Classic & Vintage - Any ideas for my 1970s Raleigh Grand Prix?

Hi folks,

I have a 1970s Raleigh Grand Prix sitting in my basement completely stripped down because I wanted to learn how to reassemble it. As I was disassembling it I ended up removing the godawful military brown paint that someone had slathered all over it. Anyway, now the paint is all but gone, leaving me with an unpainted undecaled Grand Prix that I can't decide what to do with.

I know the Grand Prix gets as much for its scrap value as it would get as a resale these days, but since I'm using it to learn how to overhaul a bike, I may as well make it look good when it's finished.

So I really want to do something fun with it, but I'm short on ideas. I guess I could restore it to its original condition, but getting reproduction decals seems both costly and lame. Also, I guess I could fit it up like a totally modern bike, with brifters, alloy wheels etc., but that's even more costly. Another idea I had along those lines was to turn it into a touring bike - again, requiring alloy wheels etc.. Then again I could simply paint it in an unusual color scheme and keep all the old components - that would be cheapest.

Any thoughts, ideas? Any websites showing off paint schemes or restorations that I could use for inspiration?

I've picked up a rather large (27 1/2)GP with the intent of making a 3-speed that would fit me. (6'5")

Hi ianbrettcooper -

Since the original paint is gone, I'd opt to drop $100 on it to PC it. (Real paint would probably cost much more).

Since a GP has some very traditional cues (wrap-over seat stays, cottered cranks, GB stem), I'd go for the English taxi cab motif (Gloss black and chrome, black cloth bar wrap) .

Pretty understated I know - but appropriate enough for a Raleigh. - Though I might add a small lone Union Jack sticker, placed where the tubing label usually goes, for a dash of color!

I'm the opposite of Auchen. I think that if all the paint was gone, I'd look at doing something really interesting and colorful with it: something Raleigh might have done, but that you don't own. I loved the sparkly orange Raleigh International I saw when riding near my house. I have a thing for orange. I'd go coppery-orange.

Someone on here redid their bike in a gorgeous copper powdercoat, but for the life of me, I can't find the thread.

IGH build?
That bike would make a great roadster - perhaps British green, Sturmey Archer 3 speed, Northroad bars, that sort of thing.

I really like the IGH idea, and all the paint ideas. I'm a sucker for anything old fashioned, so I am intrigued by the idea of making it look more 1930s. If there was a way to make it look even earlier, I might go for that too.

Please don't stop. Keep the ideas coming - I really appreciate all the help.

You can do virtually anything with it:

-Original build
-Upgraded road build
-3-speed, singlespeed, or derailer-geared upright build
-Yes, they can be fixies and polo bikes too
-Commuter
-Beater
-Transporter
-Pseudo-portieur build
-Musclebike

They pretty much lend themselves to any of these functions equally; that's how versatile they are.

-Kurt