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Built May 1978 at the Carlton works in Worksop. Color and downtube decal look right for a '78 Grand Prix mixte. I could be persuaded to take it off your hands unless you really wanted to do something artsy-fartsy with it. Biggest favor you can do any '78 GP is to tone down the decalery; those stock ones will make any paint job look bad.

Yeah, you should'nt have let it rot on the yard. Take it inside, beg for its forgiveness, and fix that baby up, regardless of its pedigree. It could still be a beautiful bike once again.

Thanks Mike.

Those derailers are, in fact, rebadged Suntour Vx, and the crankset a rebranded SR/Sakae. Not my cup of tea when it comes to componentry.

Do it a favor and put some dropbars or North Roads on it.

Take care,

-Kurt

As I recall, the '78s had a nice looking crested stem, too. Nothing special, just distinctive.

Geezzz, Kurt, why is that?
I really like the late '70s Sun Tour V DRs and barcons. You can't go much better for friction gear.
I sold a Super GP to a young mook who wanted to build it as a fixie. I pulled off the wheelset, DRs, shifters, and cabling, charged him for the labor, kept the parts, and he anted up with no complaints.
Go figure.
Top

I don't mind the barcons, Top, but I don't care for the reverse-action FDs (requires too much effort to downshift them), and I've yet to find a V-series rear derailer that has a nice, smooth action to it. I'd much rather hook up a later Suntour derailer from the Accushift era to the same levers.

-Kurt

I DO like the 'reverse action' FDs, and have them on both of my road bikes, as they work the same way as the RDs.
I first encountered the V series DRs in the mid-seventies when I swopped out the plastic Simplex Prestige on my Atala. I guess it's what you're use to. I've used the V luxe, V GT, and V GT luxe over the years, and the Atala still wears a V luxe/Compe DR set-up.
I'm playing around with making my Gazelle-made GP a fixie, but if I stay true to my cause I'll most likely mount up the Sun Tour Drs I salvaged off the Super GP.
I just don't get enough campy stuff though the dump to have an opinion......:D
Enjoy riding in the sun (bastard!).
Top

Oh, I don't contest that the reverse-action isn't convinent, for it is (wonder if they'd work on a triple, incedentally).

I would only wish that Suntour had made a higher-quality variant of it. I find that the existing cheap-o models have a tendency to dump the chain off the crankset when shifting back onto the big ring, no matter how well they're adjusted.

Once I get my fill of Campagnolo - that is, when I finish building up my Victory, NR and SR grouppos - I might let some of my remaining Campagnolo spares go cheap to the forum members here.

Take care,

-Kurt

For the record, I did very successfully use a normal-high SunTour front derailleur with a third-step triple (49-46-43 / 13-16-19-23-26; check out that 14-ratio (sans large-large crossing) progression in an Excel spreadsheet!) on my first Capo. I transferred it to my first UO-8 commuter, with 52-42 / 16-18-21-24-26 gearing. They really aren't bad, but I have since gravitated back to normal-low fronts, and I am particularly partial to Campagnolo Records and SunTour Cyclones.

This is mixte abuse!

If I squint hard does it turn into a red mixte :D ? Or is it really that brown colour?

Let Mhendricks have it, he will nurture it back to health.

Mike, did you rescue that poor pile of parts and turn it back into a real mixte? I don't see the advert on CL anymore...

East Hill

Another example of SunTour FD adaptability: I was able to adjust a SunTour Seven FD to operate the Stronglight triple on a Motobecane Grand Touring bike when the original dr wore out. Wrench in my LBS was duly impressed when he noticed my setup. You never know what will work unless you try it. Don

So sorry! I promise to restore it to ridable soon!

And YES, it's an ugly brown color. BUT, ...I can FIX that!;)

Aaaaww, I couldn't do that! Then I wouldn't have a Nottingham mixte in the stables!:rolleyes:

But maybe......some day!:)

Oh, all right then.

Red! Red is good!

Today there are two mixtes on the Portland CL. One is for a silver Stella, and the other is for a reddish brown Marquis. No red mixtes. No mixtes on the Vancouver CL. No mixtes on Seattle CL either :( .

East Hill

Psssssst.....hey..... buddy.......

Paint it red. I hear there's a lady up north of us that'll pay crazy money for a red one...... :D

^^^^^^^
True dat!

East Hill

Seriously - paint it some cool two-tone color combo. Maybe cream and sky blue or cream and lavender. No decals, just the head badge. Polish up the bright bits, re-string it with new cables/housings, and put new 27x1" tires on it.

You'll have folks fighting in your yard to buy it.......

Cream and sky blue...that's a nice thought. I still need a red mixte, though. With drop handlebars.

My husband (that nice Mr. East Hill) was looking over my shoulder this morning when I was reviewing the Stella from the Portland CL, and asked,"Are we going to buy that?"

:D :D :D He's a good man, my Mr. East Hill.

East Hill

I have a white San Tropez mixtie frame if any one wants it just come pick it up in lancaster pa

Not if you don't tell us.:p

Red? Red would be good. I've been hoping to try one of my "bowling ball" techniques with the Sikkens paint to see how it does. Maybe I'll try it on the mixte.:D

And I'll probably do lettering, as opposed to decals. Just cuz.

BTW, what kind of crazy money are we talking?

(I cooould just paint hers red!);)

A lovely scarlet colour would be brilliant. I've never thought about a custom Dr. Deltron job, though. I'll send a PM later after I mull that over. I did notice that your garden ornament appeared to have a chrome fork on the front.

Bigger photos are necessary!

East Hill

Tell me more....

You still won't; that one was built in Worksop.

Aaaw shucks, ...the headbadge says Nottingham.:p