Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Varsity and Raleigh tear down questions

I picked up a couple old Varsity's from the same guy. Needless to say, they aren't the prettiest things in the world, but I can't help my self from making a tank a nice and new road machine for someone. Anyhow, on one of them, I cant budge the lock ring from the BB. It seriously won't go. Anyone have any tricks?

On other one, I cannot get the BB cups out. I am using the hammer and a screwdriver technique and I have no luck. They won't budge. I am using WD-40 on both bikes and can't seem to make any headway.

On the Raleigh, I cant get the stem bolt to turn. This bike was outside most it's life. Just to give everyone an idea of how rusted it really is, I broke the chain in three spots just using my hands. The stem isn't rusted, but it just will not come out. Once again, WD-40 is involved.

I can't get my crank puller to thread in all the way either. I am pretty certain I stripped the drive side because I thought it was in all the way and reefed on it and it came out along with like 2 full threads. I finally got the other side on and it wouldn't keep turning so I decided that tomorrow morning I will try to blow the bolts out with my compressor.

Sorry for the long set of probably boring and dry questions, but I really need to get these frames stripped tomorrow to get them to sandblast.

Thanks in advance a usual y'all.

im an idiot

try something better than WD40, i picked up a can of PB Penetrating Catalyst(not peanut butter) in a Auto Parts Store. WD40 couldn't loosen up a stuck seat post but this PB sure did the trick!

Do you have access to a welder? This trick will work to remove part of a stuck BB [once].

Weld a piece of scrap steel onto the BB and grab it with a large pair of pliers. You can get better torque this way.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0764.jpg

Worst case scenario spray with PB once an hour for 5-6 hours. Your BB will fall apart.

My first (and consequently last) attempt at re-doing a Varsity was a bit disappointing. From what I remember, the bottom bracket is some ridiculously huge size. You can buy an adapter from Sheldon for around $20 though. The bike was built on the almost defunct American standard, which means that (from what I understand) refurbishing a Varsity involves a lot of adapters and modifications (money) , which is why mine are rotting in a garage somewhere.

Old Japanese frames are a dime a dozen, and are all exactly the same.

For the bottom bracket stuff, make sure you're going the right way. If that doesn't work, PB blaster always does. Go slowly when you are threading the pedal puller. I usually twist counterclockwise until I feel the threads line up, and then move forward. You can put a dab of nail polish on your puller to help you count how many times you turn it. I make sure I engage at least six threads.

For the stem bolt, give it a good whack with a hammer. No more than two. That should crack the rust seal of years of abuse. If not, PB blaster.

And my three tenets of bike restoration.

NEW BRAKES
NEW BRAKE CABLES/HOUSING
NEW BRAKE LEVERS