SB_Greg 

Yesterday I drove about an hour north and purchased a hard luck case 1977-1979 (based on headbadge--the serial number plate has been removed) Peugeot PX10. The bad news is the right chrome fork has rust damage and the frame has been resprayed black (originally white). The good news is it is my size and it came with a number of perks including a Simplex seat post (anyone know what kind this is?), a drillium version of a Stronglight 49D crankset, Zeus pedals, gold anodized Mafac brake calipers, and a few other tidbits of interest. I also got it for $50.00. I will soak the frame and a few other parts in a rust bath. I tried to use nail polish to remove some of the spray paint to no effect. I have some stronger acetone at work I will try and if that doesn't work I will have to come up with some other plan for the finish. It could be I will turn this into some kind of a commuter.


As purchased


disassembled


1977-1979 headbadge


I bought the bike for this crankset and it will shine up nicely.


I love these!


Anyone know what kind of Simplex seat post this is?


You know you are in for it when the freewheel looks like this!

noobinsf 

That's not a 49d, but instead a model 105. I had one a few years back that I turned into wall art due to a hairline crack, and I recall that member @verktyg had the same issue with a detailed write up on Flickr. I'm sure millions of others were fine -- just check to be sure.

TenGrainBread 

The seatpost is an SLJ (Super LJ). Yours looks like the steel version with the black/gold label. There was also a blue label version, and a version made with an aluminum post. Not sure what the difference in labels indicates.

bikemig 

I would have bought that bike for $50 as it's my size as well but that's a heck of a project.

SB_Greg 

I know right? It’s tempting to derust the frame and stick it in the attic and use the cool parts for other projects. I dunno what I’ll end up doing.

SB_Greg 

Right you are! First one I have handled. Cool!

KenNC

I'll bet the rust on the fork is superficial and it will clean up just fine. Then, since it was white, I'd be inclined to strip and prime and paint with rustoleum, and add some reproduction decals. A minimum investment in the frame, and then you can decide what you want to do with it! Not sure about that freewheel, but I restored a PX10 with that type of seatpost, and my seatpost was in worse shape than yours--yet it cleaned up just fine!

Surely there are some better screws for that head badge at your local hardware store....

SB_Greg 

Yeah there is gonna be some pitting

But it is tempting to attempt a restore instead of a restomod.

verktyg 

A fully painted frame that should have chrome plating, especially on the "socks" - the lower parts of the forks and stays - is frequently an indicator that the chrome was rusted.

That's one reason you see a lot of frames like early 70's Gitanes that are fully repainted but should have been partially chromed.

To rechrome the frame and forks requires that the old chrome be electrochemically stripped - that's after the paint has been stripped.

After that, the pits in the surface caused by corrosion will have to be polished out before re-chroming. That gets VERY expensive.

Me and many other's opinion is that those kinds of expensive procedures should be reserved for rare high end frames or one that the owner is sentimentally attachment to. You could be looking at over $1000 in frame work for a complete bike that in mint condition may only be worth $600-$800.

I'd remove the rust, rattle can spray it and ride it.

I repainted several frames myself back in the 70's but since then I've only had one repainted.

I took a frame to a local painter to have one of the chain stays resprayed. He messed it up so did a complete repaint including stripping the old paint and restriping the lugs for a reduced price.

So now I have a 1973 Gitane Super Corsa frame that cost me ~$250 plus $300 for the repaint and $50 for the decals - $600 - that's now worth.... $250!

verktyg

SB_Greg 

Thats my plan. Think I’ll try matte black using this Spraybike stuff then get some reprodecals.

Its in the rust bath now!

SB_Greg 

As I am cleaning off the crankset I can see traces of gold anodization (like the brake calipers) left on the chain rings. I wonder if the crank arms were also once gold anodized.

Giuanin

Only the teeth (on several Stronglight/Spidel 107).

SB_Greg 

Out of the rust bath and looking pretty good. Some pitting to the right fork but much better than expected. Crankset polishes and reassembled and real purdy.


Before


After

SB_Greg 

Sanded, primed, and painted with a black matte by Spraybike. Stem polished up. Bought some bar end shifters. Also pulling the mafac brake levers and hoods off another px10 build of mine that was too big. Reassembly soon as I can get some wheels I like.

scozim 

I'm not usually a matte paint fan - but I like the look of that, alot.

verktyg 

WOW!

Turned out great! I like the chrome showing through the flat black paint on the fork crown. The chrome socks look great too.

verktyg

bikemig 

This is a cool bike. The stronglight 93 is just a beautiful crank. I'm rebuilding a 1982 PKN 10 which is in very good shape--other than some issues with the rear derailleur and a few other small issues--but I like the look of the older PX 10s a lot.

SB_Greg 

So should I get decals or leave it plain?

Aubergine 

To my eye that flat black needs a little color to perk it up. So I would add at least some decals.

The_Joe 

What's your technique for polishing? That stem came out great!

Jesse B 

Decals! I think they'd look awesome on that matte finish.

verktyg 

Bigmig,

Those are 1st generation Stronglight 105bis cranks. The "bis" addition indicated drillium chainrings. They're the same 122mm BCD as the Mod. 93 cranks. The 105 "ter" version had black anodized chainrings.

105 Cranks, 1st generation with STRONGLIGHT forged into the flutes.



105bis cranks with drillium chainrings and a Spidel sticker.



2nd generation 105bis cranks stamped Spidel instead of Stronglight. The crank arms were fluted front and rear.



Classic polished aluminum Mod 93 cranks.



BITD I had mixed feelings about the then new 105 cranks. On one hand they had a more stylish design with rounded edges plus they were anodized. On the other I liked and still like the polished aluminum 93 cranks.

When the "bis" drillium chainrings came along I changed my mind. The second generation 105bis cranks were even more likeable.

verktyg

vintagerando 

@verktyg In the above photo of the Mod 93 cranks, you mentioned they are "polished". How do you get them to look this good? What do you use?

SB_Greg 

I’ll give aluminum parts a good scrub with 0000 grade steel wool. Then I use 1000 then 2000 then 3000 grade sand paper with mother mag wipe downs in between every stage. Then I’ll end with several rounds of Mothers Mag.

vintagerando 

Doesn't the steel wool remove the finish?