Tim,
Not trying to throw water on your fire, but to me this really looks like a pieced together bike.
Aside from the brakes, Campy components, and seat post, there are too many inconsistencies on this bike.
For instance, this style fork crown wasn't used until the 1970s. Earlier models used fancy Nervex Professional crowns to match the lugs.
The paint and decals look "too good" for a bike this old. After 25-35 years of exposure, paint loses some of it's luster. Look at the joint between the down tube/head tube lug, this area usually collects dirt and debris plus polish build up. It's still glossy on your bike.
From what I've read, in 1967 Peugeot started painting all of their pro model variants white or white with black lugs like their team bikes. Prior to that they were this color blue with black lugs like yours. Before that they were blue with dark yellow lugs. In the mid 70s they started offering PX-10s in several different colors. That's not to say that Peugeot didn't make any bikes this color during the interim years.
Between 1967 and ~1979 Peugeot used simple gold with black outline, block letter decals on their down tubes. This decal is from the 1970s.
Last, the "bird mouth" stem, it's probably an AVA but it has a solid rear area behind the expander bolt. Most of the later cast aluminum stems like this were hollow. Also, PX-10s came with the handlebar bolt horizontal not vertical like this one.
I, like many other CR members have pieced together bikes before. They usually turned out to be great, enjoyable riding bikes. For some reason in our area in the 70s, most PX-10 owners tended to keep them all original - ALL FRENCH!
It was a different story with the comparable Gitane Tour de France models. The first thing most serious riders did was to replace the Torquemada torture device Gitane called a saddle with either a Brooks Pro or a Cinelli Unicanitor. Next was SunTour V or Campy derailleurs.
Congratulations, you have a genuine Batard! It should be a very enjoyable steed for many years to come. ;-)
Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA
-----Original Message----- From: Tim Potter Sent: Sun, Aug 23, 2009 5:24 pm Subject: [CR] 60s or 70s Peugeot PX10?
I just finished photographing a Peugeot that we've acquired thru a
donation
which I suspect to be a PX10 due to the 'inoxydable' decal and other
features as follows:
http://www.bikes.msu.edu/
The 6 digit serial number would seem to indicate a 60's vintage frame but the decals indicate it's early 70s. It's obviously been quite modified w/ the Campag components & Universal Super 68 brakes.
Unfortunately there are some bulges under the top and downtubes near the head tube indicating pretty serious frame damage, although the original fork looks straight to the head tube. I'm contemplating trying to straighten the frame; we have a frame straightener modeled after the Park tool that they've stopped making. I would appreciate any advice on whether straightening these tubes using such a tool is likely to be effective w/ the amount of damage as the photos kind of show.
The seat tube decal with "Carlton " and "England Worksop" on it is quite strange; anyone have any theories of Carlton's involvement with Peugeot's of this era or was there possibly a retail shop in England named Carlton selling them where this bike might have been purchased?
Thanks for any input,
Tim Potter