Hi Folks-
I'm new to the list here, but I've been lurking for a few days.
My dad just handed down his 1964 Bianchi Team bike to me and it needs quite a bit of conservation/restoration. Hoping to avoid getting it repainted because I love the look of the original paint and decals, no matter how degraded they are. I've put a link to some photos below, but I have a few questions about how to deal with the rust once I've stripped the frame down of parts:
1) Best way to clean up the chrome parts? I've seen a few techniques online: chrome cleaner, lemon juice and aluminum foil... what does the CR collective conscious recommend?
2) How to clean the rust stains off the paint? In some spots, the brackets have left rust stains on the paint. Is there are way to clean that up without damaging the paint? I read about evapo-rust, but am always skeptical of products that promise to magically remove rust without causing any other damage.
3) What to do with the exposed areas where paint has worn off? Is there a way to put some kind of clearcoat over those to prevent further rust?
As you can tell, I'm new to this, but also wanting to learn and do as much as I can myself.
Photos are here:
*http://tinyurl.com/64bianchi*
Look forward to any info people can provide.
Thanks in advance.
Bret Van Horn
Washougal, Washington USA