When I bought this Nishiki a few months ago I wasn't sure what I had. The high-end Nishiki at the time was the "Professional", and this bike lacked the biplane fork and bamboo script on the downtube. After poking around Bike Forums and the Internet, I found a couple of examples of an identical Nishiki, both of which had been modified over time. One post labeled the bike as a "Nishiki Custom Pro", while another claimed the bike was a special order without decals.
The differences in this bike versus the Professional model of that time are the standard fork crown and the two decals on the seat tube indicating chrome molybdenum and Made in Japan. The chromed lugs, seatstay caps and dropouts are similar. Date codes on the derailleur indicated July and August 1972 manufacture, while the crankset was made in 1971.
When I picked it up it was apparent that it hadn't been used much in 53 years. Other than a layer of light accumulated dust and dirt, everything was as it came from the factory and in excellent condition. Everything but the ancient Wolber tubular tires and Araya rims, however, which were replaced with H Plus Son TB14 rims and some Sapim spokes laced to the original and perfect hubs. Even the seat looked new, with no wear to the label or surface.
The first step was taking it apart, then cleaning and polishing the frame and components. Other than a few tiny paint chips, the finish was in great shape. The frame is completely chromed under the paint and looks beautiful anywhere the chrome shows through. Marion Cycle Works took care of the high-level detailing, bearing overhaul, new cables and final assembly and did an exceptional job. The Nishiki looks new.
The pictures show the finished project, but everything was there when I bought it, so things happened quickly. If anyone has any additional information on this model of Nishiki, I'd like to know about it. One person suggested that a small Japanese frame building company called Miki Sekai was responsible for this frame. The serial number is different from standard Nishiki ones and I have never seen this bike listed in any Nishiki catalog. Whatever it is, it looks great and rides well. I'm happy to have it.
Nishiki after reassembly at Marion Cycle Works
Shimano Dura Ace center pulls