First Timer 80s Raleigh Conversion

Nearly finished!!!!!

Did this get finished at all?

Got to wait for payday for the next stage - then possibly another payday for the final stage!

Pics will be uploaded at all stages.

Hi Pauly, I've got an Elan just like yours as my ride-to-work bike. Bought it off my brother a couple of years ago for £20 and two years of grinding along in any weather with minimal maintenance was helping the rust develop quite a hold on the frame, so I've stripped it and am going to paint it. Keeping most of the original equipment to save money and painting it grey and black also to save money as I have those colours knocking around the garage. Going for a very trad look with the paint, will post a pic once it's done if you like.
Incidentally, I've mainly joined the forum to follow your thread as I'm not actually a fixie fan, can anyone tell me the benefits? I did ride my dad's many years ago (still got the hub knocking around somewhere) but I don't see the benefit of no gears, and no freewheel is mindbending.
You've done a tidy job of removing the spare lugwork, best of luck with the rest of the project, Dallas.

Dallas - definitely get a pic or two up once you're done.

Some benfits of riding fixed for you: http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html

Like I've said above - mine will not be used for covering many miles in one go (the carbon Focus road bike above is used for that), this will mean I will not have to take my car into town, the pub, round my mates house.

For the earlier nay sayers mentioning issues like not being able to fit mudguards - I've just fitted a set of these to my road bike and they work a treat:

http://www.crudproducts.com/products/roadracer

Ok, here it is (forks same grey as main frame, it looks better in real life as does my hallway):

Classy, understated paintjob: chapeau!

I also recently got a hold of a Raleigh Elan that I'm probably going to convert to SS/fixed so good to see this thread.

I don't think I'll be messing with my braze-ons though, as a commuter I like full mudguards too much...

That is class mate - did you do that with rattle cans? It's making me rethink my potential paint scheme ideas.......

Cheers, used a spray gun but you could get the same result with cans. I've since put a finishing coat of laquer on it to protect the decals and that came out of a can, looks very glossy now!

Nice ding near head of the downtube

Was going to fill it, but then I thought, it's old, it deserves some battle scars.
Anyway, this isn't my thread so no more on my bike. Looking forward to seeing more of yours Pauly, it may even inspire me to go fixed myself.

Hopefully a decision will be made this week on paint - then more photos!!

I've been looking at more pictures of bullhorn bars and bar end brakes.......

Bullhorns V Drop bars

Are those bull horns on the inspiration link? They look great with that laced leather cover. I do like drops though...

Yeah similar. I'd just have to have bar tape on mine though - no leather cutting skills here.

The frame, forks and cranks have gone to be powder coated and I've ordered the following:

• tyres
  
• stickers
  
• headset bearings
  
  

Collect from powder coaters any time after Sat 23rd November, which leaves a week until the next pay day when I can buy all the remaining bits such as bar tape etc.

Burgundy Raleigh stickers x 2

Tyres and bearing races for head tube arrived today. Got some new inner tubes on order from Wiggle, so I'll be able to steal two of them for this.

Can't wait to start putting it all together next weekend and then ordering the final bits to finish it off.

Slight delay, but collecting the frame and forks tomorrow.

I still can't get the pedals out of the cranks, but have decided that my 52T front ring was probably going to be too large and found a 1/8" 48T chainring with a set of silver cranks for a decent price so just bought them instead.

Back to my local bike shop to see if he can get the Shimano pedals out of the old cranks.

Here you go:

The company "forgot" to do the forks, so I couldn't really start building the bike up....so I stuck my stickers on instead.

Bloody hell - apologies for the ridiculously poor quality of those last two photos. You get the idea though.

How come you removed the rear brake braze-ons but not swapped the brake bridge for a clean one? Looks half finished.
Paint and decals look great though.

Looks great Pauly, where did you get the Reynolds 501 sticker from?