After my plea over the weekend, Ted Ernst came through big-time, donating a pair of Record hubs and a pair of Araya 700c rims in 36-hole.
I will be overhauling the hubs, using new grade-25, single lot, Cro-Mo balls, then polishing the rims, and building the wheels to the high standards I have described earlier.
Add some Grand Bois 700x26 tires and you have perfect rider wheels for an on topic road bike from 1970 onward.
I will post some pictures as the process moves forward.
In the search for the final pair of 36-hole hubs, I have been offered a pair of 32-hole off-topic Record hubs, which are offered as trade bait for some nice on-topic hubs of similar caliber. My first choice would be a pair of NOS or nearly so Maillard 700 Professional hubs, but I would also be happy to see some very clean Record hubs, too. These will be the center of a pair of NOS, old-label MAVIC GP4 wheels, which will make reliable, durable rider wheels for those who prefer sewups. Details of the Record hubs will be posted shortly.
Both pairs of wheels will be built with Asahi 2.0-1.7-2.0 mm stainless spokes, a marvelous combination of old-school looks and modern quality control and metallurgy.
What you can think about as Cirque approaches is that you can buy a set of wheels that will look right at home on most of your finest road racers, and that you can ride with confidence for years.
I'm proud to be a part of this package.
Regards to all, Earle Young, Madison, Wisc. Offering expert wheelbuilding service for classic and modern bikes.