robatsu

I'm looking for opinions.

Me, I've always lusted after a fully chromed bike. Now, I have a 1972 Fuji Finest (pics coming) in pretty decent used condition which happens to have a fully chromed frame under the paint. It isn't minty, but not abused. Looks like maybe 5 seasons of regular hard use - original chain, cogs, components showing lots of wear, scratches, but basically ok, no major rust, decals ok, etc.

On one hand, I think it would be really cool to strip the paint and polish up the chrome, get my fully chromesd bike at a price a lot cheaper than getting a new fully chromed frame - I paid ~300 dollars for this bike, which is a pittance for a new fully chromed frame/bike. OTOH, I fret that I may be perpetrating an act of historic vandalism by doing so and maybe I should go the restoration/preservation route?

Opinions? Thanks in advance.

Sirrus Rider

My vote is to preserve and find a more tired example for what you propose.

zonatandem

Owned a blue Fuji Finest back in mid-70s.
Suggest you keep it as original as possible.
Heck if you want a chrome bike, get an old Paramount,

dtipton

Restore it.

robatsu

That actually makes a lot of sense.

robatsu

The only thing this bike needs beyond some cleanup is new chainrings. Also, the previous owner, supposedly original, told me that when he bought it lo those many years ago, he didn't want the stock tubulars, so as part of the purchase he had the bikes shop keep the stock wheels (anyone know what stock rims/hubs would have been on a 1972 model?) and build him a set of Mavic clinchers with Campy Record High flange hubs which is what is on there now, wicked cool and all.

So here is another question, and I promise pics are coming, if I do a restoration, since the owner bought the bike new w/the campy/mavic wheels rather than whatever was in the catalog, do these count as essentially OEM for this bike?

leecycle

The stock wheels were most likely Sunshine high flange hubs with Ukai tubular rims.

Danddd

Yes they were. Although I crunched a couple in college in the 70's and were replaced with Fiamme's.

Kommisar89

YMMV but it was fairly typical back in the day, with Italian bikes at least, to polish the metal on parts that were going to be exposed like lugs, fork crowns and the ends of the stays and fork tips and then chrome the entire frame, for corrosion resistance presumably. Only the parts where the metal was polished prior to the chrome plating process really shine. The rest would have a dull and somewhat rough or scratchy silver finish. If that is the case you can't polish that. The layer of chrome is extremely thin and does not fill the surface imperfections in the metal. Of course I guess you could get lucky and they polished it all so you'd have to check on that.

Thumpic

I emailed a guy who is "in the know" about an old "paint over chrome" Panasonic I have. I was told that the chrome under the paint will never be the "chrome" that I hope for. There is some type of chemical crazing done to the chrome for paint adhesion........

leecycle

Kommisar89 is right: on my Fuji Finest, the frame is chrome plate in its entirety, but only the unpainted parts were polished as far as I can tell from the spots where the original paint has been scratched or has flaked off.

robatsu

Actually, that is really good to know, so I'm not tempted.

Blue Order

Did somebody say "Chromed Fuji"?

pinnah

I think different collectors will think about it differently.

Keeping things as "original" as possible is a way of recording history. If you happened to have (put name of famous old racer here)'s bike that he won the (put name of some stage here) that would be a part of the provenance of the bike. It would be rather expected that the bike wasn't fully stock off a show room and a part of what you were collecting was not just a stock bike but how it got used in its day and by whom.

I think one could argue the same thing about your bike even if we don't know the owners name and even if he never won (or even entered) a big race. The wheels document how riders felt about and used the machines in that era.

What's "original" mean? What does "historical" mean?

NOTE: I don't keep any of my old bike original. I modify them to suit my riding taste as they're all riders. So, don't listen to me!!!

robatsu

I've been stripping the frame and from what I can see at the various scratches, it does look like the frame was fairly well polished underneath painted sections. This is a 1971, for point of reference. That being said, I've dropped the notion of stripping it to chrome and will attempt more or less of a restoration.

-holiday76

my '72 which came from the original owner with the original tubulars has fiemme yellow label 36 spoke with high flange hubs. Can't remember the make of the hubs, I'll have to check.

gerv 

Looking at the Fuji catalogs the hubs are not identified for your 72 Finest. But the description matches my 72 S10-S. "Road racing hubs, light alloy large flange quick release...".

I rescued these hubs from the steel rimmed wheels on my S10-S . The only id is the word "Shimano", but no model or serial number. The hubs appear to be Ok, though.

Does anyone know anything about these?

USAZorro

Exactly correct. That's what mine had.

Actually, the hubs were Sansin, but that's the same company as Sunshine.

I've changed out the original crankset, because I want something lower than the 144 BCD crankset will permit. You'll find the bike is very versatile - being able to accept 27" or 700c wheels, and can take mud guards. One other thing - the frame makes it feel like you're floating. The sensation is amazing. I've ridden a bunch of bikes, each with some degree of their own character, but that one - just as plush a ride as you could imagine. Hopefully yours is the same.

cs1

Old Fuji's are a dime a dozen. A chrome Paramount is outrageously expensive and rare. They're just not even in the same league. Mod the Fuji and lovingly restore the Paramount.

So what if you strip the paint off of the Fuji. As long as you don't drew the frame you can always paint/restore it later. Good luck on whatever you do.

USAZorro

Excuse me. One does not find this model all over the place. I'd take a Fuji Finest over a Paramount any day.

ScottRyder 

My head is spinning! A dozen old Fuji's for a dime? Where? Let me at 'em!

Scott

cudak888 

Outrageously expensive, yes. Rare, no (as a matter of fact, I'd classify them as unusually common).

That said, I think you're missing the point a bit - you can't screw up the finish on an all-chrome Paramount if you want a chrome finish - the thing is already all-chrome.

-Kurt

cs1

Ignorance is bliss. If it make you happy then by all means buy a Fuji. But a Paramount is a much better bike.

sonatageek

Interesting. There was a member at our bike coop who stripped the paint off of a full chromed Schwinn Voyager (may have been another similar imported Schwinn model) that looked great. All the chrome was polished and shiny. Did it up with a white seat, wrap and cable housing. Really nice looking bike.

ScottRyder 

I have three Fujis with chrome frames. A '72 Finest that I did strip but quite was disappointed at what the results were. The chrome under the paint appeared to be slightly etched. I ended up having that repainted and new decals made. My other Finest is a '76 which I left original.

I received a '72 Fuji Newest in a trade from BF member NLerner which had already been stripped. The chrome on that was consistently shiny and polished on all parts of the bike. Very different from the Finest!

Scott