Classic & Vintage - Raleigh 1980's Super Course 555 part compatibility

I found a mint condition Raleigh 1980's Super Course 555. All the stickers are still on it even the stickers that are normally removed after purchasing. I want to upgrade the components but im having a hard time understanding all the new lingo the cycling world uses. if it were about valve systems for paintball guns I could ring your ear off. Ive searched this forum and have read allot but 99% is still jiberish to me, for alls I know I have read the answer to my problem 4 times already. Im wanting to find what modern day components can be switched out with my original components (Im a pack rat so I will be holding on to the originals)

Can yall point me to a topic I can read, or a website that I can check out?
Starting with the down-tube shifters... friction shifters are no fun, the indexing shifters on the modern road bike are nice. What would be the key words for the style of components I would need so that can Google/research- I need a line to follow

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/3466/raleighbike.jpg (http://img28.imageshack.us/i/raleighbike.jpg/)

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/3342/1004322.jpg (http://img28.imageshack.us/i/1004322.jpg/)

I like the bike just as it is!

By the time you buy a modern drivetrain (and have the rear triangle of the frame spread out so they fit), you could buy a nicer 2-3 year old 9 speed road bike all ready to go.

The frame is decent--I am pretty sure is straight gauge chromoly built in Asia-but not worth spending lots of $$$$ on.

The coolness of the bike is that it is 25 years old and looks to be pristine.

Being that im still new I dont know all the terminology yet.
What about down-tube indexing shifters, If I could go drop the friction shifters i would be just fine with the bike. Is there such a component?

First things first: Unscrew one of your shifters and post a photo of the boss on the frame.

Be warned that 1984 Super Courses used an oddball Shimano shifter mounting that is now obsolete (and requires the use of the original shifters). The 1985's used standard, universal mountings, of which you can mount anything - including cable stops for modern STI shifters - onto.

The color on your example points to an '85, so you should be all right, but you might want to make sure that it isn't a left over '84 frame painted for the following model year.

-Kurt

Ok took it apart, need a schematic on the washer order- the dog came by and knocked it all over. anywho
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1511/photoxp.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/photoxp.jpg/)

The "boss" is all chrome, it just looks like the sides are purple like the frame

I like the bike just as it is!

By the time you buy a modern drivetrain (and have the rear triangle of the frame spread out so they fit), you could buy a nicer 2-3 year old 9 speed road bike all ready to go.

The frame is decent--I am pretty sure is straight gauge chromoly built in Asia-but not worth spending lots of $$$$ on.

The coolness of the bike is that it is 25 years old and looks to be pristine.

Your right I don't want to dump to much $$$ into it and I don't want to loose the "air" of the bike. I collect and use vintage paintball guns, i'll come across one that I just love. This makes it worth it to do some upgrading. I fell in love with all the chrome on this bike, chrome chain-stays? and a chrome fork- it reminded me of the 70's muscle cars.

This will be my daily commuter. When I get my mileage up i'll buy another bike or a recumbent, I want to do ultra racing.

You can get indexed down tube shifters. I would look for an old set of Shimano 105 6 speed. Then you could possibly just swap the freewheel and rear derailleur to get you indexed on the rear (the front doesn't really matter on a double).

If you go with integrated shifting like the modern bikes, you automatically jump up significantly in price. Although I did just that on one of my bikes (modern 105).

Even old RSX shifters/brake levers are fairly expensive when they are in good shape. And that would probably be the cheapest way to get integrated.

Cool----I forgot those mid 80s Raleighs had built in flickstands

You're lucky - standard downtube bosses. You can mount virtually anything on them.

-Kurt

You can get indexed down tube shifters. I would look for an old set of Shimano 105 6 speed. Then you could possibly just swap the freewheel and rear derailleur to get you indexed on the rear (the front doesn't really matter on a double).

If you go with integrated shifting like the modern bikes, you automatically jump up significantly in price. Although I did just that on one of my bikes (modern 105).

Even old RSX shifters/brake levers are fairly expensive when they are in good shape. And that would probably be the cheapest way to get integrated.

On the first part you talked about swapping the freewheel and derailleur to get me indexed. What would I swap it with and why would it need to be swapped
On the second part would I still need to swap the rear end and the derailer?


Cool----I forgot those mid 80s Raleigh's had built in flickstands
Ya it had me stumped for about 10 minutes, I was afraid I was going to break it when I rolled the wheel back.


You're lucky - standard downtube bosses. You can mount virtually anything on them.

-Kurt

You talked about some kind of kit that would allow me to mount my shifters up on the bars, what are they called and what would you recommend.


Thanks guys for helping me on this.

You talked about some kind of kit that would allow me to mount my shifters up on the bars, what are they called and what would you recommend.

Well, if you want to use any form of shifters on the bar, you'll need to mount these cable stops to route the cable housing:

http://www.cambriabike.com/Images/product/shim_sti_cable_stop.jpg

Bar shifting options include:

STI/Ergo AKA "brifters" - these are shifters built into the brake lever w/paddles behind the brake lever for shifting; the latest thing.
Barcons, which are essentially shifter levers fitted to the end of your handlebar
Suntour bar-mounted shifters - an unusual relic from the 80's; Suntour's attempt to make an STI/Ergo style shifter. Basically a downtube shifter with an extra paddle arm made to mount right next to your brake lever on the bars.

-Kurt

Im liking the Drifters.
Will I need to get longer cables, or will those come with the Drifter kit?

So my list of goodies goes as follows (if I go with Brifters)
1. Brifters: modern 105 set up or an old RSX setup?
2. Cable stops
3. Longer cable
4. A new free wheel and derailleur to match the the indexing on the shifters- I think I got it.


Can I find a brifter that has the same indexing as what I got now.