led

First of all I'm no bike expert but am learning...

I had originally posted pictures and some questions on this bike in the 'What's it worth' category. I decided to attempt to restore it - it was covered with electrical tape, multiple layers of paint. But all the components present - mostly Campy if you look at my orig. post in other category. Now I've got most all the components off aside from stem which I can't seem to remove as yet and crankset. I wanted to get a feel for what was under all the muck so I stripped some of the paint in select areas.

It seems to me that the lugs were chromed -- when the lugs are chromed will the chrome sometimes extend out onto the tube under paint? I'm trying to figure out the extent of chroming but it's difficult. What is the usual on a bike this age? What I did uncover was a batch of Columbus logos etched or engraved into the tubes including fork. I guess Columbus is the common tube type or brand on mid-50s road bikes? You can see some rust on lugs and elsewhere. I've thought of rechroming some parts but read that it's cost prohibitive. What would you do given what you see here? This project is about fun and attempting to do right by an old bike. I'm not going to sell it and expect to end up spending a good bit of $ on it. I can't really tell what original colors were. I've thought of repainting in something like Italian azure. I have been able to clean up all the Campy componentry, brakes. The rims, hubs, etc are fine - just need a clean. If you want to see pics of this before I started taking things apart search under 'Magni' in the Classic and Vintage What's it worth category.

Thanks for any comments or advice. BTW, does anyone know the proper tool for getting locknut off the headset?

Luca

iab

They probably dipped the ends into the chroming solution. This will extend maybe an inch or two past the lugs. Strip the paint, don't use a blaster as it will scratch the chrome. I use the back side of a butter knife to scrape the rust off of the chrome. You will lose some chrome in this process but not as much if you don't remove the rust. Only you can decide if you want to rechrome. I wouldn't, I like patina, but that's me.

The tubing is likely Columbus SL.

You use a tool like a bottom bracket tool for the headset, only smaller. Hard to find but pretty easy to fabricate from some 0.125 plate steel.

Try to keep the paint thin and no flake or pearl as they were not available back in the day.

My patina lugs,

auchencrow

Very interesting project.

I would add that since you have not yet removed the fork, a clue to the original paint color could be waiting there for you, on the base of the steerer tube.

marley mission

ooh magni thread - i'm in - want to see more
my magni remains my stable favorite

you should be able to use a lockring tool like this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Park-Tool-HC...#ht_1862wt_952

randyjawa 

Nice bike with tons of potential. Good for you and welcome to the Bike Forums.

Stuck stems and seat posts always create a challenge. Resist the urge to twist and turn and bang things. That could lead to damage to the frame set itself, believe it or not. This is How I Remove a Stuck Stem or Seat Post.

I would build up that bike in a heart beat and it will prove to be a fun project. First, and this is really important, assemble the bicycle spending as little cash as possible. Don't waste a cent on appearance at first. The purpose of this build is to offer you the opportunity to ride the bicycle before starting to dump money into it. And why would you want to ride it first?

Because the frame set might not be true. Vintage road bikes are, at best, fragile and often times do not reach today still straight and true. A test ride will help determine if the frame and fork set are straight, or not.

Once satisfied that all is well, go ahead and restore the bike. That said, you might first want to ask yourself the question Should I Paint My Bike?


Bottom brackets, particularly the drive side cup, can be tough to remove. This is How I Rebuild a Bottom Bracket.

The same tool (ring wrench) I use to work on bottom brackets can be used to work on your head set...

led

Thanks for the replies. So I guess the consensus is that there wouldn't have been chrome other than at lugs on frame? How about near the drop outs or chain guard? Also, would correct tires be tubular? Is it easy to find appropriate tires? As per my post in the other forum - the hubs are Campagnolo and the rims say Rigida & Superchrom (sp?) - it's hard to read. Is it likely these are the original rims? The pedals are Trunk - likely original? Also the seat - it says "Frecia D'Oro". Just trying to figure out what is original. Here is a link to the other thread and pics before bike dismantled: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=magni

Thanks for the recommendation on tools and painting - good tip on steerer tube. And I'll check for bends, dents. Right now I've been stripping portions of the frame with regular paint stripper. No blasting. I'm using bronze wool, and bronze brush. I'd actually like to try hand painting it myself after all stripped.

Luca

iab

The back triangle could have been chromed. Chrome is durable stuff. If they did chrome it, there would be some remaining.

It likely had tubulars. You will never find vintage tubulars from the 50s but there are plenty of modern equivalents. Just search tubular in the title, you will get plenty of hits.

Rims are likely not original. You will want Fiamme or Ambrosio.

The pedals are actually "Tank" and they look original to me. Some citybike version was for sale a bit back. https://www.ebay.com/itm/320806301853...84.m1438.l2649

Seat is not original.

led

iab - thanks for the reply! I'm guessing correct period items may be hard to find. Any guess as to brand of seat and seat stem?

Luca

Snydermann

A note on patina, if I may.

I think patina works if it's equal across the whole project. Meaning, if the bike has new paint and new parts, patina on the lugs will just look out of place. One must be careful to not throw off the balance of the patina with the rest of the project, or else the patina just becomes damage.

led

The difficulty with this bike is that it had multiple layers of paint and tape (not just on handlebars). I want it to have a consistent paint scheme and so far don't know what the orig. color was. There is rust on the chrome in places. So, since I will paint this - what is the consensus on the chrome? Paint the chrome? Leave the chrome as is? Re-chrome if I can do it without breaking the bank? From what I hear re-chroming is too expensive to bother with. I'm not overly concerned with spending a bit of $ on this project though.

The parts on the bike will remain the original insofar as it concerns derailleurs, brake componentry, clips for cables, hubs, shifters. I have already cleaned up all these pieces and they look decent.

L

Snydermann

If this were my bike I'd have the lugs re-chromed. I might be tempted to go against my usual process and over-restore the bike by chroming the fork crown or more. Most of the cost in chrome plating is the prep work, if you can sand/clean/polish the lugwork yourself that may save a lot of money. Much of my decision would depend upon the proximity and availability of the chrome plater.

rhm

Did you get/fabricate the tool to open up the headset yet? If not, don't make any decisions about the paint yet. I'm hoping you'll find the original paint on the steerer tube, which will give you a clear idea of what needs to be done. Try polishing the chrome with Brasso (okay) or Simichrome (better), The rust will come off, but I won't speculate how good the chrome will look. I vote against rechroming anything. You can always do that in later years, but for now I'd do a somewhat minimal job ensuring that you can afford it and finish it.

Snydermann's remarks about patina are on target. But if you paint your frame yourself, with an eye to getting a period appropriate finish (unlike Dupont Imron, or powdercoat, &c) I assure you it will develop a patina quickly enough. If you want an enamel finish (which could look great), you can do it yourself with a brush. If you prep and prime it all properly, you can get a pretty durable finish.

A year ago I was working on this frame, and was impatient to get it rolling, so I cut some corners. The result is a rather fragile finish, which has turned into, well, a patina appropriate to the age of the bike.

led

There is one about an hour from me that I've corresponded a bit with (Hanlon Plating in Richmond). They say they have done old bike parts - how well who knows. I have no problem doing prepwork and there is no deadline. I understand platers generally aren't able to prep in some of the hard to reach corners or angles with their belts, wheels, etc. Maybe I could prep those areas sufficiently.

But, rechrome when I can't even replicate the original paint scheme or lettering?

L

led

rhm - very cool thread and pics. And some good points. I was going to clean up the chrome and then stop and evaluate. Since I was going to repaint anyway I was going to apply some naval jelly to the chrome to get rid of rust. I assume that will halt it? I realize it means some chrome with rust underneath may flake away but I'd rather get rid of the rust first and worry about appearance second. I'd also thought of Evapo-Rust (after reading about) for some of the removable parts - like handlebars. The handlebars have some good sized circles that have flaked away - they might be a re-chrome candidate. Or, since I don't see a maker mark - maybe I should find a period replacement in better order? The stem is ugly with rust too. It's a Nanni Torino. I kind of despair of finding another of those though.

iab

The post was probably a generic chromed steel dome-top post.

Italian saddles are tough to find. Period correct brands would be Italia, Record, FNI, Aquila, Super Rosa and Milano. I see them maybe once a year except now there are several.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SELLA-CUOIO-...item19cbd53de7
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SELLA-CUOIO-...item19cbd53849

I wouldn't get the Record though. They were a cheap saddle to begin with. The one on ebay is on its last legs. A Brooks with an oval stamp would also be OK.

led

Some good news - I managed to finally extract the stem. Also got the pedals and cranks off. Bad news - finally noticed (not sure why it took so long) that there is actually one Tank pedal and the other is not. So will have to search for a matching pedal. Also, noticed that one crank arm (left) is not Magistroni - the one with the mismatched pedal. The bottom bracket all says Magistroni. So I found another Magistroni crank as a replacement for the no-name but it's slightly longer, thicker than the original I have. Same logo though. Would this make a difference? Should I hold out for an exact match? I've found some paint in spots that seems a sort of metallic yellow or gold. I think it is original. Not sure if it covered the whole bike or just was for certain detail areas.

anixi

I've had great success with using a plumbing wrench, the strap type, in getting off stem bolts.

led

So I've essentially stripped all the layers of old paint off the frame and won't be long till I paint. On the fork it almost seems that it had silver colored paint (still has?)...it's hard for me to tell - I don't think the whole fork is chromed because if you look at the ends it seem that those are the only real chrome areas and have a different look than rest of fork - shinier and smoother. Do any of you concur? So I'm tending towards painting all the way down and only leaving the circular parts of the dropouts as chromed. Hope I'm making sense. Of course the lugs at top are chrome and will stay that way. This bike had multiple layers of paint and I'm still not certain what the orig. colors were - it may even have been stripped once before.



L

ftwelder

This bike is a real beauty. Congrats..