Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Jeunet worth it?

Hi everyone, I've been looking for a bike to repair and use for daily transportation and found this one for sale:

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/bik/1284285680.html

I'm wondering if it's worth the price, what things I should look at when inspecting the bike in person, and maybe, what's the best online reference for getting into vintage restoration?

Thanks a lot,

Hi everyone, I've been looking for a bike to repair and use for daily transportation and found this one for sale:

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/bik/1284285680.html

I'm wondering if it's worth the price, what things I should look at when inspecting the bike in person, and maybe, what's the best online reference for getting into vintage restoration?

Thanks a lot,

Why in the name of Sam Hill are you posting this here?????
Edit: To note that it's been moved since my initial post.

could be worth it, especially if it IS 531 (maybe) and if you like a project, cause it IS going to require some work and will involve your encountering French threaded components. Doesn't look to be in "great riding condition" to me from those pics, so I'd go with the expectation of bargaining the price down a bit. If it has alloy rims and alloy crank it would be more desirable, it clearly has Simplex Prestige shifters (Delrin) so might be only a mid-level bike at best...but you'll only know by looking in person.
edit: looking again it seems to have a Prestige RD and steel cottered crank, plus the wheels are mis-matched...looks even less desirable except maybe for the frame alone IF (big ifs) it FITS, it's 531 (probably only 3-tubes plain gauge I'd guess), and the rust and corrosion hasn't taken its toll, making the project a huge headache...for a newbie to FR bike restoration , it would be a trial by fire at any price.

could be worth it, especially if it IS 531 (maybe) and if you like a project, cause it IS going to require some work and will involve your encountering French threaded components. Doesn't look to be in "great riding condition" to me from those pics, so I'd go with the expectation of bargaining the price down a bit. If it has alloy rims and alloy crank it would be more desirable, it clearly has Simplex Prestige shifters (Delrin) so might be only a mid-level bike at best...but you'll only know by looking in person.
edit: looking again it seems to have a Prestige RD and steel cottered crank, plus the wheels are mis-matched...looks even less desirable except maybe for the frame alone IF (big ifs) it FITS, it's 531 (probably only 3-tubes plain gauge I'd guess), and the rust and corrosion hasn't taken its toll, making the project a huge headache...for a newbie to FR bike restoration , it would be a trial by fire at any price.

Thanks a lot unworthy, I'll keep this in mind when I go check this out (if I get a response). Are there any specific online bicycle references you'd recommend?

Two words: Sheldon Brown.

Two words: Sheldon Brown.

Great, thanks!

To me the price looks high for a bike in somewhat rough shape. Could be mainly dirt, but I can't see from here. An upright lightweight should make a great commuter.

Let us know what you find.

That doesn't look like a 531 Jeunet to me... it looks like their low end gas pipe model.

Measure the seat post with calipers, if you haven't already gone to look at the bike. 25.4 (IIRC) equals gas pipe. 26.4 or 26.6 equals 531 (it's of a date where French manufacture would indicate a metric Reynolds tubeset, so slightly smaller diameter tubing).

These bikes are regularly misidentified as 531 by hopefull/ignorant/dishonest sellers; they share some qualities with higher end rides, like Simplex drops and half chrome rear stays, but that fork is a give away. Hope you see this post soon enough. There's prolly a nice big seam on the inside of the head tube, as well. I've handled several of these bikes over the years...