John, check out the Motobecane section of the CR website, including my Grand Record here:
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
Your Grand Record sounds original except for the bars and stem. Note that mine has TA Cyclotourist, but I believe some mid-70's ones did have the 3-arm TA Profrssional. On my GR, the bars and stem, which I believe to be original, are Pivo, but other French brands like ATAX, Phillipe or AVA could have been original on yours. In 1976, the stem would probably have had a recessed allen head expander bolt.
Value on a French bike is always a bit of a guess. I regard them as bargains. You often see a top French model like PX-10 with original finish in good condition go for $350-$500 for a complete bike. Grand Record was not quite a top model, but did have Campy derailleurs, so it probably falls in that range.
As to the Bertin, there is also a Bertin section of the CR website, and another of my bikes is there. With Campy dropouts, but a Durifort fork, and a mix of Record and GS, yours was probably a second-from-top model, but in the case of Bertin, that was still quite nice. Most Francophiles consider Bertin and Follis a "cut above" the other high-volume French manufacturers. As to value, as it stands, you could sell the components for more than the compete bike, and they would bring a lot more than the $75 you paid. If you had the frame professionally restored you would probaby only be able to sell the bike for maybe $400, $500 tops, which would be less than you would have in it. This points up two hard realities of classic bike collecting:
A) Most classic bikes bring more parted out than complete.
B) Having a bike professionaly restored to sell is almost guaranteed to lose money.
And the above is doubly true of high-volume French marques.
So I would say you have three options:
A) Strip off the parts and sell them for a profit over the $75 you paid. You might even get $50-$75 for the frame alone.
B) Keep the bike and ride as is.
C) Have the frame restored and perhaps replace nonoriginal components, but count on keeping it, as resale will not recover your investment.
French bikes, except some low-volume constructeurs, are not a place to make money, except by parting them out. But I have found them a great way to to acquire interesting and fun-to-ride bikes at bargain prices.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
John Wirt <frankensaab@earthlink.net> wrote: Back w/ my second question... I just bought a 76 Motobecane Grand Record here in town, hoping I didn't pay too huch ; ) It appears to be original exept for the stem, bars and levers. It is Reynolds 531, fancy Nervex lugs, Campy dropouts, Record DR's and levers, TA professional cranks and BB, Stronglight Competition headset, Atom 700 pedals, Normandy High flange hubs, Huret cluster, Brooks Professional saddle, Weinnmann 610 brakes. The stem is currently a Nitto Pearl, bars unknown and the brake levers very old Shimano. I just had a complete overhaul done to it, but have alost no seat time in it, maybe later today I'll go for a ride. What should the bars, stem and levers be? Would it have more value if they were correct for the bike? I'm still not sure I plan to keep it, it doesn't "grab" me like my Bertin, or even my Peugeot PVS-10. The fun thing is, the shop it was originally purchased from was just a few blocks away from my house (the shop no longer exists). What can anyone tell me about the Moto GR's? Should I just accept it and become a collector of French bikes...??
john wirt
boise, id