Classic & Vintage - Where should i start?

okay so i guess it doesnt really matter what year my bike is? right? ill find out within time... so does anybody have any ideas of where i should start to rebuild my bike.. i just got a shimano front derailleur..the old one broke off... so where should i start next..keep in mind that this is my first bike and not sure of what to really do?

Looks like '74-ish U-08. I don't think the derailleurs or shift levers are original--you can see the braze-on for the rear is still on the frame, but it looks like the front one is missing and clamp-on style levers have been fitted.

It should clean up nice, though. These have reputations as being very nice-riding bikes.

Make sure the frame size fits you properly. Stand over the bike with tires inflated. You should be able to lift it up about an inch or so off the ground before the top tube "hits" you. If it is the correct size, try having the tops of the handlebars at about the same height as the top of the seat. It looks like a Peugeot UO8 from about the mid-1970s. New derailleurs would be nice ... Shimano or SunTour. The plastic Simplex derailleurs it came with had a tendency of breaking. The shifters on it are much nicer than the plastic ones that it came with. It looks like you also need new tires. You may also need new brake pads and maybe cables. The best prices online are probably at Niagara Cycle Works. Hubs and headset probably need to be regreased. It has cottered cranks, so you may just may want to drip alot of oil into the bottom bracket. Oil everything that pivots, spins, etc. Wheels aligned? Wash it down good, clean the chrome surfaces, put some car wax on it. Wouldn't recommend spending too much money on this bike ... tires at NWC $12, cables $4, cable ends 20 cents, brake pads $6. Would look for a "freebie" Shimano derailleur off an old "donor" (junk) bike. If everything goes OK it should be a decent riding bike.

Here is a 1974 catalog page link for a UO8. These bikes were made pretty much the same every year in the '70s.

http://cyclespeugeot.com/images/1974_Peugeot_UO8.jpg

umm... i looked in to that and the frame has serial numbers on the dropout and that supposed to be a late 60's frame but nothing else gave me information on the bike...but yea i look forward to riding her.

207571207571

207572207573

well i do have shimano c101 front derailleurs... only because the old one is broken.. its just hanging there in the picture.. thanks for the suggestions

but wouldnt they have a serial number underneth the BB? theres nothing there...
Make sure the frame size fits you properly. Stand over the bike with tires inflated. You should be able to lift it up about an inch or so off the ground before the top tube "hits" you. If it is the correct size, try having the tops of the handlebars at about the same height as the top of the seat. It looks like a Peugeot UO8 from about the mid-1970s. New derailleurs would be nice ... Shimano or SunTour. The plastic Simplex derailleurs it came with had a tendency of breaking. The shifters on it are much nicer than the plastic ones that it came with. It looks like you also need new tires. You may also need new brake pads and maybe cables. The best prices online are probably at Niagara Cycle Works. Hubs and headset probably need to be regreased. It has cottered cranks, so you may just may want to drip alot of oil into the bottom bracket. Oil everything that pivots, spins, etc. Wheels aligned? Wash it down good, clean the chrome surfaces, put some car wax on it. Wouldn't recommend spending too much money on this bike ... tires at NWC $12, cables $4, cable ends 20 cents, brake pads $6. Would look for a "freebie" Shimano derailleur off an old "donor" (junk) bike. If everything goes OK it should be a decent riding bike.

Here is a 1974 catalog page link for a UO8. These bikes were made pretty much the same every year in the '70s.

http://cyclespeugeot.com/images/1974_Peugeot_UO8.jpg

207574207575207576
so heres some more pictures of my bike...

the sad thing is that the frame is way toooo big for me but i still want to fix her up and ride...so do i wash bikes like regular cars or are there special ways to wash them and i have never taken apart a bike so... what should be the easiest way?