Classic & Vintage - Pics of my semi-restored Carlton Criterium

Hey all, thought you may enjoy taking a look at what was a freebie frame. A collector said it was 'too far gone', but he helped me with some brazing, and then I got to painting, and here ya go. I was able to find a few images on the web, but mostly I worked from what others had told me, and what the frame originally looked like. It used to be blue with red and white trim, but this color scheme was the first that Carlton used, and I felt it was a better look. I took some liberties with the design, and combined a few different stripe designs into this one. And was I ever lucky to find a NOS Brooks B5N, the correct saddle for this bike. It's been built up with a NOS Shimano coaster brake hub, a Raleigh/Weinmann center pull front brake, and some Nervar cranks off an old Peugeot. Bars and wheels are from an early 80's Schwinn LeTour, and the seatpost had to be pruchased. I had aboout 30 hours into the paintwork, but otherwise, the whole thing cost me about $80, which was the cost of the saddle and seatpost.

http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=0
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=5
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=7
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=9
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=11
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=13

edit: I'm having a helluva time trying to get the photos to show, so I hope you don't mind having to click links.

Beautifully done. A couple of questions: What paint did you use for the silver lugs? Where did you get the Carlton decal on the downtube?

Neal

Thanks! I used a color from Createx's Auto Air Colors, it"s Aluminum Base (Coarse). The lugs should be chromed, but it wasn't worth it to rechrome (the frame still has some issues).
And the DT decal I made myself. I found a nice example of the decal online, and then just used Photoshop to color it the color that Carlton used on its racing bikes, Lagoon Blue.

edit: Here are some 'before' photos

http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=14
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=16
http://web.mac.com/wagonwaller/iWeb/Chester%20Cycles/Carlton%20Criterium_files/slideshow.html?slideIndex=15

Beautiful work! You should be very proud of both your work and your end product!

Singlespeed, whether coaster, fixed, or freewheeling, is not my cup o' tea, but I am always a sucker for a nice-looking lugged steel frame.

man.. that was too far gone? I think Corky looks worse off...

Dang, that looks great. My first good bike was a 60s Carlton I bought from a schoolmate in 72. some bastard stole it in 84.

man.. that was too far gone? I think Corky looks worse off...The rust wasn't the bad part. The seatstays were both cracked (badly, to the point where I'm still nervous riding) where they meet the seat cluster, and the headset was trash. Not to mention a bent and cracked rear dropout, and a seat tube that someone went ballistic on when they tightened down a 26.0 seatpost into the 26.4 hole. Otherwise, she was cherry ;)

The rust wasn't the bad part. The seatstays were both cracked (badly, to the point where I'm still nervous riding) where they meet the seat cluster, and the headset was trash. Not to mention a bent and cracked rear dropout, and a seat tube that someone went ballistic on when they tightened down a 26.0 seatpost into the 26.4 hole. Otherwise, she was cherry ;)

I have found several bikes that should be 27.2 with 26.8 seatposts in them... some spreading and sometime a bit of file work and emery paper to smooth out any rough spots has rendered them back to normal.. too bad about the stays... still looks beautiful and is a good show piece if it happens to crack again. so you just did some brazing over the cracks?

I have found several bikes that should be 27.2 with 26.8 seatposts in them... some spreading and sometime a bit of file work and emery paper to smooth out any rough spots has rendered them back to normal.. too bad about the stays... still looks beautiful and is a good show piece if it happens to crack again. so you just did some brazing over the cracks?
Yeah, the guy I got it from copper-brazed both stays and the drop. He did a nice job, it just freaks me out a bit, that's all.
The seat tube is working better. I don't have many worries about my seat post getting out of adjustment, it's THAT tight.

man.. that was too far gone? I think Corky looks worse off...

How's corky doing anyways? Is the frame being painted?

Yeah, the guy I got it from copper-brazed both stays and the drop. He did a nice job, it just freaks me out a bit, that's all.
The seat tube is working better. I don't have many worries about my seat post getting out of adjustment, it's THAT tight.

Copper? Don't you mean brass?

Not sure if copper would be strong enough to hold up to the stresses put on the frame.

-Kurt

And the DT decal I made myself.

What kind of decal paper did you use? I was condsidering trying out some of the laser water slide stuff for one of my bikes. Just curious.

Nice job on the restoration.

That's just awesome. Lovely lovely job. If you lived over here, I'd be draughting you in to help me with my Bates!

Better stock up on Colgate tubes - that bike's so sweet it'll rot your teeth!

Copper? Don't you mean brass?

Not sure if copper would be strong enough to hold up to the stresses put on the frame.

-Kurt
Duyh. Yep, I meant to say "brass" and said "Copper" to see who was paying attention. ;)
I don't even know how well this brazing will hold up. I'm pretty tough on my bikes.

seaneee, I used an inkjet version of the waterslide paper. I love the stuff. It comes in both clear and white versions, this is the clear.

Thanks fellas! Today is another ride, to figure out why my front brake sqeals so loudly. :mad:

Inkjet waterslide decal paper? Where, where??!?

Inkjet waterslide decal paper? Where, where??!?
I got mine HERE HERE!!! :D

http://www.kustomrides.com/xcart/Decal-Paper-p-1-c-1.html

I think www.beldecal.com has it, too.

I also recommend using Krylon Krystal Clear to clearcoat over the decals once they are printed. It dries fairly quickly, and it has yet to react with any clearcoats I've shot over it.

Duyh. Yep, I meant to say "brass" and said "Copper" to see who was paying attention. ;)
I don't even know how well this brazing will hold up. I'm pretty tough on my bikes.

Should hold. Can you bring your friend down to do a Benotto dropout at the LBS? ;)

-Kurt

How's corky doing anyways? Is the frame being painted?

Should be arriving at Dr.D's any day now.