Re: [CR] Technical Questions on [PX-10] Restoration Project

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:27:38 -0400
From: "Harvey Sachs" <hmsachs@verizon.net>
To: <Jon@FAI.US>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR] Technical Questions on [PX-10] Restoration Project


Welcome to the list, Jon, and your energy and enthusiasm are contagious. I envy your paint shop contacts, and enjoyed the pictures of your PX-10. But, please allow me to step back from where you are:

You've seemingly already decided to recreate this PX-10 as new - or better, and maybe this one has great sentimental value to you. Your right, of course, but where will you draw the line at making it better than new? Will you carefully thin the lugs to modern craft standards, but something Peugeot could not have imagined???

My point is that there are other perspectives: To me, you have a wonderful, original, time-capsule Peugeot, exactly the bike I craved back then. Would you consider leaving it as is, and putting the energy into a bike whose finish isn't salvagable? Peter Weigle has shown that "restoration" w/o repainting can be a real art, which is a third option.

But, if you decide that better-than-new recreation is what you want to do, I'll take a crack at some of the questions:

In my first venture into a restoration I have need for some advice. I'm working on a 69/70 PX10. 1. How to remove headset components without damaging them, especially from the fork. Harvey: I have the right crown race tool now, but for decades used a blunt, de-tempered oversized screwdriver, tapping along the same axis as the steerer, and working my way around. Fork upside down, threaded end resting on soft wood block. Better: thread on the lock nut, all the way down. And don't hit it hard.

2. The chrome stays are in decent shape, but am considering what would be needed to rechrome them. As a chemist with high quality DC power supplies handy, this should not be too difficult - do you have any experiences? AND: 3. If possible, I would be half tempted to chrome the lugs like the PY-10 on http://www.cyclespeugeot.com/ - opinions? Harvey: Chroming is easy. The art is the polishing, and knowing how to make sure that the tubes don't have a residue of acid afterwards. It hurt when I lost a seat stay that way once, after a motorcycle shop did the chroming. Waterford won't rechrome, others will. Personally, I'd be really, really, reluctant to ever do after-build chroming or rechroming on a frame again.

4. To powder coat paint or use automotive paint - I have a customer with a large powder coat paint shop who is willing to base coat/clear coat it for me and have a friend who does automotive body work who will base coat/clear coat for me. Which would be better and more durable? Harvey: Jury's out on this, won't know for years. The art of conventional painting and its durability has much to do with obsessing over surface prep, which I'm sure you can appreciate. If you search the archives for my name and "Hamel" you'll probably find a thread on the topic this year. My provisional conclusion is that you can do a very good job for much less money with powder, and that it will be very tough and adhere very well - if the right shop does it. But, conversely, it ain't going to match the automotive paint jobs that really great painters achieve. But, that's a quality level that Peugeot was never accused of.

Rest of your Q are <snipped> because I have even less knowledge.

Again, goals and values differ. My '71 Cinellis is the classic silver, worn through at the DT shifter locations. And the top tube is a different shade, because Proteus (a shop here) couldn't quite match. I don't think I'll ever get this one repainted, because it's just part of its interesting history. But, the real connosewers (intentional) would consider me a Philistine, anyhow, since my small collection shows many different approaches, from factory repaint to powder coat "re-imagining," but mostly factory paint and decals dimmed by age.

Have a great time with the project. Or sell me the thing when I come to Atlanta in October. :-)

harvey sachs
mcLean va