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Full marks for your generosity.
I was tempted to get this for my god daughter, but seeing as she's not yet two, I didn't think her parents would appreciate having it lying around - beautiful as it is - until she's big enough to ride it. And you beat me to it anyway.
Try and keep it as original as possible is all I'd say. And white tyres! Oh, and start the hunt for a vintage bell.
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I've got an old french bell for it lying around somewhere I think. Or it might be on Lady Liz's mixte actually...
The hipster white wolbers are a bit crusty but still hold air just fine. Will remain for the time being but will be delivered with some new ones as well(the old ones feel softer than chewing gum and would probably take a puncture rolling over a marshmallow).
Gonna see if I can find a little fruit crate to make into a front carrier for flowers, teddy etc. Part of me wants to just go for it and fab up a mini porteur rack from scratch.
Gonna take the guards into work tomorrow, attempt to straighten the stays, then bob about 3-4" off them to remove the cracked and split bits.
Had to cut the old grips off as they were pretty perished, thinking microtex or velox full wrap instead of just grips. -
This is a lovely project. Nice one Edmundro.
Thinking about getting a little bike + stabilisers for my 'Godson' (not really a godson as I would combust if I walked onto hallowed ground). How young is too young / what's the right age to start thinking about it. I feel I've neglected my duties as he's coming up on 4 yrs now...
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***"the plan was to enjoy the work, then gift it on again"
Thank you. I've messed about with bikes and motorbikes all my life, and thought the pleasure was in turning a profit - or often kidding myself that I'd made a profit. The **truth **is that I just like making things as good as they can be.
I feel liberated.
You wanted to make a little girl happy, and so far you've had that effect on a middle-aged bloke; funny old world isn't it !?
Great project too, all the best.
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I feel pretty bloody lucky right now, and Tilly definitely will when she's riding this around with a big grin on her face and the wind in her (thoroughly helmeted) hair. This bike is definitely going to a girl that will love it to bits.
Ed, I will of course do anything I can to help, and make lots of suitably impressed sounds.
I am a little bit tempted to look in to paintwork, although I do love its rustic charm. And I'm very tempted to get another little plaque with her name and address engraved on it to go next to the old one.
The drinks are on me for the foreseeable future! -
The problem with painting it is that it just wouldn't be the same, and the cost to replicate what was originally done would be bonkers, the quality of pinstripping considering it's a kids bike is nuts. can't find decals either so far. Powdercoat and cheap stickers just wouldn't do it justice...
Let me do my best with whats there then have a think. -
This is a lovely project. Nice one Edmundro.
Thinking about getting a little bike + stabilisers for my 'Godson' (not really a godson as I would combust if I walked onto hallowed ground). How young is too young / what's the right age to start thinking about it. I feel I've neglected my duties as he's coming up on 4 yrs now...
4 is a good age to start thinking about it - it's around the age where you're looking at getting a 'big kids' bike' with stabilisers if needed, whereas before it's likely to be trikes.
I've been pretty rubbish with being a 'godparent' up until now, but I plan to make up for it with epic gifts such as this. My dilemma comes with her having a little sister to whom I am not a godparent. Bit harsh not to get something for her, but then... -
Ed, I think a big part of it's charm is that it's just like it was way back when. A powder coat and stickers... nah. Not so cool. I think just a jolly good smarten up of what's there, and if any of the scratches could end up rusting some kind of clear protective substance. Clear nail varnish FTW?
A nice little engraved plaque would be the bees knees though. But if possible to keep the old one too.. evidence of its past life and owners is a lovely touch. -
then new handlebar grtips?
?
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Pedals are wrong thread for french cranks. Is possible to have them re-tapped to fit them. Will look into it as they're quite nice. I think it would be possible to replace the block on the original pedals with the rubber from those if I can get enough grease in the bearings they're smoother than i thought, just rusty and need rubber.
As for the grips, they're ok but have moulded ends so would need to be cut off to fit the reverse levers. They're also not that comfy in my experience. I was thinking more along the lines of:
Anyone on here got the skills to ream and retap to 9/16th in return for beer and the gratitude of a small child?
I also tried a test patch of t-cut on the inside of the forks. No pics but it looks promising. -
Stem polished up nicely, started polishing the clb levers but they're a fairly complex casting so hand polishing isn't doing enough. Will bust out the dremel out to get into the nooks and crannies.
Few bits on their way.Noticed something odd about the rims, they're clincher tyres/tubes but theres no 'hook' on the edge of the rim, they're still box section so def not tubs. Presumably the pressure of the tyre holds it to the rim? Felt like the edge of the tyre was almost stuck to the rim.
Anyone got any experience of wheels like this? -
Thanks Rod, that's kinda what I'd guessed the case would be. I presume it will be ok to do the same with modern 500a tyres, as you say they'll not be particularly high pressure and what pressure there is will be enough to hold it to the rim. - Found some rather nice whitewall michlins but a nos set of white wolbers same as the originals would be even nicer...
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Hi Edmundro
great idea for a restoration. On restoring the frame, when you say "careful T-Cutting" does that mean you're only polishing up the areas where the paint's still on or what? What's your general plan of attack?
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About
Arrow Childs mixte restoration
Posted by
@edmundro
So, after seeing the freecycle ad and falling in love instantly, I just had to have this.
Not having a little girl of my own didn't stop me, the plan was to enjoy the work, then gift it on again to someone who'd grow up with it. Luckily, my friend Charlotte83 on here is a godmother to the soon to be new owner, Tilly. As Charlie is such a wonderful godmother she's agreed to bankroll the build(while trying to retain as much originality as possible).
Wheelsize is 500A, Seat tube measurement is 40cm ctt
The good:
It's complete, and entirely original. Lugs are lined on top of the lug(like a Pennine) which is at least 10x cooler than lined against the lug. It also has stunning pinstriping on the forks and stays.
It has the original owners name and address beautifully engraved on a little plate on the stem(french bike nerds will appreciate this I hope).
Dinky little pump still works perfectly!
The bad:
The mudguards are pretty shot, the alu has split completely around the stays leaving lots of horrible sharpe edges and no way of mounting them securely. Will either be replaced or bobbed shorter so the mounts can be redrilled. Presumably raleigh shopper-esque 'guards will do the job with a little work.
The rear brake is mounted to a hook type thingy that's part of the mudguard mount so will have to see if I can modify another caliper to fit the hook thingy(old caliper is rusted to hell).
Saddle has been bent at some point so will be replaced.
Pedal rubber blocks are quite perished and they sealed units so can't really get at the bearings easily. Will hopefully replace the blocks and pump grease in til the bearings are happy again. Replacing the pedals will probably be impossible as they're child size and french threaded. Double eek.
To do:
T-cut and polish the frame as best as is humanly possible.
Degrease and reuse as many of the moving parts as possible(freewheel is fine, hub cones and headset parts are currently soaking in jizer).
Get the cotters out and service the bb
Polish all the metal parts.
Fabricate pixie porteur rack.
Replace tyres.
Take photos for this thread before I get any further.
It's currently 90% stripped down so will be taking bits in to polish at work starting tomorrow.