Bicycle Mechanics - Drill out Paramount?

Hello
I need to improve stopping power on my old Paramount as I live in the Foothills and do a lot of descending. I'm hoping to replace the Campagnolo sidepull brakes with the Tektro double-pivots with 73mm reach. However I can only find them with the sleeved hex-head mounting nut. This isn't compatible with my old frame. Would I be a blasphemous fool to drill out the Paramount? I guess the alternative would be to get some stupidly expensive Paul Racer cenerpulls. Thanks for your help.

It wouldn't be blasphemous, but you should first try some Kool Stop brake pads. It may make all the difference you need.

Buy a pair of these:
http://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup.asp?IGPK=2126175524

They are nutted and at $18 for the pair, it's a deal. Have them installed on my 3-speed. Some buy the 800A's just for the bolts and use them in the double pivot calipers that they prefer, usually with the quick release feature/or have the hookups on the other side.

Drilling a Paramount would be blasphemous, but so would Tektro brakes on a Paramount. Just get some Kool Stop pads. A lot of hills have been descended by a lot of riders using Campagnolo Nuovo Record sidepulls.

It doesn't what he puts on there. At 73mm reach, it's going to brake like he didn't have any, anyways. Why exactly does a road frame have 73mm reach to the brake track anyways?

Are old Campy levers solid? Maybe a set of solid aluminum levers would do the trick.

The Paramount is a classic bike, I would not be drilling on that bike anywhere! But that's just me.

I use to live in So Calif and rode all over the mountains from Arrowhead range to Wrightwood range and never had a problem with sidepull brakes being unable to stop me; nor did the riders of old that ruled the Alps!

So the problem is probably poor quality pads. If you want, to try this site for a wide selection of brake pads. In fact e-mail them with your problem and make of brake and they should find you the right pad, then buy several pairs for spares. http://www.yellowjersey.org/vinbrake.html

I found that modern aero-type levers made more of a difference in stopping power than changing to dual-pivot calipers; plus they don't require any frame modification. Tektro R200's did the trick for me, but if you want to buy into the bling factor of the naysayers above you could drop a little extra for the pretty much identical Cane Creek model. You could also drop a lot extra and spring for Campy.

It doesn't what he puts on there. At 73mm reach, it's going to brake like he didn't have any, anyways. Why exactly does a road frame have 73mm reach to the brake track anyways?
The OP didn't say the frame requires 73mm of brake reach; he said the Tektros he was considering using allowed for that much reach. The OP says the frame currently has Campy side pulls installed -- these were not (to my knowledge) ever available in a 73mm reach version, so the frame presumably uses less reach than that. Even Campy drop bolts wouldn't be enough allow a Campy side pull to work on a 73mm reach frame.

The levers might also be the problem. They may not have much leverage. Campy Nuovo Record levers were excellent, but maybe you don't have those. What kind of levers do you have?

And can we please see pictures of the bike, highlighting the calipers and levers?

The OP didn't say the frame requires 73mm of brake reach; he said the Tektros he was considering using allowed for that much reach. The OP says the frame currently has Campy side pulls installed -- these were not (to my knowledge) ever available in a 73mm reach version, so the frame presumably uses less reach than that. Even Campy drop bolts wouldn't be enough allow a Campy side pull to work on a 73mm reach frame.
If the Tektros the OP is considering allow 73 mm of reach, they probably have a minimum reach of around 60 to 63 mm. That isn't short enough to align with the rims even if the current Campy brakes are "long reach", which typically adjust from 47 to 57 mm. He should measure the required reach (or have a bike shop do it) and get brakes appropriate to what the bike requires.

As to drilling out the fork to accept recessed mounting nuts, I'd do it but, then, I consider bikes tools, not potential museum pieces.

As noted, the cheapest first attempt would be better brake shoes. And, despite the fact riders in the past survived long decents with single pivot calipers, double pivot calipers are noticably better.

Drilling a Paramount would be blasphemous.....

+1
If you want better braking, there are other ways to do it. As already mentioned, kool stop salmon pads will improve things, as will aero levers. Aero levers on such a bike is blasphemous as well, but they can be removed and the old Campy stuff put back on.

These days, just from a financial perspective, a Paramount is worth keeping unaltered. They bring big bucks, and the more original the better. I wish I had one. The closest I have is a '72 Raleigh International, it's Nuovo Record equipped, 531 tubing, etc. But those ladies at the Chicago Schwinn plant could really build a frame. The workmanship on a '70's Paramount frame is generally much better than that of something like my Raleigh. Even a hack like me can see the difference-