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The Superbe is more or less at a standstill – well, of course it is, it’s in pieces all over the garage! To be honest I’m taking my time with this one as I’m still hoping to source a stainless Westrick rim for the rear wheel. I also need to braze up – or at least solder – a small hole in the rear chain stay and then possibly get the whole frame stripped and primed. I still can’t decide whether to retain what remains of the original paint and just treat the rust and lacquer it…
However, I’ve not been completely idle and have finally been bothered enough to uncover the original serial number – 963142P – which seems to correspond to the date on the Dynohub (5I/I) and plant it firmly in 1951.
And finally, I’ve scraped away the worst of the worst paintjob ever and revealed the last remaining scrap of frame decal…“The All-Steel Bicycle”.
R:B
I’ve probably been giving too much thought to the notion of frame art but I believe that, if a bicycle is to be personalised through blood and toil, it should also bear the more exoteric marks of its keeper.
I honestly don’t see the point of restoring the Superbe’s original colour – a dark green with gold and red lining. Perhaps if it had been in better initial condition… Nah…I’m leaning strongly towards a plain white frame, perhaps with black head tube and forks, perhaps not.
What I certainly do want is witty and idiosyncratic frame art. Such as this image – strategically situated on the seat tube (where you might expect to find the tubing manufacturers badge), staring upward in mute disbelief:
I’ve started experimenting with Transcryl by Lefranc & Bourgeois. This is a milky white acrylic transfer medium that is painted over a printed image and allowed to dry until completely clear. The paper substrate is then soaked and peeled away, leaving the image on the flexible acrylic. One then uses more of the medium to adhere the image to the target object. It can then be lacquered or varnished. If you have passable French, voici une description photographique merveilleuse…
To be honest, the default Transcryl medium is a bit thick and gloopy and benefits from being very slightly diluted. I have a suspicion the same process might also work with a standard PVA “school glue”.
R:B
The first – and easiest – job I found myself doing was removing the Unholy Spoke Reflectors!
Now, reflectors are a legal requirement around these parts and I’m not one to flout the law. No, really! At least not in a publicly-documented fashion. But these were bizarre, unholy things that were either relics of an unspeakable poultry-worshipping cult or, far more likely, free gifts with a mass-produced breakfast cereal. I don’t know which is the more frightening prospect…
I can almost imagine the deep conversation that went on in their PR department:
“So, we’re committed to doing something for Bike Safety Month. What are our options…”
“What about a free gift…something inexpensive but useful?”
“Like reflectors, maybe?”
“Wheel reflectors…the ones that fit between the spokes!”
“Cool! But what about the corporate branding? We need something instantly identifiable…”
“Yeah….identifiably…corporate”
“Hmmmm… Like maybe…shaped like The Chicken?”
“Chicken-shaped? Chicken-shaped wheel reflectors! Yeah…folks’ll love ‘em!”
“Nice! But surely they’ll be much more expensive than standard reflectors…”
“Then…let’s just…erm…mount cheap single-sided reflectors in a bit of chicken-shaped plastic…”
“Cool…!”
“Cool!”
“Chicken-shaped reflectors…ha ha ha! Next!”
I mean…what, in the name of all that’s hairy, were they thinking‽
R:B
I should have some pictures to show tomorrow but I’ve finally started stripping the paintjob-from-hell from the Superbe. In case you can’t recall, when I acquired it, it looked as if it had been attacked by a maniac armed with a floor mop and a bucket of green household paint.
So far I’ve been concentrating on the small mechanical parts – handlebars, brake furniture, bottom bracket and crank – most of which required considerable care to remove, de-paint and polish up. I’ve now started rust-treating and priming the chainguard, the forks and front mudguard.
Normally I would avoid the use of chemicals but I’ve discovered that the cheap Baufix Paint Remover (Lidl, £3.99) seems to remove the unwanted paint but leaves what remains of the original enamel intact.
I’ve also found that the mudguards, which seemed initially quite friable through corrosion, respond well to treatment with Kurust – to the extent that they are now robust enough that I can strip the old paint and prime the top surface before I reinforce them internally with glassfibre tissue and epoxy.
I’ve not decided what colour to finish the Superbe. Apparently the best available colour match for the original Raleigh Green is Rover Brooklands Green, a British Racing Green clone. Since I’m aiming at a sympathetic “revival” rather than a faithful restoration, I can’t decide whether to re-green her or paint her a crisp white. I don’t want to go for black as the Chiltern is already sitting at that end of the spectrum .
Speaking of which, the Chiltern’s almost ready for the road. Pictures real soon now. I’ve just got to top-coat the chainguard and sort out the gears – although I think the problem is the cable sticking. I’ve ridden her ’round the square a number of times now and…ooooooooh what a comfortable ride!
R:B
No, not really. I just happened to acquire a 1979 Raleigh Traveller as a donor bicycle for The Chiltern. To be honest the Traveller is a far better bicycle but it was smaller-framed and blue. No, not even a nice blue!
It did, however, offer up a pair of chrome-rimmed wheels in far better condition than the Chiltern’s much later (1992) originals and the brake calipers were domestic Raleighs rather than the Chiltern’s “Raleigh – Foreign” (actually rebadged Lee Chi) parts. The quality of the plating is astonishing on the older Raleighs and these polished up a treat.
This meant I could steal the clevis bolts from the old rusty calipers and drill them out to take the mudguard stays following my previous botched effort. Job done!
The Traveller also had a tidy pair of Weinmann quick-release brake levers for dropped-bars, a sound pair of mudguards and a chain guard – which have gone into the project box – and a pair of healthy looking rubber-blocked pedals which might fit the Superbe. I’ll also be able to recycle the retro ribbed brake cable sleeve for the Superbe’s 4-speed control cable.
All-in-all a good salvage! The Chiltern is just needing a quick tune of the SA 3-speed and it’ll be roadworthy. The chainguard needs a de-rust and respray but that can be fitted at any time.
R:B
From what I can ascertain, the ratty-looking old Raleigh I picked up last week is most likely a 1951 Superbe Dawn Tourist. This was deduced primarily from the Raleigh/SA DynoFour hub and the fact that the frame is 21″ – the Superbe Tourist is a 24″ machine and the Superbe Sports Tourist has cable-operated caliper brakes. Oh…and the frame serial number seems to fit the 1950/51 period and the hub is most likely date-marked “51″ not “5T” as I previously misread.
I’ve hit one or two snags in my disassembly of the Superbe:
First of all, the handlebar stem seems to be bent and is well and truly jammed into the forks. I’ve given it a good bathe in WD40 but no joy. I’ll have another attempt using a bigger hammer and a wooden plank bracing the bars but I may have to try applying heat instead.
I’ve also uncovered a tiny hole which seems to have rusted through the inside of the drive-side chainstay. This has likely never been cleaned in 50-odd years as the oil-bath chaincase makes access difficult. I don’t think it has caused any structural weakness but I’d like to get it brazed up before I repaint it anyway.
The highlighted area in the photograph above shows a woodscrew (I would reckon a 1″ No. 8 BZP Countersunk, if you really need to know) jammed into the gap between the chainstay and the brake stirrup retaining bracket – presumably to tighten the bracket because the bolts had already rusted solid. I had to cut through them to remove both rear brackets but this one was “soft” and probably corroded beyond repair.
This lack of access is a major flaw in these bicycles. For example, to remove the chaincase, you need to first remove the crank and this can be awkward if the cotter pin is jammed. You can’t get a good swing at it with a hammer without risking the chaincase taking a smack! I used a plank and an old brass electrical conduit bush to support the crank and a long punch/drift and heavy hammer to drive the cotter pin. It finally worked although I may have to replace the cotter pin. The brass bush is soft enough it shouldn’t mark the chromed steel and has a broad hex shoulder that prevents it embedding itself in or splitting the wooden plank. The picture below actually shows the other side of the bottom bracket but you should get the idea.
The rear wheel rim – an original Raleigh stainless steel “Westrick” – has a nasty split along the edge which I only discovered after cleaning the muck off. I seriously doubt this could be welded so I may have to replace it with a chromed steel Westwood…if I can find one. Anyone have a 40-spoke 26″ x 1 3/8″ Westrick or Westwood rim?
Other than that, It seems to be coming apart nicely. Some of the chrome is in incredible condition considering the age of the bicycle and that dodgy paint job is almost falling off all by itself! The best news is that the Sturmey Archer DynoFour components seem to be original and complete!
So, while this looks like being a longer-term project, I’m on the hunt for another old British 3-speed to ride!
rb
Well, here it is. I’ve already stripped much of it down to see what needs repaired or replaced. The answer seems to be surprisingly little…
The mudguards are a bit fragile. I think I might Kurust them and perhaps also reinforce them internally with glassfibre. The tyres are perished and torn and the rear wheel has a broken spoke and a split along the edge of the rim. New rims will be about £25 a pair I reckon. I managed to shear the heads off two bolts during disassembly but thankfully these were unimportant, replaceable, lower rear mudguard mounts. The frame itself doesn’t seem soft and gives a nice clear ring when knocked with a spanner. (Good tip, Pops!)
The first things to go were the lights, bottle dynamo and rear rack, all of which are late additions. The dynamo and lights are about to find a new home on my SO’s new ‘79 Raleigh Transit.
As far as I can tell, this is a Raleigh Superbe and the frame number – a “P” number stamped at the top of the seat tube - suggests it was built in 1949 or 1950, at least according to the online sources here and here. The rear hub is a Sturmey Archer DynoFour -the date code appears to be “5T” which suggests (to me, at least) 1950. If anyone knows better, please leave a comment and let me know…
More later…
rb
Finally tracked down a roadster! However, not being one to do things the easy way when there’s a hard way, the one pictured the other day is a dream in green compared to the contraption I’m about to tackle.
My roadster looks like green household gloss paint has been applied by a glue-sniffing halfwit who could only find a 6″ distemper brush! Actually, “applied” is the wrong word as it implies some degree of deliberation. “Randomly distributed” would be equally generous. The cycle’s only saving grace is that it seems intact and what I could see of the chrome looked fairly sound. I’m hoping the original artist wouldn’t have thought to use any primer. The plan is to transform this Hulk into a Green Lady.
I think its a Raleigh Superbe; can’t say for sure yet how old it is…but it looks to have the original rear Dynohub so I think I might be able to date it. It shows all the other signs; stirrup brakes, fork lock, fully enclosed chain…
Should be picking it up on Monday along with a somewhat younger and currently more attractive, brown Raleigh Transit for my better half. Persuading her that the green eyesore is worth paying the same money for is another story…
I was admiring Thom’s Columbia Sports III over at {Old Bike Blog} and was very impressed by the result he achieved using stencils to recreate the original frame art. The Hulk’s frame decals will no doubt be lost in the process of stripping the but I’m thinking of creating something sympathetic rather than authentic and may use water slip transfers under clear lacquer. We’ll see…
rb
