Replacing Seat Stays on a lugged steel frame

[bikebuddha]

Ok, mistake #1 I lent my Raleigh to my brother. He supposedly wanted to get in shape by cycling around the neighborhood. So the last time I went to visit him, I discovered a scene right out of a horror movie. Deciding that biking was too much work he drilled holes in the seat stays in a vain attempt to mount an motor on my bike. Now I have a once beautiful frame with two holes in the left seat stay.

Can I remove these and replace or is my old bike a lost cause?

[potus]

how big are the holes? I'd probably tig weld them shut, grind down the weld, repaint, and you'd never know.

[bikebuddha]

how big are the holes? I'd probably tig weld them shut, grind down the weld, repaint, and you'd never know.


Thanks for the suggestion, since I have access to a tig welder I'll give it a try.

[potus]

if you have an angle grinder, try to get your hands on some 3m discs that are made for a grinder specifically for metal work. they work wonders. I'd hit the holes with one of these before you weld it to remove the paint. weld it (~ 35A). file down the high spots. then use the 3m pad again for the blending.

[velonomad]

"Ok, mistake #1 I lent my Raleigh to my brother. He supposedly wanted to get in shape by cycling around the neighborhood. So the last time I went to visit him, I discovered a scene right out of a horror movie. Deciding that biking was too much work he drilled holes in the seat stays in a vain attempt to mount an motor on my bike. Now I have a once beautiful frame with two holes in the left seat stay."

Your brother might be a redneck! :D . I can relate, I have a spare 100cc kart racing engine sitting on a shelf in my shop, some times I look at it and one of my bikes and wonder what if?