Martins Projects - Merckx Domo Frites, Hetchins Italia and Olmo Super Gentleman

It has a Sakae SR BB in at the moment, from looking online needs a VAR 311 tool or something. Pretty pricey when all I want to do is take it out... hmm
@HillyBen would you go for loaning it to me if i then paid to post it back to you? Happy to leave some form of collateral...

Well I say the tool i have A tool. (No euph) Pics in a bit. If it works you can borrow.

Perfect

Taken all your advice... in the box of bits is now Suntour Cyclone f&r derailleurs & bar end shifters. Got the bb out with a standard pin spanner in the end. So have Stronglight BB and TA 99 Crankset to go on that.
Stronglight headset installed... toying with the idea of building my own wheels...
This will only ever do day trips/ light tours so what would people recommend, looking at the idea of wider tyres too?
Looking on Spa cycles at the EXAL LX17 (cheap yet recommended), though the Hplus TB14s catch my eye too. Sputniks I think will be overkill and too heavy for this.

Haven;t really updated the thread... but this is getting there...
Plan is tonight to sort out the cables and bar tape...
And better photos will follow

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Just need to put the chain on the Hetchins and tidy up the cables. Update on that shortly.
However, through the forum I recently got my hands on this...
It's a 1951 FH Scott Dragon, was lovely to meet Tim and his wife when I picked it up and hopefully I'll do it justice bringing it back to life! Needless to say it's the biggest project I've taken on

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Been stripping it down today to get a tally of what's hot and what's shot. Unfortunately the mudguards are totally shot, and all the bearings disintegrating. Paints also worse that I thought...
On a side, got the rubber stoppers out the handlebars and found a load of these...
Kids in the 50s... riding with gunpowder in their handlebars

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That's brilliant. Ild be so tempted to see if I could light it.

So much love the geometry of the frames of that era!

Totally am... got an exam Wednesday... maybe after that. Celebrate by putting a small hole into Peckham

I've spent ages stripping the Scott down. Its been rattle canned in what looks like tar. Slowly finding little gems hidden in the parts though.
Like these... I'm thinking First Generation Campag Gran Sport Track hubs? Would appreciate anyone else input though? The rear is flip flop too...
On the hub shell i'm sure I can see a "...gnolo" and the winged logo. The cones also have "camp" stamped on them. Front is 32h, rear is 40h. They need rechroming but thankfully I live next to the London Chroming Company. I think it would be worth doing as they seem rare as hens teeth?

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Is that a crack near your finger? If not, chrome it.

Thankfully not! they seem in pretty solid condition, that's actually paint that even oven cleaner can't shift! Never known such a heavy rattle job, a good 2-3mm in places

Not sure if somebody is still active here, but maybe you can help me with some information.

I bought the same bike yesterday.
Unfortunately with most of a Shimano 600 Group.
I took a ride to day and just love the bike.

I onder if you guys know, which model we are talking here?
Thanks for your feedback and greets from Hamburg,
Michael

If you post some photographs of the bike, this could help.

Also post the photographs in this section -
https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/169078/

Time for a new summer build I think.
The Olmo is looking glorious still, the Hetchins is finished and super functional (photos to come) and the FH Scott has proved a nightmare so is residing under my bed.
I normally ride a 2000's De Rosa which is the only bike i've ever found that fits and rides perfectly, so I want to put together something different for running around at weekends.
I saw this online, a 00's Merckx Flyer in Domo Frites colours. Nothing special but I love the paint job and I've never had threadless forks so why not... managed to negotiate a discount so all good so far

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I'm planning to keep this cost effective and parts bin based.
The frame was simply F+F. So every element I'm having to scrape together. ITA thread BB lead me straight to my comfort zone which is campag...
I picked up a Ribble Audax on here with a basic Campag groupset on it, so have taken that, and picked up a cheap as chips Khamsin wheelset.
Also not feeling much love for the chrome Alu fork so picked up a 1' treadless Time Millennium fork on here, with accompanying 1' 1/8" Time Monolink stem. Looks suitable me thinks

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Destickered the rims of the Khamsin as they were a bit rough, put on some Corsa G+ today so getting their slowly. Also a condor carbon seat post.
Annoyingly I only have silver brake callipers... but for now that'll do when I build it up

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FINALLY some sun to show off the blue of this
Hetchins...
Never has a bike frame thrown up so many obscure little complications.
That and my desire for ergo brake levers. The rotation of the bars feels good riding but looks odd in the photographs. May be the shape of the Nitto Randonneurs?
I've already gone off the red bar tape

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Agree, tape looks so-so. Maybe red cloth tape that'll fade and look better with age? Lovely bike!

Nice. I would experiment with some cloth tape + shellac to try and get close to the Hetchins font. Then perhaps swap out the brooks for a honey coloured one.

ooo yeah that could well be the ticket!
I'm always dubious with cloth tape and how comfortable it is over distance/ rougher paths. I guess it could be double wrapped to work for this though
Cheers @russmeyer @lmananimal

That looks great, really stunning. I quite like the shape of the randonneurs!

I feel like the bar end shifters could do with some sort of tunnel, that's concealed by the tape but makes the exit neater, and I think it would help prevent the tape around the cable getting stretched out... know what I mean?

I've never used bar ends though so just speculating!

Merckx has lots of potential, I love a good loud paintscheme!