Wes,
Don't forget to check the top tube and down tube for any distortion just behind the head lugs on the bottom of the tubes. Any amount of wrinkling indicates distortion. In itself, this may not render the bike useless, as it may not weaken the frame very much, but it changes the front end geometry, which can make the bike handle unpredictably. If the damage is pronounced, the bike may be unsafe to ride without tube replacement by a professional. Probably not worth it with that frame. Thick-walled tubes will sometimes bend into a slight curve, without wrinkling. A competent framebuilder or mechanic can check the angles on the frame to determine if it is tweaked.
If the fork is the only thing that is bad, you should be able to toss a British or Italian theaded fork into it, providing you replace the headset at the same time.
Steve Barner, Bolton, Vermont
>Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 20:41:08 -0800
>From: "miller" <boy@dc.rr.com>
>To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]Help.... Looking for a replacement Motobecane 23" fork
>
>I recently acquired a late 70s bronze colored 23" Motobecane Grand Jubile
>with Vitus 173 tubing. Unfortunately, the seller neglected to tell me it
had
>front end damage!#@.. By some remote chance, would anyone have a suitable
>French threaded replacement fork to get this machine back on the road?
>Thanks!
>Wes Miller
>Coachella Valley, CA