Help Identifying/Restoring Vintage Razesa?
 

My housemate got this bike from a friend and I am considering buying it off of him to build up as my around-towner / fast bike. I have a few questions about it, first in terms of trying to identify it and figure out what a fair price is and second in terms of how to do the restoration. Since I know you love these things (i hope!) let's start with the pictures. As you can see it needs some serious work but the rust doesn't seem to be endangering the integrity of the frame, just munching on the chrome:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...ike%20full.jpg
There's some serious frankenbikeness going on, including campy 6 speed brifters (one now) going to shimano 600 RD w/ campy wheel

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...0/crankset.jpg
I don't know anything about identifying campy. Anyone know what gruppo this is? FD is also campy.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlinkhttp://lh6.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...s720/brake.jpg
Ditto?
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlinkhttp://lh5.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...20/dropout.jpg

I love the lugwork. The fork is some junk hi-ten, not original. Bars are cinelli
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...2/headtube.jpg
More campy. Same gruppo? There's only a rear wheel, no front. It's 700C
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc.../rearwheel.jpg
Nice seatpost. You can see some of the rust damage up close here.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...stlugsbest.jpg

I had a hard time getting a shot of the tubing label but I was hoping someone might recognize it as I have no idea what it could be, as I understood from other posts most Razesa bikes with campy would have had Columbus tubing, but that doesn't look anything like a columbus label. Almost looks like it says 'NORWAY SPECIAL TUBING' Any ideas?
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_wRlNOwxGYNU/Sc...tubinglogo.jpg
So that's the bike. I'm trying to figure out anything I can about it: what the campy components are, estimate on year, tubing type, value, etc. Any information would be appreciated.

I'm also not sure what to do in terms of restoration. I was going to strip the frame but not sure how to clean so much rust off of some of the chrome. My usual method is simple green and steel wool, but would that be too harsh on this? Also, I think from a previous post I read on Razesa they probably used a type of painting where the whole frame is chromed and then painted over with a sort of semi-clear gloss thing? Does this sound right, and if so does anyone have an idea how to try and clean/ repair/ possibly repaint it? I'm not sure if I want to get that involved in the project although I'm considering it because I really like the welding and lugwork on the frame and internal routing for the rear brake cable is pretty neat.

Thanks for reading this, sorry it's so long!

EDIT: Pics fixed

this is my Razesa that was changed to a s/s. tubing that was used was slx columbus tubing and with campy it was one of the higher end models. they were made in spain and most came with campy, or simplex in the 70's to 80's.

Mine also had chrome chain stays,fork and lugs and i had it re-painted over in the 80's when neon colors were popular they ride good and inmo are worth the money to refurbish


http://http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...52/bike005.jpg

Better ppl than me in this forum will tell you all about it,but as far as I,m concerned,I would grab it and run !

Chromovelato is what I was trying to think of. I think the bike has this finish as it seems extremely shiny where the finish is gone and it's peeling in a way that I haven't seen paint do. If this seems correct, does anyone know how to remove it, or at least clean and touch it up?

All the Campagnolo bits are Triomphe.

-Kurt

I don't see any signs of damage to the frame, but replacement fork and no front wheel scream "I've been in a front end collision." Make sure you examine the undersides of the top tube and down tube for any sign of frame damage.

Nice bike though! Would make a very cool rider.

That's a really good point, I hadn't even thought of that. I will double check.
Incidentally, what's the bike in the picture of your signature? It looks almost identical to a Gitane Tour de France that I built for my girlfriend, even down to the color scheme- same hue of blue, white saddle, white bar tape, etc. If you couldn't tell - I like your bike!

The tubing label has the sprocket with the big "R", which is the Razesa logo. Maybe some proprietary tubeset?
Given the chrome, fancy lugs and Triomphe group, it most likely is upper end. The swoop stripes on the top tube kinda says later 80's, mayby nineties?

Add Zeus to likely component groups for a restoration.

The lugs and seat cluster is unlike the handful of Razesa's I've seen.

I have an early eighties, which is, well, awesome.

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image.../ontheroad.jpg

Cranks and brakes hub, & seatpost appear to be Campy Victory ^h^h^h^h^h^h^h make that Triomphe.

Looks like there's paint missing in the telltale places (top of each tube, behind the head lugs). Hard to tell from the picture, but the top and down tubes might be bent. Check for any kinking under the tubes where they join the lugs.

Wow! An oxalic acid bath is doing great things for this frame. I think once all the rust comes off I'm going to strip the whole bike down to the chrome... Pics to come soon. If anyone knows a way to strip cromovelato, let me know :)

Oh, and I checked pretty carefully around the welds with the headtube - doesn't look like there's any damage to the frame so I think it's all set. Thanks for the warning.