Chicago Al 

I've never done more than modest touchup on frame scratches, but this Stumpjumper Sport frame is a bit rougher than I've had, esp on the chainstay. (The inside is very clean however.)

I've got a place in mind for PC that has a good rep for doing frames; cost is $100 for a basic RAL color, which is all I'd want. Probably I'll go with an orange that's close to the original, might even get repop decals.

But just for kicks I thought I'd kick it out here: would you PC or touch up and ride?

(If anyone gets the movie reference in the thread title I'll be impressed.)

wrk101

Not that era Sport (1987 +/-). If it had a biplaner fork (earlier model), yes. Assuming this is a keeper.

Instead, I'd apply the $100 to my vintage MTB budget and get a pretty nice one (at least in my area).


In the end, its just $100, and if you like it, go ahead.

Rage

I have a fondness for early specialized mtb frames and have received/rescued several. Got them down to bare metal, sanded and polished and prepped ‘em for repaint only to find another in better shape. Happened like three times lol. So, now I have a bunch of bare frames ready for repaint AND a couple with the paint in good condition.
So, yeah, that hundred bucks can probably go a long way towards a better condition frame, probably even a complete bike.
But, I’d get that one down to bare metal and ready for me to re-paint...

delbiker1 

I have had two frames powder coated, with one being a single stage "pumpkin orange" , Prismatic Powder Coats, done by a local shop. It came out great. He normally uses sandblasting, but I stripped and sanded the frame/fork before I took it to him. It came out great, $100. I also purchased low cost decals, Lemond, off of Ebay for $15. I did not clear coat over them, ergo, they will probably not stay adhered long term.

cb400bill

I say prep it yourself and have it powder coated. And, keep it orange!

Korina

Go for it! Who cares about the monetary value of the bike? Unless you intend to flip it, you'll likely put more money into it than it will be objectively worth, but it'll look and ride better than any new bike you could buy for that much. Just remember, pics or it didn't happen.

noobinsf 

I had to look up the film reference, but it seems like you might want to drift toward more of a Soviet red.

Chicago Al 

https://www.imdb.com/video/vi6656494...&ref_=tt_ov_vi

It's a strange one, for sure, and though it seems to be forgotten today, it apparently did well at the time. The visual style, with lots of slapstick, jump cuts, changing frame rates, is very much like the Beatles films. In fact director Karel Reisz and 'Hard Days' Night' director Tony Richardson worked together quite a bit.

Somehow I saw it near to its original release, though I would have been just 10-12 years old. It made quite an impression, though a lot of that may have been a young Vanessa Redgrave in her underwear.

billytwosheds 

I just want to point out that there's a beautiful little wave peeling off in the background of your photo, just above the bike. Fun coincidence.

delbiker1 

I timed that exposure to catch that and it actually worked. I am far from being an accomplished photographer. Someone else pointed out a similarity to a male body part in the shadow of the crankset/chainring at 11 0'clock. Not saying that I necessarily agree, or disagree.

due ruote 

Seems worthwhile to me, as long as you have the fork.
If you go ahead with it, post more pics please, and if you don’t mind sharing, the name of the PC shop.

3speedslow

Have you done all the cleaning and polishing you can to the frame? IMO, first step in coming to a decision.

Chicago Al 

No, haven't done that. If I go for PC, they'll media blast it (which I believe means they'll lock it in a room with a bunch of TVs going, which will melt the old paint off).

I've got some arthritis in the CMC joints of my thumbs so I am trying to not do a lot of the tight gripping motions that rubbing with a rag, brush, etc would mean.

I went to look for something in my tool bag last week and found that a bottle of 3M 'Imperial Hand Glaze' which was in there had cracked open. That's a polishing product I learned about when I owned a nice Audi last decade, the last car I cared enough about to polish and wax. IHG is an extremely fine abrasive, much more so than most polishes, with an oil (?) that fills in micro-scratches; it just made the paint glow. I've seen it called a 'moisturizer' for paint. Anyway, I've got half a bottle of it over many of my tools, and cleaning that mess up is my next big 'wrenching' project. :- (

2old

Looks like some brazing which suggests the frame may have been manufactured in Japan, a big plus (to me). I've had old steel frames powder coated for personal use and was satisfied with the outcome.

due ruote 

Would this be too small? Nice bike and in what looks to be excellent condition.
https://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/b...084013085.html

Mad Honk 

Al,
Go ahead and PC it. I have started doing that to all paint damaged frames, and it saves me a bunch of hours and has a good look after the work. Smiles, MH

Hudson308 

Yeah, what he said.
Git 'er done.

wrk101

The only bike I own that I would consider powder coating someday is my 1988 Cimarron. Its not worth the expense financially. But it continues to be my main go to bike, and it had paint as bad as your Stumpjumper when I got it.

I touched it up at the time, its OK from ten feet away and is working. But cosmetically, touching up that much paint damage will never look good at least at my skill level.

Korina

Ooo, yes please. I have a 17" 930 and love it to bits.

Chicago Al 

That looks very cool, and price isn't unreasonable. If I didn't already have the Stumpjumper Sport, as well as a 1986 (I think?) Schwinn Cimarron (thanks to wrk101), I'd probably jump on it. I have limited space, in my garage as well as head, for projects, so I want to get these two 'birds in the hand' fixed up and see how they work out.

Unless a green Cimarron turns up...that would turn my head.

I dropped the Stumpjumper off at the PC shop today. RAL 2011 looks like a very close match to the original paint. I know I could choose any color, but I'll likely stick to the orange, and put velocals repro decals on.

Korina

Chicago Al, I was in Tin Can Mailman (our famous used bookstore) yesterday and spotted a book celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Stumpjumper. I glanced through it; it was pretty cool.