I found a Raleigh Super Grand Prix at the local thrift store for $13 with all of its original components in fair shape. One notable exception was a brake lever pin having been broken in one of the brake levers so I dug another pair of period correct levers from my old part boxes. The rims were in poor shape as well but considering the age of the bike (1980 + or - a year) that was to be expected. I put some wheels on the bike to try it out before I started restoring it and found it a very nice riding bike! If some custom frame builder were making one just to fit me this would be it. I was going to restore it period correct but after riding it a while now I want to leave the wheels I have on it with Shimano 105 hubs and Titan rims and change out all the other components to modern parts and use it as a daily rider. I do plan on retaining the SunTour Bar-End shifters but I will have new brake levers, handlebar, Crank, and rear derailleur. Is this heresy on my part? Would the local retro grouch group ostracize me? I will be painting the frame and printing up new decals in any case.

I've done the same thing with a couple of bikes and really enjoyed the results. If you were going to take a showroom fresh, highly collectable bike and cut off the cable guides to make a clown bike, I'd have to say something.

We wouldn't ostracize you, that's for sure! It's nice to build period correct bikes, but it's also nice to see old frames used everyday, and if for you that means modern stuff, go for it!

It sounds like a great project but I wouldn't go overboard, the 105 level would be perfect for this bike. Dura Ace would be overkill and a waste of money. What colour are you going with? I like that blue a lot, it looks great with the chrome.

I have a 1975 schwinn continental with aluminum side pull brakes and 21 speeds and a sella prema seat and aluminum wheels . some times mixing can turn out cool and it rides nice too

I have played it both ways; I am keeping the 1960 Capo pretty much all-original, except for modern brake pads and clincher tires, but I have updated the 1959 with 1970s vintage saddle and crankset, plus circa 1980 wheels and derailleurs. I concur with your decision to keep the barcons; I am delighted with the set I put on my UO-8, and they let you stay retro while keeping both hands on the bars for safety.

I built up a 1983 Trek 720 this summer with modern components and it is the bike I have ridden the most from July through now, about 2200 miles. So I would say that if with modern components the bike is more likely to be ridden, then update it.

Sounds like fun.

I say upgrade if it makes you happy and makes the bike more fun to ride. I just finished a 1981 Trek 710 that i have a mix of upgraded (i.e.new) and orignal parts and I really am enjoying it. For me part of the fun with bikes is the personal expression the afford. Enjoy!

Upgrade!
I'm nearing the end of a complete overhaul of an old peugeot using new bits, so my position is pretty clear.
Someone should start a photo thread about old bikes with new equipment.

Here's how I got it setup now. Da-compe side pull calipers and Brake levers. I hated the old brake levers with the integrated safety levers. I had an old Shimano SIS 7 clamp on rear derailleur so I tried that and it works perfectly with the original Sun Tour bar end shifters. The front derailleur works fine as well. I am retaining the Raleigh crank as it functions very well and I like the integrated chain guard. Why cant they make cool chain guard cranks like this anymore? I also retained the handlebar with its deep drop. I put a real saddle on it as well. My LBS opens Tuesday so I will drop by and get some cheap bar tape for the handlebar. I don’t plan on painting until the weather gets warm enough for the paint to properly cure, which requires temps above 60 degrees. Talking about paint, I dropped by a body shop with it and they matched very close to Ford metallic blue. That’s available in a rattle can at the local auto parts store so that’s what I am going to paint it with. The guy at the body shop told me how to make new decals. Just take digital camera and make a wood frame for it so I can accurately hold the camera the exact same distance from the tube while taking several pictures of each decal. Import the pictures into a graphics program like Photoshop and stitch the pictures together so you get a flat image from several pictures taken from the decal rotating around the tubing. Test print the decal on cheap paper until you have the image the correct size and print it on decal paper.
Here is the bike now with its mix of old and new.

Tell the guy at the body shop to come over and show you how it's done; he's full of theoretical knowledge (more commonly referred to as hot air). If only it were that simple. Hey -- take a whack at it though; that's how I started. If it quits being fun, go check out www.velographicdecals.com, and drop me an e-mail.

I've posted this pic a couple of times before. To me, it is a great example of how nice a classic bike can look with some new components on it.

jet sanchEz: Although I am not a fan of either reduced spoke counts or brifters, I think your Benotto looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing.

Hehehe, whoops, I should have mentioned that this is not mine, it is a photo from Classic Rendezvous. I do have a Ciocc that has mordern componentry on it, a full 105 group. I shall try to get a picture of it soon.

Do you know the story on that stem? It looks very nice.

I think that's a Cinelli model of one sort or another. I've seen a few of them on ebay (or at least something simular), but not very often.

I have an early 80's Gazelle that I've now upgraded the brakes and brake levers to modern Campy / Campy knock off designs, the drive train is late 80's-early 90's era. Rides great and I can go all day long on it.

Lots of great deals on Centaur cranks and Veloce bottom brackets now.

I've just picked up my third set at about 30 bucks for the crank and $15 for the BB.

I thought you'd never ask.

Check out my '87 Bianchi SL with '06 Veloce. The current 9 speed wheels I had on hand will eventually give way to a set of silver 9 speed Open Pro's. She's a very sweet ride.

Click on link below.

I just built a fixed gear out of a Medici Gran Tursimo. Rare, and probably worth more than the $35 I paid for it. I sprayed it black and I'll probably have a bunch of first graders put some color on it for me.

But I left the frame intact so that if I wanted to, some day in the future restore it with original campy bits, I can.

Ha, I was just thinking I need to quit fooling around with these small diameter Schwinns and Ross' so I can build up something around a stem like the one on that Benetto. Sweet bike!

I used to like those cranks, until my low-mileage left Veloce crank began to crack at the spindle eye.

Ouch! I'll keep my eye on that.

Ok, here's an issue -- putting a modern front derailleur on a classic steel frame. The only Campy 10 speed front with a 28.6 mm clamp is a Record, evidently. But it looks like DuraAce, Ultegra, 105 are also available in that diameter from Shimano. Be interested to learn how others have dealt with the issue.

rmikkelsen: you could get a braze-on FD and a clamp for braze-on-less frames. I bet they have them at loosescrews.com.