Kevindale

This bike started as an entry in the 2017 Clunker Challenge. It turned out that the wheels were bad, BB shot, FD squashed, seatpost split, saddle shot, the chain cracked, and cable guides rusted. Not to mention someone had creatively used a Sharpie on the decals. So I decided to do a rat rod resto, and gift it to my 16-y/o nephew, who's becoming quite an athlete but has no bicycle or car.

SpecSirrusCL



I removed the decals, sanded, derusted, primed, and then gave it two coats of Dupli-Color matte black engine paint. I didn't do color sanding in between coats, and didn't do a great job of filling the chips with the primer, but it came out looking better than I expected. I know the paint will chip easily, but if the bike looks a little ratty then perhaps it's less likely to get stolen. I didn't put any decals back on - I'll leave that to my nephew to personalize it, or leave it stealth.





After giving up trying to salvage the wheels, I used the nice chrome Ambrosio 19 Extra Super "A" wheels that were take-offs from my Panasonic DX5000, along with the original seatpost from that bike. I had to do a lot of sanding on the seatpost to get it to fit, but it actually looked really good after I got done with it.





I had a good Shimano 105 FD that I'd taken off the Panasonic when I restored that bike's group to 600 Tricolor 7-spd, so that was easy. I couldn't find an appropriate spindle for the BB, so I just bought a Shimano UN-55, which should be better for him anyway. I also used the 6-spd chain from the Panasonic, which was in great shape.





I had some Fizik red bar tape that I bought for my Tommasini but hadn't used, as well as a set of extra red cables. I'd also taken a vintage black Specialized bottle cage off a bike that passed thru my hands, and a nice Specialized saddle with red accents that was just so-so on my bum.





This took me MUCH longer to get back together than I expected. My hats off to those of you who restore and flip bikes regularly. I'm embarrassed by how many hours I spent on this. Not that I didn't enjoy it, and my nephew was beyond thrilled. I only had time for about a 5-mile test ride before I gave it to him. It's a tight ride.

Kevindale

One more.

bradtx

I like it.

Brad

mountaindave 

As you can see in my sig, I have the exact same model in red. I'm usually pro original paint, but sometimes it's just too far gone. The only thing I would suggest to your nephew is to paint the pantographed S's red. They'd really pop and go with the other nice bits of red accents.

Job well done, especially getting a new generation into steel

CO_Hoya 

I love the line “if the bike looks a little ratty then perhaps it's less likely to get stolen” and then the pics show a spectacular bike.

Kevindale

Haha, it did turn out pretty spectacular, esp. with the red cables and tape, and shiny rims. I think after he's had it a few years it will look pretty ratty - teenagers will be teenagers, and I hope he uses the hell out of it. I will admit, as it came together I almost had a tinge of regret giving it up, knowing it would be his first bike, and how quickly it will likely get scuffed up and abused. I sure abused my first road bike when I was a teenager. But this was a bike that was close to going to the trash heap, and if he loves it he can one day strip it and powdercoat it.

Thanks (and thanks @bradtx, too). I was going to do exactly that with some red paint, but decided it might make the bike a slightly better theft target by highlighting that it was a legit nice frame. Of course, my nephew can do that pretty easily if he decides. I actually put some gloss black paint into the panto S's on the fork, to make them pop in a very subtle way. It was a little too subtle, so I didn't bother at the seat cluster.

bnewberry

I also like it!

3speedslow

Black and red, awesome colour combo! He is a lucky young man.

Shame that we have to guide our gifts outcome because of these bike thieves.

+1 to the red accent in the panto's. Love that bartape. Good group the 105, I use it on my red and black Trek 400.

S28546

Great bike for a 650b conversion (skinny 38-584 Col de la Vie fit with adequate clearance, 38-584 PariMotos almost rub the forks, 42-584 jams the fork blades) if your nephew wants a smoother ride. Only other change is some long reach Tektro 559.

mountaindave 

38mm Pari-Motos just fit. I used some Cherry centerpulls I pilfered from an old Centurion.