Re: [CR] Bill Koonce's plated Raleigh Gran Prix...

(Example: Production Builders:Frejus)

Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:59:38 -0400
From: "Harvey Sachs" <hmsachs@verizon.net>
To: oroboyz@aol.com
References: <4C158118.3020504@verizon.net> <AANLkTikjpWqpZ7lyMZb1F4lDMKqREkIYLAIOxX54OuMt@mail.gmail.com> <8CCD979EE4767B5-1C08-46392@webmail-d092.sysops.aol.com>
In-reply-to: <8CCD979EE4767B5-1C08-46392@webmail-d092.sysops.aol.com>
Cc: hsachs@alumni.rice.edu, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, seatown7@aol.com
Subject: Re: [CR] Bill Koonce's plated Raleigh Gran Prix...


Wow, Jim! I have the clone (except for cranks) of that bike, and showed it at Cirque this year! I bought mine in 62, used, just after graduating from high school. It was stolen a year later.

Time fuzzes all, and I thought the transition from JC Higgins to Ted williams was a couple of years earlier, so thanks for helping me with that, too. Yup, gran sport rear and the old plunger front.

regards, harvey

oroboyz@aol.com wrote:
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> http://picasaweb.google.com/portlandjim/JCHiggins#slideshow/5482435874837441714
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> Jim, that's not such a bad bike at all for a youngster!
> Heck, you were into that Randonneur-thang early!
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> Dale Brown
> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Merz <jameshmerz@gmail.com>
> To: hsachs@alumni.rice.edu
> Cc: seatown7@aol.com; classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Sun, Jun 13, 2010 9:35 pm
> Subject: Re: [CR] Bill Koonce's plated Raleigh Gran Prix...
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> You reminded my of my first "10 speed", 1963 J C Higgins. I finished high
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> school in 1964 and took the Puch made bike on a ill fated ride across the
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> USA. Made it to Denver and ran out of money. Came home to be drafted into
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> the Army. Not a bad bike for $50. The bike, and a shot of me on the ride.
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> http://picasaweb.google.com/portlandjim/JCHiggins#slideshow/5482435874837441714
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> Jim Merz
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> Big Sur CA
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> On Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 6:08 PM, Harvey Sachs <hmsachs@verizon.net <mailto:hmsachs@verizon.net>> wrote:
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>> Bill-
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>> If what you have is the Gran Prix that slotted between the Record and the
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>> SuperCourse way back when (60s and 70s), then you have an interesting
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>> novelty and curiosity, in my opinion. As I recall that Gran Prix, it was
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>> pretty heavy (seamed steel tubing) with pretty low-end parts. So, if it were
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>> mine I might hang it on a wall as a conversation-starter.
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>> In some respects it reminds me of the novelty bikes in my fleet,
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>> particularly the '59 JC Higgins and almost identical 60s Sears Ted Williams
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>> Sport Racing. decent but not exceptional seamed tubing, but some nice
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>> components for the day: Campy Gran Sport and Record derailleurs,
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>> respectively, with excellent Weinmann components. If one of them hadn't been
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>> my first 10-speed, I'm sure I wouldn't keep either of them. For me, it's
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>> about the nostalgia value.
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>> In this sense, you're totally free to entertain yourself with this 'un. As
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>> with all the others, really. Have fun with it, and ignore this message if
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>> you have a different Gran Prix, about which I am ignoramabus.
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>> harvey sachs
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>> mcLean va
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>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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>> Bill Koonce wrote:
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>> My nickel or chrome plated frame was identified as a Raleigh Grand Prix
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>> thanks to Don Gilles. The Bocama lugs are spot on as is the fork rake, frame
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>> geometry and wrap around seat lug.
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>> Still, the lack of any serial number that means anything to anyone is
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>> puzzling. I'm still curious about the bike being all plated because the
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>> Grand Prix was never offered to the public in that finish.
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>> And now the big question? What to do with it? Should I re-plate it back to
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>> the original finish? Keep the lugs chrome and paint the tubes? Leave it "as
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>> is" and not bother because the Grand Prix's aren't that special? Dip it
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>> first to get rid of any rust and then frame save it?
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>> Those with experience with Seattle restoration sources...please chime in!
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