Hi again. My seat post is 26.4 or so/in your first set of pics the opening looks flattened on the left side. Perhaps someone cranked a smaller one in there before. The lugs and d o's look too nice to be gas pipe! Yes-diy paintjob-painted around the seat decal-and sort of 'decopaged' a piece of silk scarf on the dt-artsy. The ends are chromed- in the french fashion (badly/haha) Just got some blue tires for the orig wheels-high flange competition hubs on araya rims/original when I got it anyway. I will stay tuned to progress.....BTW, only serial on mine is on the foil badge (?)