A return from the dead..
 

Few years ago I bought a nice miele, ended up putting 8sp shimano sti on it.. as seen here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/...f92e2733_z.jpg

The following winter I used it on the trainer, and I guess I didn't thoroughly grease the stem and found it got seized in the steerer from all the sweat. Tried getting it out, but had no luck and ended up chopping the stem to free the fork, "how hard can it be to get ahold of a simple fork again?" turned out pretty hard, over a year of searching I finally found something, pretty similiar to what I had on there, only no chrome, just a tange fork. Sacrificed from a steve bauer, I stripped the blue paint on it, so I'm gonna paint it, probably black since I doubt I could ever match that pink.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/...4c594cd8_b.jpg

I'm gonna try to go as eccentric build wise as possible, I'm gonna build around the favorit rear derailleur I found, probably going to use suntour barcons, gold edco competition headset, and who knows what else for the rest!

I'm confused. Didn't you sacrifice the stem for the fork?

I suppose so, I also sacrificed some hacksaw blade, and some burnt calories, and who knows what other changes I ultimately bestowed upon the earth from the time I took to cut it out ala butterfly effect!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2669/...b10ffb46_b.jpg

A little progress. My gold Edco headset turned out to be french thread, damnn.. second choice was a shimano 600 AX (with the silly special wrench nuts), but the stack height was too great, only one that could work is a basic steel tange.

Other parts:
1st gen dura ace FD
Favorit RD
Gold galli calipers
Arius Gran Carrera Special saddle
SR stem/Bars (road champion)
American classic pillar.

Not sure what to use for wheels, I might use that rear one in the photo though as its my only FW hub, and I doubt the favorit derailleur can move across an 8sp.
Aero levers arent really my choice, I just don't have any classic levers for some reason.

While I was taking the photo some random person yelled questioning if it was for sale.

What did you do with the old fork???

I would liek to know that too. I would have it upended in a dish full of penatrating oil or ameona and then tapping the bottom of the stem every day or so.

I amsume (yes I know) Divine sut the stem just above the HS and not through the HS. that may make him DivineandNOTSOBright

I attempted to sorta hacksaw slits down the stem like people often try with stuck seat posts, but the neck of the stem was really long. I then attempted to drill, and I eventually found the drill bit going through the threads of the steerer at some point. The thing to do would of been to soak the steerer tube in some lye and let that eat the aluminum stem remnants, but if you can find lye in Canada I wouldn't know where to begin to look.

Sorry, we try to save and enjoy our bikes but sometimes destiny is not our friend. Find a nice place to hang it on the wall in the garage, garage art.

Why?

Soaking the fork in heated oil or parts washing solution would have probably have broken that loose. Sounds like you butchered it.

Ive dealt with a number of stuck posts and stems and any type of penetrating oil does nothing, I remember I soaked one for a good month before, when it becomes corroded together oil does nothing, at that point you've got to actually attack it with something caustic. I'm sure if I had more patience I could of found a way eventually, but it just wasnt worth it in my mind, and I don't really regret it, I'm not a fan of chrome oddly enough, I like chromed tips, but the stays woulda have to been chromed too.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3469/...2d6cc802_z.jpg

Been done for a while, but finally got around to wrapping the bars. Silver would of looked great for bar tape I think, but I think Fizik is the only vintage friendly looking bar tape available in the silver I was thinking, but I can't get ahold of it anywhere but eBay, and with a postal strike looming who knows if I'd ever see it in the mail. Its no light weight around the 24# mark, but the ride is beautiful!

CRANKSET: Shimano 600 Arabesque 53/44
BB: Sugino
SHIFTERS: SunTour Barcons
REAR DERAILLEUR: SunTour Cyclone (1st Gen)
FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano Dura Ace (1st Gen)
PEDALS: Kyokoto Pro Ace (Christophe clips and straps)
BARS: Sakae Road Champion
STEM: SR (80MM)
HEADSET: Tange
BRAKE LEVERS: Galli Super Criterium (gold anodized)
BRAKE CALIPERS: Galli Super Criterium (gold anodized)
RIMS: Ambrosia Elite Extra
HUBS: Gipiemme Sprint (front) 36h, Shimano (rear) 36h
SADDLE: Arius Gran Carerra Special
SEAT PILLAR: American Classic 27.2

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3556/...48b5c54d_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3451/...7b8c7868_b.jpg
my favorite piece on it..

If you still have the fork you can buy lye crystals at any home hardware in the province AFAIK. It's not uncommon stuff or banned. If you're close to Kitchener I would be glad to dissolve the stem for you in my bucket 'o lye.

Nice. I had a Miele for a short time. It was a nice bike, but I already own a pink bike..

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...t/IMG_4783.jpg