In a message dated 3/1/2005 11:42:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, freesound@comcast.net writes:
<< If I buy it, what should I do to stabilize the finish? I'm gonna want to ride it, not display it on the turbo trainer. Is the stem in the pictures a so-called death stem? >>
i believe that is a second tier model but very nice. These are special bicycles.
I would urge any purchaser not to ruin it by trying to stabilize the finish but instead gently clean and preserve. And please don't replace the stem. It served since 1950s, it should still do for gentle rides. IMO this bike is so close to original it would be a shame to bastardize it by making it more "rideable."
That rear derailleur is a replacement; I imagine a Tour de France type was original and are not too hard to find. Ditto on the wheels.. Originally would have been sewups and Mavic no doubt, again not to hard to locate and worth making this piece of cycling history complete.
Get a crappier, less distinguished bike to beat around on! Ha!
Dale
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 336-274-5959 fax 336-274-6360 <A HREF="http://www.cyclesdeoro.com">cyclesdeORO.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.classicrendezvous.com./main.htm">ClassicRendezvous.com</A>