Classic & Vintage - Nishiki International 1974

Picked this up on the weekend and didn't get to it untill now, Nishiki International. I have been looking for a frame to take apart and resize and modernise for practice before I spend the big bucks on new lugs and tubes. One of the recyclers had it and I gave him 10$. Looked at the RD and it's a Suntour V-GT-luxe date code QB. So I go to Vintage-Trek and it says 1974 February. I was looking for a tubing sticker and it's long gone. Could some one tell me if it's Cro-Mo double dutted, or straight gauge, worse Hi-Ten. If this turns out to be a special bike please someone tell me so I don't chop up history. Someone said if a bike doesn't have a RD brazon, bolt on wheels, and stem shifters it's a POC so figured this was a chop bike, untill I checked the date code. Oh incidentaly the rear dropout is stamped WCCSC and I have never seen a cheap frame with an ingraved drop out.

I have one of those floating through my garage right now. 1975:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5760509515_999acfd7ca.jpg

This is the sticker you are missing:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2655/5760510753_a3a03932b3.jpg

It is chro-mo, but I doubt it is butted.

Yaaa. Now I know it's CroMo. Should I chop it up or save it. It has nice long point lugs and I can't buy tubes and lugs for 10$.
Thank You Balindamood, yours looks a lot closer to my size. I ride a 52 or 54 and this one looks like 62.

Don't chop it! Quite nice example of Japanese frame builders beginning to climb up market in the mid-70s. Cro-mo, nice details, cute headbadge, etc. Wide-gearing Suntour freewheel quite desirable too.

In any case true cheap 'n nasty old frames suitable for chop-up are not so hard to come by.

International was a pretty decent bike back in its time. It came with alloy QR wheelset, so not sure where your nutted set came from. I have had four 1974 Internationals (might have been 1973), got two left in pieces right now.

As far as chopping it up, I would look for a different frame instead, one with serious paint issues.

That era Nishikis had some great decals, particularly on the DT.

I switched this one to aerolevers and DT shifters. Stem shifters make a good bike look cheap IMHO.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1050/5159646358_6b4301cd2d_b.jpg









I was out of red housing on this one, otherwise, all of the housings would match:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4867212350_165ee562bd_b.jpg

Don't chop it! Quite nice example of Japanese frame builders beginning to climb up market in the mid-70s. Cro-mo, nice details, cute headbadge, etc. Wide-gearing Suntour freewheel quite desirable too.

In any case true cheap 'n nasty old frames suitable for chop-up are not so hard to come by.

+1 . Buying it for $10 does not automatically make it a POC bike.

+1 . Buying it for $10 does not automatically make it a POC bike.

+1 Price paid does not reflect quality, it just reflects how good a deal you got (you got a good deal).

I paid $16 for this Lotus.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2632/4307249378_cbd543c1e7_z.jpg?zz=1

Ok is it special enough that it's worth more as an unused bike or a bike I resize and put some brazons on for practice. I plan on having a usable bike when i'm done. I also have a KHS competition 1984, the forks are bent and I don't think are usable.203591

Here's my 1974 International. Very nice ride. I picked it up for $40. The previous owner upgraded almost all the parts and had cantis added. Note the shifters (for 1/2 step gearing). Has Phil Wood hubs as well.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4943470374_f186b8efd2.jpg

I bought one new in 1973 and rode the daylights out of it. It was reliable and shifted well, something my Raleigh Grand Prix never did. Later Nishikis were much nicer, but I have fond memories of my International.

Ok is it special enough that it's worth more as an unused bike or a bike I resize and put some brazons on for practice. I plan on having a usable bike when i'm done. I also have a KHS competition 1984, the forks are bent and I don't think are usable.203591

Practice on it and the price drops like a rock. Its not a Paramount or a PX10, but it is a decent bike from that era. If I just wanted to do some practice, I would pick up a cheap Huffy or Roadmaster at a thrift store or garage sale and go to town on it.

As far as your KHS fork, see if it can be straightened (many can). A decent shop can do it for you. I have straightened some myself, and there are plenty of postings on straightening forks (Steel ones). The key is whether you did any damage to the rest of the frame. Then repair can get very costly.

Thank you wr101, I will work on the KHS and if turns out well then try the nicer frame. The KHS has bent forks, TT, and DT. Lots of practice on that bike to be had.