Originally Posted by
sardonic math
...I found a rather large dent on the top side of the downtube near the BB shell, close enough that one of the points on the lug is just barely starting to dip into the dent. I dont see any cracks around the shell, but also didnt strip all the paint to make sure.
If the paint is OK, and the lug is dipping into the dent there's a good chance the dent was there all along, even before the paint. Sometimes these happen when a warm tube is cheated into position during building. In any case, short of a sharp buckle, I doubt it'll affect life significantly.
Originally Posted by
sardonic math
...Additionally, I checked the alignment of the frame, and it's out, to the right, about a quarter inch. How much should I worry about these things? I've been riding it for a couple weeks and haven't noticed anything, the frame feels solid, rides well, no squeaking, etc.
When it comes to alignment, any frame that doesn't consistently display signs of misalignment is aligned for practical purposes. You've been riding it, and never had an issue, and if you hadn't measured it you'd be perfectly happy with how it rides, so how will tinkering improve on that? Leave it alone, nd if it's a good deal otherwise buy it, ride it, and odds are it'll last until something else, like a crash or theft finishes it off.