Quite Fond(riest) of this frame

Measure your bars with a venier caliper when they arrive, there might be some tolerance?

Yeah I will do, they are listed as 26mm and the 3t stem is definitely 25.4mm (I scratched the hell out of my Pro Forma bars trying to mount it). I'll probably just have to wait for the Murex, but I'm not in a rush - it'll take me a while to build the rest of the bike, once the BB and headset are on.

Cleaning up some bits

If the stem is the chrome one you posted before then it looks like it's made of steel. You should be able to open up the bar hole with no risk of fatigue. One option (I think from Sheldon) is to reverse the bolt so it is screwing in from the back, put a coin across the hole so the bolt screws into the coin and use that pressure to ease the stem open a bit wider.

I think you can also do this with alloy stems but I personally wouldn't as I like my teeth as they are...

Thanks for the advice! I've done a bit of checking and apparently it is steel, a 3ttt Chromix Corsa Plus. So when the new bars arrive I'll try Sheldon's technique (perhaps after practising on my old, now scratched bars, first).

Managed to get them on, thanks for the tip @Momentum. Of course, I scratched them, but I think that was inevitable.

bar/stem combo looks ace! looking forward to seeing it all built up

Beautiful combination. Interested to see how transition to shifters will look like.

Glad it worked out! Stem/bar combo looks awesome and will suit the frame really well

OK. I seem to have encountered my first issue. The new bottom bracket has been installed and unless I am being a total idiot (quite possible) the crank on the drive side seems to be way too close to the frame.

I notice the older Daytona bottom bracket had a choice of 111mm and 115mm spindle lengths. This (brand new) Centaur one is 111mm. Could I be that unfortunate and this frame needs the 115mm? @macaroon this is exactly what you were referring to, isn't it?

Nice frame! Hard to see from the pics but if that’s the big chainring - should it be mounted on the ‘outside’ of the crank/spider? - might give enough clearance?

@sharpeleven I owe you a beer! In my excitement to get the bike put together I hadn't noticed that the big ring was incorrectly mounted - well spotted and thank you. I've corrected it and now...

....there is clearance! The small ring is very close to the frame though.

One problem down, another appears.

OK, we're making progress. Managed to track down the brake clamp bolt and have also installed a 12-25 Campagnolo cassette. While I was at it, and for reasons known only to me, I serviced the rear hub and rebuilt it. Much better design compared with the Shimano Ultegra hub I attempted last year. Photos to follow tomorrow.

So, the important part - tyres. Was thinking gumwalls but don't want to spend a lot. I think 700 x 25c would be pushing it, so I guess 23c would be the safest option. Anyone got any ideas?

I've got 25c on my Ron Cooper, old school '80s Columbus SL. Tight-ish but fine, and a nicer ride than the 23c I always used to ride. Worth trying for size I reckon. What's your budget? Someone posted these in the tyres thread recently, that's probably what I'd go for at a reasonable price.

Cheers Phil, I will have to check but I have a feeling 25c won't fit and the Vittoria Rubino Pro only seem to come in that size. Any other suggestions for 23c tyres? (don't have to be gumwall). I'd like to pay less than €30 per tyre if I can...

OK, been very slow progress over the last fortnight. Thought 25mm tyres wouldn't fit and I'm glad I ordered 23mm as they aren't exactly roomy. Whacked on some old Look pedals and bought some bar tape (white). Waiting on the cables and then I'll be ready to make any final adjustments.

That's gonna look bangin'! I know you're on small ring/small cog there but is the chain a bit long??

I don't think I'll be able to check until I get the cables installed and add some tension, at the moment it's only 'draped' over the cogs. I'm not certain about the transition with the bars/hoods either. The angle of the photo is misleading but I want to nail it before wrapping the bars.

It's never simple. None of the ferrules fit this little bastard.

Anyone know a source of alternatives?

File the ferrule down a bit, if difference isn't to big? Otherwise LBS, they should have it .

The problem is that the ferrule is too narrow, as opposed to too wide, so it won't seat in the cable stop correctly. LBS had hundreds but none the correct size (all too large).

OK, I've spent far too long looking at these bloody things today, but I think this is what is needed. A 5mm, non stepdown ferrule (for gear cables). This is a Shimano SP50:

As I've written that it doesn't seem right. Everyone else on the internet seems certain it needs a 4mm step down ferrule. I can't see how the type above would fit.