bykemike 

Just picked up an 84? Ciocc this afternoon, 54cm.

I have stripped off all the Campy group and will be putting on a full set of Ultegra gear, including a new set of wheels. The Campy stuff will go up for sale in the next couple of days.

The chrome is far better than it looks in this crappy picture but it seems to have a clearcoat on all the chrome that is half peeled away. What is this and how do I remove it?

I'm thinking if I attack the clearcoat with a chemical I will lose some of the decals..but this is going to be a daily rider so I'm not all that concerned, I do want it to look nice when I am done.








thanks

Mike

flash2070

Hi Mike, beautiful Ciocc. I can't add about the style, but it's definitely a keeper. Congratulations!

Flash

unworthy1

clearcoating the chrome used to be a standard "Italian" practice for some years...the good news is that it often does the job of protecting the chrome so when you strip it off the resulting naked chrome looks great. But then you really have to keep after protecting it.
Show us some more/better pix, please!

bykemike 

Better pics coming soon. This bike had been sitting for years, very dirty, seat post frozen,
missing the seat post pinch bolt, etc. Took me 20 mins. to free the seat post and pull it out.
Sadly I destroyed a perfect Campy post but there was no way it was going to go easy.

thinktubes 

Nice pickup!!!!!

The coating on the chrome might be the "smoked chrome" finish which I read was a kind of coiored laquer.

The chrome on my 84 was really rough. I was able to remove the remaining coating with Mother's polish.

bykemike 

Thanks for that advertisement. That is exactly my frame I think. Amazing what 30 years will do.

I was making the best progress on the clear coat with a marine grade rubbing compound so I will just
keep at it. Chrome is very nice under the coating so I guess it did its job.

Popeyecahn

Don't forget the Weigle's Framesaver...

thinktubes 

+1

The chrome on the fork of my 84 was pretty far gone. Went the OA route, which got it pretty decent.

Here's a before pic:

unworthy1

I recall getting my Italian chrome's clearcoat off with chemical means (lacquer thinner or paint stripper) and I'd advise trying this before cutting compounds since once it's scratched it's done.
The downside to most Italian chrome is they didn't usually use the triple-plating practice of a copper layer followed by nickel and then chrome...it's often just chrome on steel (or so I'm told) so it's pretty delicate. Keep it waxed with a good quality auto wax and renew that wax regularly.

bykemike 

I am moving along pretty well with my CL Ciocc project. All the new parts are paid for and most of them are here.

I went with a set of Ultegra brakes and STI's, an older Shimano 50/44/28 crankset, Ultegra triple FD, nine speed 12-32 cassette, Shimano Deore RD (may use a long cage Ultegra if it will work the granny), quill to threadless converter to mount a set of Zipp 31.8 bars, a pretty nice set of wheels I got from MiamiJim.

I will be putting it all together over the next week after I get back from spending a week on the Blue Ridge getting my last climbing fix in for a couple of months.

I am looking forward to riding this bike, if I like it as much as I hope to it will get torn down and sent out for a pro repaint. I heard there is a guy on the west coast of Fl that does a nice job.

veks

My coworker has the same exact designer 84' ciocc with all super record components. Him just like you is also restoring it.

WNG

The Ultegra long cage should work with the granny ring, but not the 32t sprocket. The upper limit was 27t.
Nice find and the chrome looks to be in great condition.
A Ciocc is a grail bike for me, and would love to find one in 55cm.

Barchettaman

Mike, that is going to be an absolute beauty when it's done. I hope you have many happy miles on it (uphill miles, by the sound of the gearing).

Let's hope the FD doesn't seize up when you're back in Florida! I can't imagine sea air, flat country and a triple crankset are going to go well together over time.

Once again, congrats!

bykemike 

I used to like to ride A1A along the ocean, nice views and places to stop but the degree of corrosion you incur on your bike is amazing. Even the insides of my tail lights were turning green, the spoke nipples were green and locked up.

I know a lot of us do ride the coast roads but you have to be willing to give up 45 minutes at the end of the ride to wash the bike so I have opted to ride west of 95 through the Florida farmlands.

You are correct Barchettaman, the little rings don't get used much when I am on home turf so I try and make the hills in GA and NC every month.

Mike