1952 Rudge status:
I had planned to have it at least assembled for the Auburn show later this week, but I have some problems with spokes. I'm using the original 32h Raleigh Industries steel front hub with OLN about 88 mm - it rebuilt beautifully! Issue is the spoke holes are not all a match for the threaded section of my Sapim spokes - I NEVER imagined I would need to check this! Also I think I need to build with the original steel AW hub before trying one of my Alloy hubs (have AW and FM). I fed them each a little oil the other day and they loosened up a little, but I may need to open them up - we'll see! I need to make sure they are usable before going through the work of building up and maybe buying another set of spokes. Hope to have it for test rides and beauty pics in mid-September!
Fork and headset are installed, super-smooth with the old axial-contact headset! Saddle will be either a B17N Imp, an Ideale 92 from 1984, or a B15 Swallow. No mudguards to start - I'll see how she looks and have her help me decide on those colors. TA 5 vis chainset with a Pista 49t ring feels fantastic, but I may need to go up a few teeth on the rear cog, especially if I use the AW (Old Guy Gearing as someone else said!). I'm a big-time gear freak on anything with derailleurs, but this is the first time I've understood how adjusting gearing works on a three-speed!
Lightweighting: Modele 58 rims versus Dunlop Special Lightweight (about 200 gm), Kalloy Alloy seat pillar (100 gm), Pasela Protek tires rather than Specialized Road Sport (200 gm). Brakes will be GB Hiduminium calipers as original, possibly Mafac levers, TA chainset (200 gm). Bars will be GB rando style, unless I can find a more suitable MAES-style with a shorter reach. It's basically a real good fit for me.
Can't wait!