My LBS called me yesterday to see if I was interested in a bike that had come in that someone was trying to get rid of.

It is a 1983 Lotus Competition but not all original, unfortunately broken lug where the head tube and the top tube meet, the tube is OK from casual inspection but the lug broke through, rest of the frame looks good. It's probably a 58-60 cm frame, not that it matters now.

They called me because the rest of the bike is in good condition, even the paint on the rest of the frame is good, it has been kept up nicely, owner has had it for a long time, apparently the lug broke while riding without any particular crash, so it must have been fatigue failure, he said it just felt squirrely one day, then suddenly came apart.

It has campy headset, campy hubs, the rest is suntour superbe components in good shape.

Unless you have a penchant for fixing frames, it just is to much work for me to be interested in and I don't want the components, I had mistakenly thought that it was a full campy group when I went to look at it.

The LBS said it may be worth 150-200 for someone with a project, just for the components, but not me, they'd have to give it to me free and I'd still turn it down but if I found it along the road I'd take it home and put it in my shop.

But if anyone is looking for some components that are nice, it might be worth contacting them. My view is that the guy who owns this has a white elephant that he can't ride now, and might be looking for any small amount. They will keep the bike for 2 weeks to see if anyone local or otherwise wants it, if you have an interest it is at...

Falcone Schwinn
1900 Harrison Ave NW Olympia, WA 98502
(360) 943-2091

Which, is where I found the 1984, NOS, in box, Lotus Classique and Lotus Legend Compe recently and bought both of them. They have two more Classiques from 1984 IIRC...that's why they called me.

there used to be some outfit that did a stock repair where they fillet brazed (or maybe TiG-welded) a new headtube to the TT and DT to salvage a crashed frame. I had a friend who owned a Scapin with this done to it.
Anybody remember details better than me?
Might be one way to make it rideable, again.