CrescentWrench

I have a Pinarello Montello frame and fork that I would like to restore.
I bought it off some guy who was running it a a fixed gear that he had built up at a local bike shop.
After I bought it, I stripped it down and sold all the fixed gear stuff and made my money.

So now I have this frame and fork and it appears that before he built this bike someone (not naming any bikes shops) had removed a seized seat post by drilling it out!!! As a result the are a few drill marks and some kind of a weird split in the seat tube.
It has not seriously affected the ability of the seat tube to bind a seat post but ultimately the integrity of the frame is compromised.

Wondering if a good welder would be able to repair the damage. I have had frames repaired before but this one seems a bit tricky.
Should I write this off as a rain bike/thrasher?

Any thoughts?

miamijim

That one really needs the seat tube replaced.

If your going to ride it as a 'thrasher' get one of those really long mtb seat posts and make sure its inserted to the bottom of the Columbus decal.

Prowler 

Beautiful frame, criminal workmanship. A reminder why I don't take things to the LBS. They are on shop rate and Mgt will not allow them to take the time to nurse that seat post outta the frame. Drill it out? OMG what eegit had that idea? Now you got the devils choice: Replace the seat tube and ruin that original paint job. Braze fill the damage and ruin the paint job then take ages filing down the ID so a seat post fits again. Bondo the damage and touch up the paint but think about the criminal intent lurking down under you every time you ride.

A wacko would use a MTN bike seat post as suggested above and put a kids Disney band-aid over the damage. See who notices and make up a wild story about the wound and your heroic medical efforts. How about the time you broke up a big bank robbery but the bike was shot by AK47 fire and you and two fireman and a rich fashion model saved it using your belt for a tourniquet and a diaper for the bandage. Then you married the rich fashion model.

Michael Angelo 

Seat tube replace, repaint, decals, $$$$

sloar 

I'm a backyard mechanic, so if that frame were mine, I would strip off the paint. Weld the crack, repaint and new decals. But, that's just my opinion. It's a nice frame, it should be fixed. I would rather have a safe bike than original paint.

repechage

I would probably hang it up drive side out and think about it for a while and at least have it as wall art in the interval.

There is a minor complication as that region probably has chrome plating under the paint at the seat lug and tube.
Burning chrome is bad toxic.

Mechanical removal of the seat tube by reaming and grinding would probably be the way to go and silver to replace.
As stated earlier by Michael Angelo, that road is not cheap even if you are at a zero dollar cost basis now.

A seatpost with extended insertion would be the thrifty way to go. Replace the tube later if the problem expands.

Reynolds 

I'd braze fill it, file it to shape, then try to match the original paint.

BruceHankins

+1 on brazing the frame.

3alarmer 

...how long before someone suggests JB Weld ?

bhchdh 

Asked and answered in the same post.

repechage

Brass brazing does not like chrome plating.
Chrome plating does not like heat.

Reynolds 

The seat tube doesn't look chromed. The chrome seatstays could be shielded from the heat IMO.

repechage

Others have taken the paint off these to reveal the entire frame having been chrome plated, not all polished but all plated.
Mine is fully chromed.
Test don't guess, would be the caution.

Grand Bois

Someone tried to use a flat bladed screwdriver to pry open the seat tube after a too-small post was used. I've had identical damage invisibly repaired by brazing, smoothing and repainting. The frame is my avatar. There is little stress at that location and it's reinforced by the seat post anyway.

Removing the chrome from a small area like that can be accomplished in a few minutes with carborundum paper.

CrescentWrench

THe General COnsensus here seems to be some sort of a weld. What's a JB weld? I think I may remove the chrome and paint in that area myself and consult a welder. How about if I just sand blasted the area first?

repechage

JB Weld is a two part filled epoxy.

I think sandblasting could be done but the masking would be tenacious.

One I think would need a tig welder who was really comfortable with thin gauge parts.

CrescentWrench

Replacing the seat post, and pepainting is probably going to cost me about as much to buy the same frame in Excellent Condition. I think I am going to build it as it is, with the Chrous parts I have and just ride it like that.

dddd

+ 1000^^^^^

Unless the rider is a bigger, stronger and more aggressive rider who will be putting many thousands of miles on this frame, I would suggest enjoying it as-is.

At my weight, I would flog that frame and fully expect nothing to happen, except perhaps getting in an excellent ride.

I found lateral cracks in the seat tube under both seatstays of my Windsor Profesional, and I merely terminated each with a small drill bit.
Even in the very high stress area where the seat tube had been machined too thin, back in Mexico (for clearance with the binder bolt), the frame has taken some thousands of miles of additional abuse to date, with no further propagation of the cracks.

My Team Hitachi Merckx, here with just tiny cracks emanating from the clamp slot termination radius in double-thick (lug plus tube) steel, is due to be relieved with a small round file. I'm not worried (but did get this bike for cheap), though the seller did not disclose this and I only spotted it post-sale after I had someone pick it up for me far out of town.

mikemowbz

Saw this on CL here in Vancouver (two different sellers, I thought, in a short span of time, though I could be wrong about that).

Just buy it?

A friend actually asked me about this bike several weeks ago, based on the first(?) ad.

My initial thoughts were in line with miamijim and Michael Angelo.

If it holds a (suitably long) post and rides nice as is, I think you've come up with a decent solution already.

Edit: as long as you're not exacerbating the damage, this could give you a chance to evaluate how much it's worth to you to potentially pursue some kind of restoration in future (whether filling with brass, if feasible, or full on tube replacement). What's to lose?

Also, just noticed the date(s) on the posts in this thread. Guess it didn't sell, eh?

CrescentWrench

No Mike, you are wrong. Not two different sellers. This bike has been in my possession for a few years. Not sure what you mean by "just by it"
I had taken two sets of pics, one using an iPhone 3 in my bedroom and another using my digital camera in my living room.

As I mentioned. It rides well, at least I couldn't even tell, but then I am not as perceptive as some of the local bike nerds who send me endless e-mails about minuteae for things I have listed on craigslist that they have no intention of buying.

I also don't recall mentioning in this thread that I had put the frame up for sale (which I do with most of my bicycles as a tentative plan to restoring them, or in the hopes that something else I want comes my way). Didn't think it was relevant to my question. I still intend to sell it too if I don't get around to building it. I need a set of wheels and don't have money for that right now...

mikemowbz

It was the two diff sets of pics that gave me that impression, then - I was simply asking if you'd recently acquired the bike, as I'd noticed the ad and a cheap Pinarello is always interesting. I mentioned talking to a friend who was thinking of buying, but unsure about the damage. I thought that I was asking a legitimate question; either you'd just bought it (in which case I would have been curious about sale price), or you were the seller, and the nature of the problem discussed here might be relevant to my friend who had previously considered buying the f/f.

I hope that clarifies what I meant by my initial question.

I added the EDIT when I noticed that the original post was older than the most recent ad, correcting my having not noticed this before, and having therefore asked an irrelevant question in my original post (though as you point out, I was indeed still wrong about it possibly being two different sellers, just different pics).

I did not intend for the two emails I've sent you over the last year or so - with reference to the misidentified shifters on the Super Course and the late, non-fluted SR post identified as Nuovo Record - to prove an undue source of frustration. I sell a lot of stuff on CL, some on ebay, and some here or on other forums, and appreciate good information when it comes my way. Your email response to the second and most recent of those emails did effectively convey that this kind of information is not of interest, and no more will follow.

As far as the Pinarello is concerned, as I said (echoing others on the 'budget' option here): seems like putting a long post in there and just riding the thing might be the best way to go, at least for now. It rides nice; that's what really matters.

noglider 

Sell it on ebay (honestly). Maybe Weigle or someone will be able to make use of the tubes or lugs.

CrescentWrench

I live under a rock. Who is Weigle? Any relation to this guy? Got his number?

noglider 

Weigle is one of those super-premier frame builders. It's a small industry, so guys like him aren't famous unless you're a certain type of cyclophile. In that case, he is almost a god. His prices are high, and his waiting list is long. ("His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.") He not only makes spectacular frames, but he makes interesting things out of nice old Raleigh frames.

Ask your local frame builder what he thinks. There's at least one in every state. Where are you?

CrescentWrench

I am in Vancouver, BC