To finish a 1950 Gillott Fleur de lis in original paint, that will not be
restored, renovated or repainted whilst in my tenure. It is being
'conserved' with suitably tired and distressed period parts. The vendor
wanted to keep most of the parts which was a shame because it had some
interesting kit including a modified (by Gillott's?) Huret rod front
changer. So I have replaced those parts with similar components inc some
which are NoS, i,e. the front changer and hubs. Original wheels were 26''
Dunlops on L/F Airlites. I have fitted a temporary wheelset built up for my
Thanet consisting of 26'' Conloy Asps on T.F.Blumfield 'Duralite' small
flange hubs. I have used a pair of handlebars complete with ancient tape,
hooded GB levers (the very early ones that look like Mafacs) and a short GB
stem that came off a lugless c 1950 Paris. The Paris had been overpainted
with green Hammerite so was a respray. I sold the frame and kept the bits
which were a mix of old and new. Back to the Gillott. The yellow cables
match the yellow head which I believe has been done by a previous owner as I
found the red luglining clumsy, in places straying onto the chrome. Which
has also been attacked with sandpaper at some time. I tidied up the chrome
as best as possible. A lot of paint had come off the forks so I mixed a blue
grey to match the faded original. The accumulation of dirt and discoloured
lacquer had altered the blue radically from its original French to sludgy
blue grey in places so I retouched it in hues and tones to blend in.
So it needs 8'' of scruffy dirty Yellow ribbed outer brake cable to finish
it off. Can anyone help? Mark Stevens Evanton Scotland