Re: [CR]1958 Frejus Professional Restoration

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

Date: Sun, 01 Jan 2006 13:02:41 -0500
From: <joebz@optonline.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]1958 Frejus Professional Restoration
In-reply-to: <20060101164312.25076.qmail@web30209.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
To: scott Baxter <rg500g@yahoo.com>
References: <20060101164312.25076.qmail@web30209.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

This could be a difficult and expensive project so you need to define y our goals carefully.

The first question is in what state is the frame? Frejus bikes have v ery complicated paint and decals, plus chrome that has usually deterio rated. Some decals are readily available, but there are decal variat ions. For example the seat tube decals on a 1958 bike would list the y ears of many world championships, while this was dropped later. My p oint is that unless the bike is very nice, a Frejus frame restoration could run into $1000 easily.

Then you have the component dilemma. 1958 is a critical year, with t he introduction of the Campagnolo Record crankset and bottom bracket. This first generation set goes for a fortune. Other components from th is era have minor variations year to year but all go for premium prices. This was sort of a golden period for Campagnolo and when you look at th is era of parts, there are many little differences that set the parts apart. If the bike is a Frejus Pro with a full Campagnolo Record grupp o, it is really exorbitant to get all the parts and be correct. But even the second line parts are difficult. I think even the headset, Magistroni cranks, FB hubs and Ambrosio bar and stem are marked Frejus ! I may not have all the parts right, but this is tough going. So th e next possibility is just to get parts that are close and leave it at t hat. Another option is to get a donor bike with a Campagnolo Nuevo Re cord gruppo and make a nice rider with no regard for chasing down the 19 50's part s at all.

One opinion I have is why handicap youself with finding sidepulls. I t hink you are right that Mafacs are proper until Frejus went with the Uni veral 61 so just find some early Mafac Dural Forge brakes. Good stoppe rs and not too expensive.

Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ


----- Original Message -----
From: scott Baxter
Date: Sun, 01 Jan 2006 11:43:00 -0000
Subject: [CR]1958 Frejus Professional Restoration


> I've got a frame and fork. That's it. I've been
> trying my best to build the bike back up to its former
> specification, but that seems all but impossible, at
> least in terms of re-assembling a group that's of an
> age similar to that of the frame itself. I see a ton
> of parts on eBay and probably have already bought
> items I shouldn't have out of ignorance. I need help
> in understanding the visual queues that will help me
> identify older Campagnolo componentry so I can be more
> accurate in my buying.
>
> I've picked up things like the pedal screw hole lip on
> cranks which I have not seen yet, and flat QR levers
> on brakes, but I have nothing else to go on. I
> believe this bike came as stock with Mafac Racer
> center pulls and fenders, but I'll be opting for side
> pulls and no fenders. My brake reach is a measured 55
> mm front/back, so the usual calipers I see on eBay
> won't work. The worst thing is for me to spend a lot
> of time and money trying to get this bike back on its
> wheels with some authenticity only to have someone
> snigger at mid '80s kit I didn't know I installed.
>
> If anyone has specific guidance that will help me in a
> more accurate reassembly of this frameset please
> respond to rg500g@yahoo.com. Your advice will be
> greatly appreciated, and will help in a build that
> will be a lot more faithful to the bike's origins than
> I would otherwise be able to achieve.
>
> Scott Baxter
> St. Louis, MO
>
>
>
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