kelbype

Hi everyone. I'm new to posting here, but it has been an invaluable resource that helped me restore my first 2 bikes. An 84 Univega Gan Rally and an 85 Peugeot PSN10.
I've been hankering to restore an Ishiwata 022 frame and just recently picked up a 78 Trek TX 500 for $70. It has that beautiful deep blue paint that shows blue and purple flecks in the sunlight. Serial number E3E8B98. I believe from Vintage Treks that these were sold as a frame only. This bike came with Suntour Vx deraileurs, Sugino Maxy crank, Dia Compe G brakes.

First question is regarding the wheels. It came with mismatched wheels. Rear is a wheelmaster cassette hub, weinmann Rm19 rims, with 7 sp shimano sis. The front is a Nisi Du'Mondial rim with a un recognizable corroded shimano hub. I'm wanting to replace both but don't know where to start. Should I try and match the Nisi rim and get 2 matching hubs to lace myself? Or find a used wheelset that is late 70s early 80s specific? I'm not sure if that Nisi front rim was original or not.

I also wanted to replace the seatpost and seat and am not sure what the correct size is for this frame.

Cheers,


Working on my first 10 posts so I can upload pics!

Bruce27

I bought a TX500 just last month that I'm cleaning up. The seatpost on mine was 27.2mm. Good luck with the build.

OTS 

I have a new acquisition in the build stage as well.
Would like to see pics.
Mine is ice blue.
I can't decide on what parts to hang on it.
Was think Arabesque but then was thinking 600.
Can't decide.
Ugh

Mr. 66

I would go with a buying a wheelset, trying to find a match can be a daunting challenge.

trainman999

kelbype If you go to the vintage Trek site, and look at the 1977 and 1978.5 broshures, and scrool to the bottem, you can see what Trek equiped TX500 frames with. Good luck with your buiild, Wish mine was blue instead of black

The Golden Boy 

The data on the Vintage Trek site is fantastic. Reading here from former Trek employees is fantastic. When Trek was just a couple of guys making bikes in a shed on the railroad tracks in podunk Wisconsin- every bit counted. When you read that they brazed up bikes and didn't paint them until orders came in- so they wouldn't be sitting on a pile of green frames with cable guides, rack bosses and 2 bottle bosses when everyone was buying ice blue frames with only 1 bottle boss... So when you look at the price lists- remember that every braze on was money- and looking at them you think it's not a lot- but for every $10- that comes out to almost $50 in today's money.

If'n it were me, and I were to build up a 1978 TX500 as a sort of "period" build- and I could throw whatever money at it: I'd build the bike with Suntour Cyclone GT derailleurs, Simplex retrofriction shifters, Stronglight 99BIS triple crank (28/38/48), Sanshin high flange hubs on Super Champion rims- a 6 speed freewheel, Suntour Superbe brakes and levers, Avocet seat post with Avocet Touring II saddle. For non period pieces I'd use a Nitto Technomic stem with B177 bars. Among the very best parts you could get back in the day- with the modern cockpit choice

That's pretty much mostly how I have my TX700 built...

Bianchigirll 

Hello and Welcome to the forums!! If you upload pics to your albums we can see them and maybe someon will share them here for you.

kelbype

Okay awesome, thanks for that

kelbype

Yes I'm almost to my 10 posts! lol

kelbype

Thanks for the recommendations! And such a cool story of the Trek origins.

kelbype

Cool! I'd love to see a pic of yours. I cant tell if mine is Ice blue or med blue. There a a few little touch up spots that I was planning on getting some Testors model paint to touch up. Maybe I'll bring the frame in with me to the hobby shop haha.

kelbype

Yeah I've been searching those brochures. When I bought the bike originally I misread the serial number and though it was a 1978.5 Trek 510. That brochure shows the wheels. But the 1977 brochure doesn't show the TX 500 wheels.

kelbype

Chr0m0ly 

That's an awesome score.
The full Ishiwata frames are EXTREMELY nice, and the Bar end shifters are a great bonus! However you end up building up, I would absolutely keep the shifters.

brewerkz 

kelbype

I'm pretty excited! Yeah I love the bar end shifters.
My plan has always been to clean up the frame, do a scratch x wax and then touchup with some auto paint. But now I'm leaning towards repainting it. Unfortunately it looks like the previous owner sprayed some silver paint on the dropouts and end of the forks. I'm assuming that isn't original?? I haven't any Trek's with that paint style.

AdventureManCO 

Your bike, your rules! That said, the original Imron paint these came with is desirable, therefore if you can 'polish' off the silver at the ends, and use touch up paint, that's what I would try, to save the beauty of the original paint (if it turns out the paint is original). Repainting a bike can be laborious, time-consuming, and difficult. Repainting a bike well can be laborious, time-consuming, difficult, and extremely expensive. It is not something to take lightly unless you have previous experience or are in some sort of painting industry. I would only consider a repaint if the act of not repainting the bike had serious consequences for the integrity of the bike, i.e. addressing serious rust.

You've got a great base to start from. Why not tear it all down, polish up the frame paint, touch up the rusty spots w/ OA or evaporust and find a decent matching testers paint or nail polish, and see how she goes.

Don't know if it's been said already, but based on that serial number, according to Trek documentation, your frame is:

E - TX500
3 - 22.5" frame size
E - May build month
8 - Build year of 1978 likely
B98 - build run and number

Very nice machine you've got there.

Schreck83 

I second AdventureManCO’s suggestion. You should be able to remove the silver paint to reveal the Imron; just start with less aggressive cleaning agents and be careful with solvents. Your frame is medium blue - a great color!

Evaporust makes a gel product that is good for rusty spots on the frame and any chrome fittings. Toothbrushes and Q-tips are useful tools for cleaning the frame. Testor has a blue metallic color that is a close match for touch ups.

brewerkz 

I agree, I would try to remove the silver overspray, avoid a full repaint which is $700-800 range, or $200 if you powder coat. I would try an automotive Clay Bar kit first to remove the spray paint.

My 730 paint is not perfect, decided to leave it original

kelbype

Ha, Absolutely! Thanks for the reassurance. Repainting is my last resort, for all the reasons you mention! My main issue is that silver fade paint, I'll see what I can do to try and remove. I love the original paint color, it's what originally caught my eye when i saw it in the sunlight.

curbtender

Brass brush will help with the rust also. Looks like the drop out screws are missing. Nice project.

Rooney 

If the spray paint is just over the original paint, some acetone on a rag may be all you need to get it off. Good ventilation, and wear gloves.

bikemig 

Very neat bike. I rebuilt a 1979 trek 510 a few years back and it is a fine bike. I’d be tempted to buy a pair of 700c wheels from velomine.

sd5782 

Nice project and just my size and color too. It looks like you got it just in time to save it from further rust and deterioration. To me that is kinda a nice place to be as cleanup can really improve it but at the same time, a couple beauty marks aren’t out of place. I have a later 400 in 022 main tubes and it is very pleasant. I’m sure yours will be a nice rider.