I've always admired the silver Motobecanes with black Nervex lugs from that era - Grand Jubiles, Grand Records and Le Champions.
About 3 years ago I bought a 1974 Moto GJ frame dirt cheap from a local seller. It came from a "dump" bike that had gone through the compacter in a garbage truck and the paint showed it.
After having the alignment checked by a local frame builder, I touched up the paint a little and put it together with period correct but different from original components: TA cranks, Huret Challenger derailleurs, Weinmann sidepulls and so on.
I built it as a wet weather beater bike. Even though the frame is only 531 "3 TUBES RENFORCES" I like the ride and handling so much that I bought another frame just like it to assemble with all original parts.
They are both 56cm c-t-c frames but they are at the top of my stand over height even with small 700c tires. Also they have 57cm long top tubes.
In my opinion, you should try to sell it as a complete bike. They were affordable classics.
Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA
billy david wrote:
> Hi Calvert. If it was your size i'd strongly recommend keeping it. Second [or third] tier bikes like the Grand Jubilee and similar Raleigh Competition MkII had a special interest for me as they were "almost" affordable when i was a teen. The Jubilee derailleurs are jewels and the SL 49 crank is sooo lovely! To my mind these bikes w/ their 531db main tubes and careful selection of functional parts show more imagination than your typical full Campy bike. Everyone collects the full Campy stuff, rather like everyone saved National Geographics because it was so obviously a "classy" magazine. But old NGs are essentially valueless wheras the pulpy Action Comics #1 goes for $1 million and up. Please let the list know when you start selling. Cheers. Billy [predicting an eventual rise in value for non top of the line stuff] Ketchum; Chicago, IL; USA.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Calvert Guthrie"
> Subject: [CR] Circa 73 Red Motobecane Grand Jubilee
>
> It turned up today at an estate sale in KC.
> Stronglight 49, Ideale 80, Jubilee derailleurs/shifters.
> Lightly used condition.
>
> I don't think this marque & model were special enough
> to argue against breaking it down for parts.
> It's 56 c-c & too small for me--so why not?
>
> I can use the saddle but I'll likely list the rest.
>
> Stop me if your POV runs to the contrary.
> Every once in a weak moment I can made
> to see reason.