Don Gillies wrote, "What's the deal with the simplex wing-nuts on the suntour ratchet shifters?" = The deal is that they are original, not swapped out Simplex as implied. Apparently you are not aware that they were used on SunTour ratchet and friction shift levers.
For a look at them on friction levers, have a look at a pair in Wayne Bingham's Wool Jersey album:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Learn something new everyday!
Kevin Kruger - Grantville, PA
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Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 14:27:30 -0800 From: donald gillies <gillies(AT)ece.ubc.ca> Subject: Re: [CR] 1972 Fuji Finest photos posted to Wool Jersey
I too have a 23" blue fuji finest from 1971 and it is a very close match for this bike. the only differences being my original Suntour Spirt front derailleurs and indeed, the wheels (mine are sunshine HF with 8 trapezoid holes and ukai tubular rims.) I also managed to procure a tatty Fujita Pro saddle for my bike, plus a blue leather saddle from Permaco ... not sure which one would look better on my bike, although I think that the Fujita Pro is OEM equipment. One very hard-to-find part on this bike, are the con denti MKS unique pedals. What's the deal with the simplex wing-nuts on the suntour ratchet shifters? Some modern MKS toe clips would look great on this bike.
Anyway, as someone who followed the fuji finest for a few years on ebay, looking to buy one (mine came from craigslist boston, actually) I have to say, yours is by far the nicest i've seen, and these bikes, despite being production bikes, are quite rare on ebay, and most of them were driven very hard. These bikes are far more rare than MASIs, and were top of the line in their year, etc.
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA, USA