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Yes, I did think that to, although sadly after I'd screwed the block on-which is now almost impossible to remove due to being 'chewed' up where the removal tool fits by a previous owner . You live and learn...
jeff80-
Is the freewheel one of the two prong jobbies? They can be a sod to get off once the slots start to shear.
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I happen to have a spare block (if I can find it, that is) 16, 19,22. If you can repair or replace the mech you can have it.
Remove the old block by dismantling it and then unscrewing the centre holding it in a bench vice. Do not cut the spokes to remove the damaged rim before doing this!Personally, I would want to convert this machine to 5 speed, since I think a 3 speed derailleur is more trouble than it's worth, unless you can use a wide ratio double chain ring set up. The TdF will not cope with this.
Jonny69
clubman
This was an all too well known failure back in the day.
It was usually caused by the arm of the mecahism getting bent (often by someone other than the owner!), but faulty adjustment was certainly another cause. Benelux and Huret were just as bad, and this problem was perhaps the main thing which made the Campag Gran Sport such a revelation. With a Campag, if someone knocked your bike over it would only push the mech over against the spring - as soon as you picked it up it just sprang back to where it was before with no harm done.
In this case, I note that the block is very close to the hub flange, which meant there was no margin of error to avoid this disaster - a spacer (or two) behind that block might have secured a longer life for the unfortunate TdF mech.