Good day to save some frames, and a realization
 

Snowed today in Portland. Didn't stick, but no use getting outside to ride when [MENTION=111144]Andy_K[/MENTION] wants to drag me out tomorrow in chilly sunlight.

So, time to do some long needed frame saving.

First, A 3 legged Raleigh International. Really good chrome, everything is fantastic for a vintage frame, but one of the fork dropouts is missing. Luckily I have a Campy one from another build (from a [MENTION=45088]nlerner[/MENTION]'s repair job), so it was used.

The frame. Looks good, right?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1652/2...f670bd41_b.jpg

Look closer:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1616/2...801c78e2_b.jpg

Fix is in:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4662/2...8243d927_b.jpg

Andy will deal with the rechroming, it was part of a 3-way trade. I think I get the draft rights to a future vintage pick in 2020, but it depends on a some complicated formula that Andy has figured out.

The next one is interesting. Some idjit fixie hipster hacked off the derailleur hanger for what I thought was a beautiful Atala:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1552/2...53f5ef3a_b.jpg

This is a fairly easy fix. I used a donor derailleur hanger, filed both sides flat, jigged it up. cleaned, fluxed, and brazed:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4716/3...9f29297a_b.jpg

But wait a minute. The seatpost size is odd:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4700/3...3b1d094d_b.jpg

Fishmout stay ends on an Itie bike?

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4663/3...e2098925_b.jpg

Quick check:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4703/3...58719e70_b.jpg

Uh, think we've got a STELLA here, not an ATALA!

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4698/2...0ef33ebd_b.jpg

Doh!

Great work.

Is there a story behind the missing fork dropout, or is that how you received it?

Also, agreed on the nice work.

You know, I think you're right.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/dow....php?id=312219

Definitely nice work on both. I can't wait to see them in person.

I like the kinda guy who wakes up and says to himself, "It's a good day to save frames."

:)

Nice save on the rear derailleur hanger.

Nice work, [MENTION=381793]gugie[/MENTION]! Years back I had a Raleigh SuperCourse Mk II frameset that had one of its fork dropouts fall off while I was trying to use the front end as leverage to get a stuck stem out. The dropout seemed to have very little brazing material on it, but enough to hold on for 40 years. Chris Igleheart repaired it for me when he was still in the Boston area.

STELLA!!!

Cool work, and looks like a nice frame anyway.

It coulda been a contenda'....... Wait one it is definitely a contender. Nice work Gugie, points from here for saving an International from hanging on a wall somewhere.

Bill

I was looking for some intense inside tube spray action.

Nice work though.

Well, the two frames are related.

I was perusing Portland's big co-op website, they used to have pictures of used frames for sale. I found the International which looked damn near pristine for $75, called, found they still had it, and rushed in. When they pulled it down from the ceiling hooks my heart sank. When I saw that everything else on the frame was in great condition, I decided to take it anyways, figuring I could fix them some day. Right next to it on the row of misfit frames was the Atala, er, Stella. For another $75 it was mine. They'd been languishing in my shop for some time. Luckily I know someone who has a soft heart for 57 cm frames...

Yep, the Worksop lads seemed to have a quota on brass on some of these...

Nice work!
Thanks for saving them.

I sold those Stellas "back in the day." Very nice bikes.
Brent

Showing me these fixes is not a good thing, and I have a problem for 57cm frames.

To much for a guy that has a couple of local bike coops.:innocent:

Yep. Pretty much every time I visit the Atelier and peruse fram s hanging there the chrome lugs on these beauties draws my attention and I ask about what it would take to get them on the road. Then the three way trade came up and we struck a deal for the International. There may still be a utility infielder and a player to be named later in that swap.

I also came across this from [MENTION=168558]Drillium Dude[/MENTION]'s post on a Bob Freeman "Show and Ride" last year:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4293/3...ca802b2b_b.jpg

You know, for a French bike these things had awfully little curl in the fork.

Man, if I could get you and [MENTION=111144]Andy_K[/MENTION] in l'atelier at the same time, I could start a bidding war...

I assume you guys saw the Stella that [MENTION=8403]ollo_ollo[/MENTION] is restoring. These things seem to be coming out of the bushes these last few months!

I thought long and hard about buying that from the owner and having @gugie convert it to 650B. In the end, we couldn't agree on a price. As soon as I saw the overly long fork stiffening tang in his pic in the original post, I knew it was a Stella. That was a neat save.

Great work, too, on the International. I was wondering if the existing chrome would cause issues with re-brazing the dropout in the fork, but I guess not. Gives me even more confidence in letting the torch-master modify my project frame :)

DD

Great saves. When you are ready to try your hand at top tube replacement, I have a Davidson ready to go.

I'll start the bidding, 2 crusty mtbs and a Raleigh 20...

Oh no! It's a Stella! Looks like [MENTION=381793]gugie[/MENTION] will have to redo the repair with a proper Huret hanger. ;)

It wouldn't be the first time he's mixed dropout brands in a repair like this.

The front dropouts were Campy. The rear doesn't seem to have any branding but looks like Campy.

I was trying to figure out what he has that you might trade that Bianchi for.

Yes, they are. First time I've ever seen one up close and personal. Very well made, excellent chrome. When I saw it hanging from the ceiling at Community Cycle Center, it upset me that some idjit hacked off the hanger. Why? Why? Why? It's like going to the dog pound and finding a mutt with great personality, just needing a forever home...

Thanks! Chrome melts at a higher temperature than silver alloy used for brazing. Heat it hot and the surface will oxidize and get colored, unless you can keep oxygen away from it. Lots of flux does the trick.

And thank you! I can't wrap my mind around replacing a top tube.

[MENTION=111144]Andy_K[/MENTION], what's your counter? Don't mind the fact that we don't know what we're bidding on...

Something I thought of after the fact!

Can I pick the brains of the Stella experts among us?

This is a curious beast. It's a dead ringer for the first bike I pictured above (at this link). That bike has French decals describing Columbus tubing ("jeux de tubes en acier special" and "fourreaux Columbus"). The Stella that gugie repaired has metric sized tubes, but the steerer does have the telltale Columbus rifling. The fork is very slightly lighter than the Raleigh fork, but the frame on the Stella is about half a pound heavier.

Any ideas what this is? Tubing? Year? Model?

Good job on the hanger restore Mark. Now that you touched a Frenchy frame, are you infected enough to move on to that classy Rochet that's hanging around the corner?

Andy, Vertyg says the 70 series stellas used Columbus SP, 1.0 mm ends and .7 mm body. Mine has those same lugs, but they aren't chromed and my lesser (probably Durifort) non-Columbus fork didn't get the long re-enforcement tang on the inside of its leg. Mine does have Campagnolo dropouts front & rear though. So I have just Columbus "Tre=Tubi" main frame, so got the triangle decal while the full Columbus frame sets have a rectangular Columbus decal on the seat tube plus the little, oval Columbus decals on the fork legs.

I sense we need a "French Bike" gathering: Bastille Day, (July 14), is on a Saturday this year, would that be a good day? I'm going to sound out some locals to see if there is a low or no cost gathering spot in or near Salem. Don

another Stella
 

I'll post a couple of pictures of my '73 for comparison. I bought it used in 1977 and had lots of braze-ons added and repainted (it was a light sky blue) not too long after that. It served as my college bike and is the bike I toured across the country with. It has many of the earmarks of the subject Stella bike: wrap around seat-stay cluster, really long fork crown tangs, main tubes Columbus, Campy dropouts. Mine has heart shaped cutouts on the lugs though. I have the rectangular Columbus sticker but I think to be more correct I should switch to the triangular 3 tube version, will have to track that one down.

My older brother turned me onto the brand when he brought one home from school in Santa Barbara. I knew little about bikes then. It hasn't been since the advent of the interwebs that I learned anything about the brand. I've always assumed mine is an SX-76 model as the catalog indicates Campy/Columbus. I'll be riding it at the Eroica California ride, hope to see many of you there.

Thanks! That classy Rochet needs motivation. It's a long term project. Needs some parts rechromed, and probably a fancy paint job. I've already collected most of the bits, as well as most of the decals.

Bastille Day ride? Might dry out and warm up by then. Sounds like a plan!

Bastille day ride is a great idea. :thumb:

What about French decaleur day West? :rolleyes: