Have just now gotten around to stripping down a recently acquired mid to late '50s Peugeot PLX-8.
Bike's current appearance can be seen at
http://ebay.com/
I want to restore it to look like the one shown on Dale's Peugeot page (http://classicrendezvous.com/France/Peug_Touring_1950s.htm).
Yes, I'm serious! The bike really is a diamond in the rough. However...
The tires are crumbling and melted (!) masses of goo on Rigida Chrolux Chromage Superieur Rims (label logo has "Rigida" and "Chromage Superieur" in red text on black fields at the top and bottom of the oval, separated by "CHROLUX" in white text on teal/faded blue field across the center of oval). Rims and spokes are severely rusted.
Tires were Montlucon 700 Course (whitewalls with blue tread).
I was planning on cutting away the melted tires, removing spokes, then setting about polishing up the rims and then having them rebuilt.
Questions for list francophiles (I know there are a couple of you still out there):
Do you know of a source of replacement Montlucon tires from 50 years ago? (yeah, I know, I'm a hopeless deluded optimist!) If not, what is a suitable, period correct replacement tire that is readily obtainable?
Also, should the rims prove to be too pitted, does anyone know of a source of NOS/mint/good condition Rigida Chrolux Chromage Superieur rims with labels as described?
Finally, the Simplex Competition "suicide" front shifter/derailleur is pretty badly rusted -- anyone have one for sale out there in NOS/mint condition?
Thanks,
Ian Kersey
Williamsburg, VA