Murray Missile 

OK, this is going to sound like a waste to pretty much everyone but I have wanted another red '71 Raleigh Grand Prix like I had in HS but have been unable to to find a decent one my size. The more I thought about it though the more I realized I'd be quite happy with a newer bike that looked the part. Probably happier as the GP of that era wasn't really all that "Grand". I have spotted some later Taiwan built Raleigh GP's at more reasonable prices and in my size. As long as I didn't have intentions of selling it do you think it would be wrong to repaint and rebadge a later one to emulate my long lost '71? I'd think it would be obvious to most bicycle people that it wasn't a '71 especially since it would have a newer drivetrain. Probably Suntour Cyclone.

Colnago Mixte

Sounds a bit like the plot of Hitchcock's "Vertigo" where Jimmy Stewart's wife dies, and he later meets another woman who looks just like her, so he dresses her up just like his dead wife. Kinda sick, but I guess I can relate.



Definitely keep that bike away from church bell towers.

texaspandj

If I were in your shoes I'd wait til I found one in your size and the condition you want. Or at very the least find an original your Size and repaint.

Colnago Mixte

Getting a good quality paint job that will pass for original is tough and expensive.

And flawless decal application (if you can even find the originals) is also quite difficult. You almost need to have a professional do it, to have to done right, unless you are blessed with plenty of time, money, a compressor, a spray attachment, a paint booth, a very good eye and a steady hand.

But some rattle can paint and a few Velocals might fool a few people, at least from 10' away.

rickrob 

I agree with texaspandj--


If it's for nostalgic reasons, I'd wait for a Grand Prix or a Raleigh frame to come up in your size and paint it like the bike you had in high school. Build it up with some good parts and ride.


I painted this 72 Super Course the way I wanted it, because it was a good candidate for that.

The original paint had been destroyed and it was repainted a couple of times before I got the frame. I stripped it, and painted it with Duplicolor Perfect Match Acrylic Lacquer and got decals from Velocals. It was clear coated with 2K catalyzed urethane.

All out of a rattle can. If you take your time with the preparation and paint, you can get pretty good results. I probably spent a little over $100 for paint and decals and clear coat.


Mine looks more like a 74 with the white panels on the tubes, because that's the bike I wanted when I was in high school. I wanted a blue one, which was not a factory color. Most of the ones I saw were green.

cb400bill

thumpism 

Look at it this way, if you'd kept that high school bike you'd have probably changed a lot of things on it and maybe even repainted it a different color by now so with that in mind you're now free to get any bike you'd have been trying to make that one into if you'd kept it. Ain't rationalization great?

But to prove we're not all smartasses and that we want you to be happy, see below.

https://images.craigslist.org/00202_...5M_600x450.jpg

Rare Raleigh Grand Prix 10-speed English 70's Slow Roll Detroit - $79 (Midtown Detriot)

Rare Raleigh Grand Prix 10-speed Bicycle English 70's Slow Roll Detroit

Lightweight and rugged Raleigh steel frame with chromed fork ends.
This Raleigh was handmade in England and is an excellent build with great attention
Nice Condition for year Ready to Ride

noobinsf 

squirtdad

understand the nostalgia......but also consider maybe a higher end raleigh of the similar times in the color

and you could be like @gugie and end up with 4 raleighs or more see https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...four-days.html

oddjob2

Within this group, it should take all of 3 hours to find what you seek.

lacro

Last Friday, I picked up a '79 Super Grand Prix, made in England (Worksop) intending to use some parts for a Super Course I am working on, but discovered the bike is in almost never used pristine condition, a few minor scratches on the paint, but no rust or corrosion anywhere. It would be criminal to rob parts from this "garage queen" I currently have it completely disassembled for re-greasing, and total polishing (buffing wheel, then mothers). I am about half done. I took it for a ride before disassembly, and it rides/shifts great, but the frame is 23-1/2" which is a little big for me as I am right on the TT while flat footed. So I may sell it to finance my Super Course build which is also 23-1/2". The Super grand Prix has all alloy parts including the wheels which are 700C, not 27" SR cranks, and post. Everything else is Suntour. The Reynolds 531 SC frame/fork, is 15oz. lighter than the 20-30 Hi-Ten SGP frame/fork. Not sure what size you are seeking or if you must have a Red GP, but if this '79 Blue SGP might be available after my total restoration with all original parts.

xiaoman1 

OP,
I say do what you want and will make you happy. Recreate your dream bike and if you find the "real" one after then buy it.
Life's too short.
Best, Ben

Slightspeed

Go for it. Any reason to build a new bike is worth it. I found this spray painted ugly green Super Course frame, with Capella lugs. I didn't like the pea green paint, or the original copper brown coffee color. I didn't especially like the factory emerald green either, so I went with a Toyota Spruce Mica, a little like British Racing Green, with small gold flakes. Not original, but I like it, and that's all that matters. Cost more than it should have, but most things do these days.

Colnago Mixte

Those are some gorgeous paint jobs. Decals look great as well, but I was shocked at how much difficulty I had trying to get them both straight AND properly-positioned. It was hard as hell, I thought, and I still didn't get mine as straight as I wanted to. Those guys at the factory who apply decals do it every day, day in and day out. You have one chance to get it right.

You guys paint over your decals with clearcoat? That' was another unexpected thing to deal with.

I don't wanna sound too discouraging, but I sure underestimated the sheer man hours that a seemingly simple project like this can suck up. The results are worth it in the end, but in all honesty, I was 100% sick of my bike after spending that much time on it, and I know where all the flaws were, to the extent I almost don't even wanna ride it.

repechage

I bought a "sistership" of my first road bike a while ago.
Same color, same model, better size. The original was too big as I was 12 and due to my height at the time everybody thought I would be 6'+...
Nope. I could even go a centimeter smaller but chances of finding one are very small.
Bike will be reasonably close when done, TA triple front instead of the Pro crank set.
Almost everything else will be as I modified it way back.
My only real decision point will be Campagnolo bar end controls (with modern shift housing) or downtube controls as I exchanged to after about 9 months of ownership.

lacro

Here's one that is probably the vintage/color you are looking for. If your not close, maybe a member could facilitate for you?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...08923115852202

Colnago Mixte

Yeah, why re-invent the wheel? Unless you have lots of time on your hands. Nothing wrong with taking on a project like that, but I have to wonder if your time might be better spent on something more productive, possibly. I don't know, you're asking for people's opinions, right?

Murray Missile 

You are correct, I asked LOL. "Time better spent"? Have you been talking to my wife? No, wrenching on old bikes is my stress reliever, most of the time. It's always time "well spent".

Got some good advice, pretty much everything I expected too. I ride a 25 inch frame so although I appreciate the many offers I have received unfortunately they are all too small. When I find a nice one it's always too small or too far away and they usually ask way more than I'm willing to pay for a Grand Prix of that vintage. I've found as the years go by memories of something aren't always the way it really was. As much as I loved racking up miles on that bike as a teenager I'm pretty sure the experience would not be the same 47 years later. And as cool as I thought it was way back in the day the harsh reality is that it was a pretty low end bike. I rode a similar bike awhile back and it was not what I remembered but probably much closer to the way it was. Not much fun at all.

I have come across newer GP's in the right size and acceptable price during my passive search but always passed them by because they weren't the right year. While reading an old thread about Grand Prixs from the era I've been searching for it hit me that the only thing I really cared about was the "appearance" and that I really didn't want to mess with steel rims, English threaded BB's, cottered cranksets and the cheap plastic Simplex components. I could repaint a later frame the same colors and use repop decals then build it with any drivetrain I wanted and I'd probably be much happier with the outcome. I would probably do a proper paint job, been a few years but there was a time I was pretty fair with a paint gun and my last rattle can job turned out quite nicely if I do say so myself. The guy I sold it to couldn't believe it came out of a can. Another thing is that my GP had the black band on the top tube as well, most I find only have it on the seat and down tubes. Is there some significance to that? It has to have all 3 black bands to match mine.

Now after passing up all those later GP's I probably won't see another one my size for 5 years.

Colnago Mixte

I'm not married and don't have kids, so I don't have anywhere near the incentive to take on really time consuming projects, for the primary purpose of getting some private time. All of my time is private time, and so I feel really blessed, and might not be best source of advice.

But I will say, there are still otd of old Ralieghs around, I got this one for under $200, had been upgraded to Shimano 8 speed, and had some nice Mavic wheels. It's a 1976 Competition, which was about a $500 bike back then, not cheap back in the day. Reynolds 531 frame. As received:

Murray Missile 

Always liked those, I had a red early 70's Super Course for awhile but it was WAY too small. Not so many Raleighs in my neck of the woods, there were no dealers in this area back in the day. I got mine while visiting my big brother in Minnesota, 2 states away. It came from Wheel Goods Corp. on Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis, I have an '85 Prestige waiting it's turn on the workstand and an '87 Technium 480 frameset. Yes, I briefly flirted with the idea of turning the Technium into a Grand Prix but the paint and graphics are damn near perfect and I like the color.

cdmurphy

I don't see anything wrong with trying to create a "tribute" bike that evokes good memories of your youth. This assumes you have the time, and are ok with a finished product that is worth approx 1/10 of what it cost to create. (No one is going to get rich, or even stay rich restoring bicycles.)

If you do go ahead, I would reconsider starting with a later Grand Prix. They were still low level bikes, and won't be that much of a step up from the real, steel wheeled deal. I don't think keeping it model correct will win you any points from the judges at the concours. As long as you are going to play fast and loose with the decals and finish, start with something really nice that needs paint anyway. I wouldn't even consider getting near a bike frame with paint unless it was something high end. You'll still lose money on the effort, but at least you will have a nicer riding bike that you've lost money on. :-)

I would look for a Gran Sport, early Competition, maybe even an International. Heck, any other mid 70's double butted 531 frame would ride about the same, and there are always screaming deals on ebay if you are patient, and don't care about the paint.

rhm

I think you should get a Raleigh International ( talk to @gugie about a proper gugificazione 650b conversion with Weinmann center pull brakes on brazed on studs).

Have it painted in the desired color scheme, get the right decals, and choose the components you would have upgraded to.

I guess it doesn't have to be an international... But I think the Weinmann brakes are obligatory. Otherwise it won't be a Grand Prix. Also you need the appropriate GB stem.

randyjawa 

Really bad idea. Waste of money and a bit deceptive.

We all have no intention of selling this or that, but, sooner or later, we just might find good reason to sell this or that. That is when the problem surfaces, because the next person might not be open and honest when disclosing the true nature of the bike. This fake Cyclops is a perfect example of what I mean...


I almost bought that bike, thinking it was a Cyclops and for cheap. Lucky for me, I know a bit about the Cyclops bicycle and realized, just before parting with $125.00 that it was not a Cyclops. Sadly, a good friend(his hand is pictured), who went to the yard sale later, did not recognize the bike as a fake and he parted with his cash. Not sure what he did with the bike, but I am sure of his ethics and I know that he did not pass it on as something it was not.

cs1

randyjawa 

This is the best advice, comment, on this thread. For the same money, as a repaint and redecal, you will have the real deal. Heck, I have little interest, myself, in a Grand Prix but I just might buy the one I will be looking at this morning, when out yard sailing.