Bicycle Mechanics - restoring late 80s bianchi

i bought an older, late 80s bianchi to completely rebuild, and i'm new at the technical part of bike mechanics so i'll post questions in here...pics to come soon.

the rear wheel is a freewheel, but i'm wondering...is it possible to upgrade to a freehub? or am i better off just getting a new wheelset?

i'm also thinking that as long as i match the right bottom bracket set (ISIS, octalink, or square tapered) with the appropriate crankset, and that it fits into the 70 mm bottom bracket, no worries, right?

i'm gonna paint this bad boy...where do i get the right kind of paint/finish, or does it matter?

any info would be helpful...everyone here at local bike shops laugh in my face just cause i'm a chick or something.

Rebuilding a bike is quite a project, I'd start slowly.

Is it rideable now? If so, just ride it until something breaks, or you know what would really benefit from an upgrade. If no, just upgrade those parts that are actually giving you trouble. I am personally a fan of upgrading to a freehub, as it allows you a wider range of gearing, and the ability to change it quickly. That being said, I tend to wait until something goes wrong, so I have an excuse. When it comes time, I would just buy a new wheel. A nicely built wheel, with a good hub and rim will last you a long time, and is worth the money.

As far as the crankset, I'd leave it be. Upgrading it will make little difference in the ride. Maybe if you need lower gears (only time will tell, but from what I hear, Texas is pretty flat).

I'd spend some money on nice consumables; new cables and housing, new handlebar tape, some kool-stop brake pads, and a new set of tires.

You'd need a new rear wheel to go freehub. There will be numerous things to consider in upgrading - rear spacing, chainline, derailler capacity etc.

Check out C & V forum and also Sheldon brown, park tool, bicycletutor websites for info.

Here's another.

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/

the bike is rideable, but i can hear a very loud grounding sound in the bottom bracket, and there is evidence of rust anyway. the right crankarm is a little bent anyway...it just needs an updo. lol

i want to make my bike pretty.

Do a search on rust treatment, depending on how much you have, its a significant project.

Most avoid rusty bikes due to the work involved. Myself, at the right price, I don't mind doing it. I usually treat 4 or 5 bikes at once to save on prep time and materials.

Use google to search this forum and you will find plenty of info.

Hello Houstonrider12 welcome to the forum. do you have any pics? what model Bianchi is it? your BB is most likely square taper. if it makes noise and moves side to side you should have it checked. there is nothing wrong with a freewheel and IMHO no harder to change than a cassette. rather than worry about new wheels right away invest in a good professional tuneupa nd new tires.

paint? what does the frame look like? there are hundreds of postings about DIY and 'rattlecan' painting. if you want a good job have a pro do it. a good paint job cost about 400 and up though. new decals can however be hard to get

sometimes bent cranks are pretty easy to fix, especially if you have a "Model-T" wrench