An original finish in this condition should be treated very gently. I would try Meguiar's Scratch-X. It is a very fine compound for removing light scratches in clear coats. May or may not clean the yellow but it does brighten up the color. I've used this to clean up the original finishes on a Masi and a Legnano with nice results. Just don't get too aggressive on the decals.
Norm Lafleur
Ashfield, Massachusetts
USA
> Okay, another restoration question. I have a 1972 Cinelli SC in the light
> rose or "gold" color paint. Looking at photos of the bike when first
> purchased and now, the clear coat seems to have yellowed a little over the
> years. Instead of being almost gold, it's more like a rose color. My
> question is, is there a safe way to remove the clear coat without damaging
> the original paint or decals? Or is it better to just leave it as is and
> consider the yellowing as patina". As much as I would like to have the
> bike in like new condition, I feel it's too valuable to risk any damage to
> it's original finish. The original paint is fairly thin and I don't know
> if it could be faithfully replicated. Aside from the yellowing, the paint
> is without scratches and all decals are perfect. Either way, I still love
> the bike and ride it a lot. I don't think anything rides quite like an old
> Cinelli.
> Fred Durrette
> Summerville, SC