John wrote: From this, and other posts, it seems to be possible that this Viscount, has Lambert brake levers, Viscount calipers, Titlist front derail., ST VGT rear derail, and Shimano down tube shifters........and this is original equipment??????
John / All,
Yes I reckon so.
I don't recall what brake levers came on the bike I owned, 'I probably swapped them over quickly (I would guess though that they were some foirm of Weinmann lookalike).
My VA had a Shimano 'Crane' rear changer - yours has a Sun Tour VGT, most likely someone swapped that over at some point. But the Titlist front changer is the same as mine, as are the Viscount calipers - and I know (and probably still have the bits somewhere in my gash bin) - that the D/T levers were the very old style (original pattern?) Shimano friction levers that looked like a 'chunky' copy of campag (with a red plastic friction bush).
As long as everything else is as I describe in my first reply, I would think all you need to do is find yourself a 'Crane' changer to be back to 1972-73. Incidentally, the wheels are sprints aren't they? Mine came with the hubs as described (and were 36H) laced using butted chrome spokes to unbranded spint rims, non-eyeletted - with reinforcing washers under the nipples.
Enjoy. Despite its faults I always loved mine and I've already started to wonder where I can find another one (and I really loved that paintjob)!
Ian Briggs - Luton UK (where the sun's out today - hooray!)