Life is good, better now than in many years. Steadier work, better pay, more miles on the bike.

I haven't taken an outdoor shower in a while, but they are a pleasure. We had them on Fire Island when I was growing up. A friend of ours has one in the Catskills.

vintagerando

Do you think a 3TTT Record could pass as period correct? There is one for sale in CV Sales.
Also what are Gaslos?

juvela

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3TTT Record did not launch until 1971 so could not have been OEM.

Gaslo is an Italian brand of handlebar raiment.

Company produced handlebar end caps and cloth handlebar wrapping tape.

The correct Gaslo end caps for the cycle were of stamped aluminum sheet and had the Frejus name.

This set is slightly too early for your example but gives an idea as to appearance (and cost ).

https://www.ebay.it/itm/FREJUS-GASLO...vZR:rk:11:pf:0

When not private labelled Gaslos look like this.

https://www.ebay.it/itm/Ciclismo-Vin...3KuY:rk:8:pf:0

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vintagerando

Those Gaslos are nice. I would like to get my hands on a set of those. I would guess they are rare to due high incidents of damage and loss over the years.

jj1091

Hey, wondering how the results turned out on your Frejus, I'm getting ready to do the same on a 1953 Schwinn World, wondering if the graphics on yours survived okay.