I'm starting this thread as a declaration of intent -- something to hold me accountable and get this project moving.
Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having too much money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me in the garage, I thought I would buy a Huffy AeroWind frameset that I came across on Craigslist.
This was before the days of the glorious Huffente and I'm not even sure what my original intentions were, but I soon decided that I would try to build it up with good components, the sort of components that I would use on a nicer frame. Then the Huffente happened, and I thought do myself, "Well, dang. I can't compete with that." And so the project got shelved.
But I didn't actually put the thing away. (Anyone who has seen my garage will have guessed that much ) It sat out beside a bookcase in the garage where I'd see it regularly and think "I should do something with that." Over time something like a plan has emerged.
I intend to build it as described above with good parts. I'm a resto-mod kind of guy, so they won't be period correct. I'm thinking Shimano 10-speed, probably a mix of 105 and Tiagra, because that's what I have on hand. The focus will be on functionality with nothing done for aesthetics. I don't intend to go out of my way to make it ugly, but it will be. Mismatched colors, silver and black components intermingling, a threadless stem adapter, whatever it takes. But I will be pursuing comfort and functionality to the full extent that the frame's dimensions allow.
...in which Doris gets her oats
I kicked it off yesterday by removing the bottom bracket and headset. No pictures today, but many things were learned.
I was pleasantly surprised that the bottom bracket came out without a fight. There was some sort of locknut arrangement holding the spindle in place. I didn't have a thin enough wrench to hold the inner flats while loosening the locknut, but amazingly I was able to get it off just by holding the splines of the spindle with a pair of pliers. With the spindle removed, a few taps on a screwdriver knocked out the cups. I've got an adapter on hand that will let me install a BSA threaded bottom bracket. I'm leaning towards an FSA Gossamer triple with external bearing bottom bracket.
The headset was a different matter. It had an aluminum locknut that was pretty stuck. I used my biggest adjustable wrench and held a wheel for leverage but it wouldn't budge. So I soaked it with penetrating oil and waited. A few hours later, I got it to move. Unless my eyes are deceiving me, I ovalized the locknut in the process, but it came off.
That left a knurled top race. I couldn't find my vice grips and pliers didn't provide sufficient leverage, but it was late and I wasn't going to sleep without seeing the thing done. I ended up using a long woodworking clamp to hold the race while I rotated the fork to unthread it Success.
Here's where it gets interesting. First, the top cup came out with the race. I guess the clamp was holding it too and it wasn't seated very tightly. The head tube measures 33 mm (not 32.6 mind you 33). What's really curious is the steerer. It has no raised edge for the crown race. The crown race was just sitting there loose with a fair bit of play. [MENTION=133054]AdventureManCO[/MENTION], do you know if that's normal for Huffy?
At this point I'm thinking I'll try to salvage the original headset. If I can shim the race into place, clean up the bearings, salvage the locknut and get the thing to turn smoothly, I'll call it a win. If not, I'll be looking for some other solution.
More to follow as it happens....