Also check the stem. I had an early 70s super course that came with infamous AVA "death stem". These french stems were a poor design and would crack with unhappy results. Otherwise the Super course is a great bike and is a very nice ride. I ride a '78.

To keep things in perspective, the AVA 'death' stem on my Raleigh Grand Prix is coming up on its 40th birthday intact, and in better shape than most bicycles and a good many people the same age.

I guess you really are a "Glutton for Punishment"

My stem has "CB" on it. Also, I didnt see a serial on the bottom bracket, nor under the seatpost. ?

The stem is likely a "GB"... a deceased British manufacturer of stems, brakes, etc.

Nope, that CB isn't it. Sometimes the indentation on the stamp isn't very deep and almost gets filled with paint. Make sure the underside of the bottom bracket is very clean. Even a litle dirt, and you might not see it. You may need to get in very good light and try a couple different angles before you see it.

My '70 Professional has the serial # stamped on the Chainside edge of the bottom bracket. My '78 uperCourse has serial stamped crosswise on the bottom bracket (both on the underside). My '77 GrandPrix (not 531 tubing) has serial staped on the back of the seat tube, under the seat stays, running down the length of the tube.

If yours is 1973 or later, you should see two letters, and then a number. The number that's in that 3rd position will be the ones digit of the year - i.e. WS4XXXXX Would be 1974. From what documentation I've seen 1972 or 1973 is the watershed year for serial number change If yours is FXXXX it would be 1971. GXXXX, would, I think, be 1972.

Good luck. It's gotta be there someplace.

I recently found a 1973 Super Course at the transfer station. I have never seen anything so filthy in my life. I don't think it has ever been cleaned or oiled in 32 years.

Anyway, I cleaned up most of it (that took half a day in itself and buckets of black water) and it is now in working order. Everything was original except the seat. Unfortunately the Brooks was replaced with a plastic job. The derailleurs were shot (both front and rear), so I pulled some Suntour Heros off an old Schwinn that was also in the junk pile. Took the wheels from the Schwinn too, as spares.

I have repacked the bearings in the rear wheel and headset, but I am not going to touch the cottered crank, since it looks too easy to damage. I just put some oil in the seams and hope it will lube the BB enough.

New bartape. Tires are okay.

Rode them 15 miles to the grocery store and back the other day, but I will put new tires on anyway. So far the total cost is about $30. I can now commute to the train station without having to worry about someone stealing my new Lemond BA. I still need to clean and grease the pedals and front wheel. Then I am done.

I've done 2 cottered in 2 weeks and both were easy - just wap the cotters real good with a flat face hammer and dont "tappity taptap" Sheldon"s words, and he's right.

It was really ugly inside one of them. Way worth taking a shot.

Once you reinstall them, ride a bit and snug the nut. They work loose, just stay on top of it until they seat and no longer creep.

On the 1973 Super Course, the serial number is stamped on the rear dropout.

You were very lucky then. Over the years I've removed several cotter pins on old bikes. I even have the official Park tool. Even with the tool they can be an adventure to remove. Not to say I wouldn't take this one on, but if you are not well endowed with experience and tools you can end up with a mess.

No kidding. I once had one the little @#$% mushroom out on me; I had to take it out with a drill. What a PITA. Since I've gotten the Park tool, I wonder why I ever used anything else. Like a Var 30 fixed cup remover, it's a tool designed for one purpose, and boy, does it do it well. I also always spray some penetrating oil in a cotter pin and let it sit for awhile before I attempt removal.

I drilled one out once, and the b*stard still wouldn't come off!

After removing a bunch of cotters, I've found the key is to get a rigid support under the crank before one delivers the blow to the cotter. I have a big cedar block that I've embedded a length of steel pipe into so that is sticks up vertically. I then position the crank arm horizontally with the crank arm resting firmly on the end of the steel pipe. Make sure the pipe is lined up directly under the cotter itself. The cotter is now pointing straight up. I now rest a crowbar handle sideways on top of end of the cotter protruding from the top of the crank. I strike the crowbar directly above the cotter with my biggest claw hammer. Don't be bashful. Give it a healthy blow. Cotter lands inside the pipe. I haven't found a cotter yet that will resist more than 2 strikes. Using the crowbar keeps from damaging the cotter and allows it to be reused.

Is that just the '73? My dropout has 313686 on it! Woohoo!

Vincent

Okay. My Super Course project is finally complete. This is the bike that I rescued from the trash heap. Call it a Frankenbike if you like. Obviously I added a number of things, plus new tires, bar tape, and cables. The total cost for materials was under $50. As for the value of the labor I put into it...well, let's just say it was a learning experience. The only flaw is a blip in the seat stay that you can see in the second photo. I don't know if this will result in metal fatigue, but it doesn't affect the ride at all. Any comments are appreciated.

I wouldn't worry about that seatstay. I am worried about that bar tape though; that color combination is against the law in some states. Or at least it oughta be.

What's the story with that rear carrier? Looks a trifle high.

Looks great overall; I'm gonna start hanging out at the transfer station.

Fall camoflague?

Actually it's Italian flag colors...or is it Christmas? Either way, it was on clearance at Nashbar!

I found this on the web about the Italian colors.

.

Let's just call it FREEDOM TAPE!

.

It attaches to the seatpost. I had a traditional rack on there first, but I kept hitting my foot against the panier. Both were free, so who am I to complain, as long as it works. The brand is Delta.

.......__o
.......\<,
....( )/ ( )

You found THAT in the trash? I realize it would have been covered in the substances that typically reside in trash heaps and refuse transfer stations, but WOW. You did a fantastic job cleaning that bugger.

My area boasts the largest junkyard in the world, and most of the garbage from new york and new jersey ends up in my county... I REALLY need to start visiting these places more regularly.

Great bike. Almost exactly like my flea market find.

And it's almost like this one on Ebay, only the Ebay bike still has the brooks saddle. That should add about $50 to its value.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

The guy (or gal) looks like a real "power seller" with one feedback since 1999!

why does she have it listed as aluminum?

Because its 10 pounds lighter than the steel Schwinn, and therefore it MUST be aluminum.

"why does she have it listed as aluminum?"

Because in bikes, many ebay sellers have no clue what they have exactly. My favorite was a Peugeot UO10 with Carbolite 103 steel tubing; it was listed as "carbon fiber" under frame material. Another one was a seller with an early PX10 who apparently got besieged with emails on a scale they had hitherto belived impossible. They had some interesting revisions on their auction...

Hee hee!