riciiko

Hello all~

I picked up this bicycle for free that was left outside at my uncles (He's about 165 cm's tall, I don't even know how he came across this bicycle since it's obviously too high for him lol) place for quite sometime and I would love to bring it back to life to its former glory. I am also willing to spend up to a grand if need be, I know most parts will be hard to come by, but my main questions are:


What's the best method of painting this and acquiring the original decals?
-I'm willing to do it myself if the task is not too complex, I can't say I have experience so I am more inclined to pay someone to do it for obvious reasons

--Any reputable shops in the bay area that can repaint frame along with applying the appropriate decals?

What's the original part list?
-I've come across conflicting sources and I'm not sure which has been altered or not.

--If their are modern parts which are SIMILAR in appearance to their original counterparts by the same brand I'd be willing to use them.



I'd appreciate any input/help from anyone. I literally just picked this bike up this past weekend and I don't expect this project to be finished for at least 6~8 months tops. Also I'll be riding this in Japan primarily (rains far too much)

Furthermore, I am no bicycle expert. My experience is primarily riding a Specialized Allez Comp that I once had which was later stolen sadly along with my fiancee's bicycle. Since then, I am more interested in vintage road bicycles and hope to join your ranks. As most of you know, bicycles are one of the primary means of getting around in Japan. So I'll be using this bicycle quite a bit if not daily.


I've also noticed that their are other threads on this bicycle, specifically:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...old-753-a.html

But for the sake of not bumping an old thread I figured I'd make a new one, I hope it's okay.

Thanks!

daf1009

Why do you want to repaint it already? I would take the time to clean it up a good bit...and keep the paint, assuming it is original. The paint/decals look to be in pretty good shape...the parts, while some rust could also be brought "back to life" with some work...and you may not need to buy many items.

I know others will chime in...but...would definitely give it a good cleaning before you do ANYTHING like even thinking about painting it!

gaucho777 

Welcome to the forum!

You have a very special and desirable bike!

I'm the person who started the thread you linked above. Speaking from experience, I would advise against repainting. It's a ton of work, and not easy to do. I learned a lot along the way! I painted mine because it needed it after a frame repair. Yours I would give serious thought to re-painting. All those panels are difficult to mask and paint. You have something like 9 different colors with all the base, pearl, clear, black and different color blocks. Each needs to be prepped, allowed to dry, wet sanded, masked for the other colors, etc. Also, there are no original decals sets available as far as I am aware. The logo and text on the downtube is painted, not a decal for purchase. Hard to get the text lines crisp if you haven't painted a frame before. My advice is to clean it, then go gently with a polishing compound such a Meguire's Scratch-X, which will bring the shine back to the paint. Live with the existing paint chips (aka "patina"). Repainting that bike will cost nearly all of your budget (I was quoted ~$900-$1000 by a reputable local painter) and not leave you with money for parts. I would consider replacing the Reynolds 753r tube decal, which you can get from cyclomondo on ebay. For gearing, Hinault said he used 39x25 at most on hilly days, but you have to be strong!



These frames were sold as frramesets only, so there no OEM parts, per se. The corresponding pro frames were used during the 1986 and 1987 season by Greg Lemond and Bernard Hinault's La Vie Claire team. During the '86 season, the bikes wore a C-record group. They switched to Dura Ace 7400/7401 for the 1987 season, so eithe r of those would be "correct" if you were aiming to duplicate what the La Vie Claire team used. The '86 team was sponsored by Wolber so would have used Wolber rims & likely tires, too. I think most riders used the Cinelli 1R stem rather than the XA model. Red or white Benotto tape. Look pedals of course! TA water bottle cages. Hinault used a Rolls saddle.

The serial number on the bottom bracket will confirm the number in the sequence (there were supposedly 500 made) as well as the size.

Here's a more recent shot of my LOOK:



Looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.

ThermionicScott 

Nice acquisition!

One more vote for leaving the OG paint. You don't have to be off by much to throw off the lines, and then it's painfully obvious.

Just tune it up, apply some wax, and ride it!

ldmataya 

I would clean the frame with either rubbing compound or polishing compound. Taking off the top layer of oxidation, which is all that will do if done slowly and carefully, will often leave you with a patina that looks just like a well aged but cared for paint job. I'm absolutely in the don't paint it camp.

riciiko

I suppose it all depends on your definition of "pretty good shape" But I will most definitely be applying what you said, Thanks!

Thanks for the lengthy reply, I figured you would reply lol.

Most of the images that come up in Google search are in fact your bicycle. You've answered quite a few questions of mine and then some, I really do appreciate it. I feel as if the fog of war has been lifted lol.


Regarding painting the bicycle, I honestly feel as though it will eventually need a repaint since the paint itself is literally being wiped off. From what I recall, my uncle had this bicycle in a shed since the mid 90's but soon after it's been outside literally being devoured by a grapevine. In fact, in some of the photos you can clearly see the remains of grapevines hanging on for dear life. With that said, this bicycle has been exposed outside to Californian weather for some time, god knows how many summers it was outside for in direct sun. I really don't know if any parts can be salvaged besides the body, but then again, I am no expert in this matter.

Just out of curiosity, what is that swirling up from your front brake line housing? Edit: Never mind, it's from your computer lol.

I've attached images that hopefully can show what I am referring to. Would just cleaning the frame do it justice and if so .....how? Wouldn't I be losing the decal in the process?

Lascauxcaveman 

+1

Make your first forays into cleaning it by getting some Fine Cut Rubbing Compound (any brand) and a damp cloth and start rubbing away at it. You'll be amazed how nice you can get it with a little work, even starting with fairly heavy oxidization like that. Once you've got it as clean as you can, wax it. Do not repaint.

The chain is rusted to death (throw it away) and some of the components might be too, but try dunking them in an oxalic acid bath (google it, it's all over these and other forums).

miamijim

I'm in the Bay Area...

jetboy 

nice one. one of my grail bikes. get it fixed up and you will have a blast in Japan. Much better to get your parts here and fix before you go (you are still in the bay area I assume). I fell in love with Look bikes in japan, where I had my kg96 in Chiba- the bike they made right after yours!

but the used market it Japan is hard to break into so parts and service will be harder to get. - vintage racing bikes are very niche.. way more than in the states.

if you ever decide its too much work.. it looks like it might fit me! wink wink.

gaucho777 

It looks like you have an appropriate c-record era headset (I have a hard time distinguishing record/chorus/croce d'aune headsets) for starters. The Modolo brakes (Professionals?) were also top-notch for the day.

Since you mention modern components, I'll add that 753r frames are not well-suited for respacing, so you may be stuck with 126mm between the rear dropouts. The tubing is more resistant to bending and I have been read reports of failed stays when trying to coldset this type of tubing.

I'm not seeing your attachments. You can start off cleaning the frame with soap & water with a sponge, then cleaners if necessaryJudging by the amount of rust on the chain, there's likely more in & around the frame, so you'll want to treat any rust sooner than later. Lots of different threads and advice about that elsewhere.

I do worry about it as an everyday bike in Japan. It's a very thin tubeset, so it may take too much abuse if it is going to spend a lot of time locked to a rack and banged around by other bikes. But maybe abuse from Japanese bike racks is different than in the U.S. Nonetheless, another reason not to bother with a repaint.

Have you measured the seat tube? It's a very tall one, definitely the tallest of this model I've seen. Does it fit you? It's going to stand out it Japan!

jetboy 

Depending upon where you live, there are pretty much no bike racks in Japan. In Urban areas you have to just lash onto whatever works: Normally people just lock the back wheel so no drunk can just ride off on it (bikes have a built in lock for this) good news is no one will be taking yours since it would only fit 0001% of the population. there is no huge used market for bikes, so theft is rare.
Near the major commute stations they have valet parking where they give you a ticket and slam your bike into a compressor with 200 other bikes. so yes, if you do that, then your paint job is meaningless.

the biggest issue is that there is NO shoulder on roads and while their are tons of cyclists, they are all going very slow. Cars will assume you are also going very slow.. and will consistently pull out in front of you thinking they have plenty of time- makes for some hairy moments for sure.

riciiko

Seems like I'll be doing quite a bit of cleaning this upcoming Sunday, thanks!

Best place to be =]

Yes, this advice applies to a majority of products in general! What I've noticed is more fixies in Japan among the young crowd, but of course your shufu style bicycles will not be going anywhere anytime soon as hideous as they are. I'll most definitely be fixing this bicycle and purchasing an already fixed vintage bicycle for my fiancee, but because of her height it's a bit of a nuisance to find a bike that fits her well.


I'll be taking it apart this Sunday and purchasing the proper cleaning materials, but I am pretty sure the decal is going to rub right off.

I have yet to measure the tube, in fact I haven't even touched the bicycle until today in order to take a few more photos. I am 181cm's~

I plan on storing the bicycle indoors, for the most part Japanese roads are not too bad. But modern tires would be great. I'm pretty sure these rims are shot, since they are a bit bent and a few spokes are missing.

I'm not sure what parts are on this bicycle, though, I'll write them all down this Sunday.

I'll try to reattach the photos again, sorry.

gaucho777 

Document everything you can before you take it apart. Take a boatload of picture from all angles. Pay particular attention to all graphic elements, lugs, part configurations (especially anything you may need to take apart such as brakes, headsets, etc.). Be patient if anything resists movement. Say a prayer to St. Ghisallo before removing the stem and post.

The paint does look to be in worse shape than I imagined. Not a good sign that it rubs off with your fingers. Tread lightly, especially around the "LOOK Bernard Hinault" text on the downtube. Not more than gentle soap and water with a sponge to start and in an inconspicuous to start. I expect the pearl and black to hold up betting than the main blocks of paint.

Your serial reads B62S16? Nothing after the S16? I believe the number after the S indicates the sequence, so 16th frame made and 62cm. A big early one if that's the case. (My 57cm is B57S194 btw)

Lascauxcaveman 

Yeah, those decals are goners. And if the paint comes all the way off, well, then Plan A (repainting) isn't such a bad idea after all.

gaucho777 

By the way, is the "LOOK Bernard Hinault" text on the downtube really a decal or is it white paint on top of blue? I always thought it was white paint based on my own teenage recollection and a couple samples I've seen online and in person. By the time I repainted mine, it had a replaced downtube many year prior, so I didn't have the original finish to reference on that part of the frame. Maybe it's very thin decals under clear, but I still think it may be paint not decals, no?

181cm is 5'9". If that's about your height, I'm afraid that frame is going to be much too big for you. Can you stand over the bike with both feet on the ground? If not, you are asking for Trouble every time you stop & start. Most people who are ~5'9" would ride a bike in the 54cm range. This bike would fit probably fit someone at least 6'2" or more. To be honest, if a bike (any bike) is not your size, it's usually not worth the time & $ to invest in restoring it.

calamarichris

You have one of my grail bikes too! (I love mine.)
Looks like our bikes are brothers--the same size. I spend more time looking at mine than riding it. It's too precious to take out on a humid or dusty day.

riciiko

I'll just have to see this Sunday how bad the paint really is. But I'll most likely be getting it professionally painted someday

The text on the down tube is painted I believe though I can't say for certain. I believe the fact that it was in direct Californian sunlight for years caused the paint to literally fall apart, specifically the clear coat which seems to have taken the lettering with it. But then again I am no expert on paint, but I can surely say that this paint has seen better days.

By chance, do you have the original color codes for this bicycle for future reference? Or would know someone that has them?

I am between 181~182cm's, I believe you are a bit off on your math lol. I am 5'11, but almost 5'12. If I were 5'9 I wouldn't know how to live with myself LOL I can't imagine being that short...

I can take more photos tomorrow if you wish.


Is your paint original? It really is pretty, If all goes well I also plan on keeping it indoors. But I'll ride it everywhere, even to the market

gaucho777 

Ha, short people got no reason to live? Yeah, 5.9 ft is not the same as 5'9". My math (google conversion) was wrong. Fwiw, I'm also 5'11" and a 62cm frame would be too big for me. Most people who are 5'11" ride a 56cm, but I have a long torso. You are probably going to struggle to get it to fit right. I foresee a low seat post with a slammed and too-short stem in your future. Bike may feel cumbersome out of the saddle and not handle as nimbly as it would for a taller rider. Each dismount will require caution.

Sorry no color codes. I think there are enough Look logos and boxes from other merchandise that matchign the colors might be possible. Before calamarichris acquired his frame, I obtained a bunch of pics from the previous owner in case I ever decided to have my frame professionally repainted and/or new graphics prepared. I hope @calamarichris doesn't mind my sharing these, in case they are of use to you: https://s850.photobucket.com/user/gau...ginal%20sample

riciiko

I really wish I could ride this bike just to get a feel for it. But if you're the same height as me I'll take your word for it.

Either I can:

Fix it then flip it

Return it and leave it in my uncles backyard to fade away

or

try to trade it for a size that would fit me....but what's the likely hood of a 6ft+ guy looking for this bicycle having the size I need lol.

Chombi

Most 5'-11" tall and over riders that I know ride at least a 58cm frame, minimum. I think they would find a 56cm a bit small......

calamarichris

S'no problem Amigo.

The paint on mine is all original and I feel very lucky to have gotten it from the previous owner. I'm 6'2", so that frame might be a tiny bit big for you. The frame didn't come with seat tube bottle mount bosses, so I had some drilled at Cyclart--I need that second bottle for my centuries and stuff, and I've heard it's more aero to have a bottle in the back for your rear spokes to "draft".
I call it my Hot Dog on a Stick Bike.

calamarichris

It might take a few years, but in the Information Age, eventually every patient man gets his Rosebud, or his heart's desire. I shopped Ebay and Craigslist for about 7 years before a kind soul on this very forum offered to sell it to me.
Prior to that, I lost an Ebay auction for one that wasn't even in as nice condition as the one I now have, so keep riding your other bike(s), keep checking, and be patient.

curbtender

Have you tried to disassemble it yet? Steel and aluminum tend to become fixed when left out.

jetboy 

IF you do decide its too big, I happen to be 6'2" and might be able to handle it though I have shorter legs so I prefer 60cm. I have various bikes and frames from 56-60cm if you want to trade.

my kg251 is 56cm for example (now just a frame-set) and the pinarello is 57cm (stripped down for repaint and repairs now). Id be willing to talk trades for either of those since they are in similar states of needing work (and also too small for me really)! I also have an extra ironman that is 59cm

if nothing else- you can bring it by my shop if you are in the city (near the panhandle) and i have tools etc- and industrial solvents if the stem and such are stuck. I have a soda blaster and large compressor if you end up having to strip the paint as well. its a process for sure.

gaucho777 

I may have underestimated a bit. I'm 5'11" and prefer bikes in the 56cm or 57cm range, though I have shortish legs (my legs want a 55cm frame, but my torso needs a 57cm). I have a couple 58cm bikes but that's about my limit. It *may* be possible for the OP to squeeze onto a 62cm, but I have serious doubts. Fwiw, I think top tube length is more important, but only to the point that standover height is acceptable. I guess my point is that if it doesn't fit, it's not likely to be worth investing in a professional restoration since those costs are not typically recoup when resold. @riciiko, before you take it apart, and decide on a course of action, try pumping up the tires and stand over the bike. Can you straddle it without hurting your balls? If not, do you really want to ride that bike on a daily basis, no matter how nice? Knowing this before you start work on the bike may influence your plans for the bike.