1970's Maruishi...Trashed?

[Scott Gordo]

A buddy of mine garbage picked a bike and gave it to me. It's encased
in a dust-bunny cocoon, but it looks like it was once quite nice.

A Maruishi stamp can be seen where the seat stays are brazed to the
seat lug (IIRC it's called the "salami cut".) The frame was repainted
gold with a silver head tube, likely by the owner -- it's pretty
gloppy. The repaint covered any other make or model information about
the frame (including any rust spots), which I'd estimate to be sized
around a 55 or 56. The shifting/braking is 5sp Dura Ace, with a tight
rear cluster. Nice Brooks saddle in good condition, Mavic rims look
true. I haven't measured the chain, but it looks like a bike that was
well used but cared for. If this wasn't someone's race rig I'd be very
surprised.

Problem is that there's a whopper of a ding in the seat tube just
above the chainrings that leaves the the tube with a ~20 degree bend.

Now, this wasn't my bike, so other than nostalgically wanting to
preserve the past I don't have any strong personal attachment to the
frame. It was also a freebie, so I'm not beholden monetarily. The
frame is also too small for me, and...rrrr...gah.. I've got to
accept...rrraaahhh... that I've enough of a personal fleet already
(according to my girlfriend), so I'll likely be flipping it. I was
thinking of casually shopping for another frame with 120mm spacing,
but with the fixie craze they're not as cheap or easy to find as they
once were. Should I accept that this frame is scrap, or look into
having the tube replaced and the frame realigned?

I'm sure that although '70s Dura Ace doesn't have the same cachet as
70's Campy it's likely collectible. With that in mind, should I just
craigslist or ebay as is?

scogo

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>
,
Scott Gordo <[email protected]> wrote:

> A buddy of mine garbage picked a bike and gave it to me. It's encased
> in a dust-bunny cocoon, but it looks like it was once quite nice.
>
> A Maruishi stamp can be seen where the seat stays are brazed to the
> seat lug (IIRC it's called the "salami cut".) The frame was repainted
> gold with a silver head tube, likely by the owner -- it's pretty
> gloppy. The repaint covered any other make or model information about
> the frame (including any rust spots), which I'd estimate to be sized
> around a 55 or 56. The shifting/braking is 5sp Dura Ace, with a tight
> rear cluster. Nice Brooks saddle in good condition, Mavic rims look
> true. I haven't measured the chain, but it looks like a bike that was
> well used but cared for. If this wasn't someone's race rig I'd be very
> surprised.
>
> Problem is that there's a whopper of a ding in the seat tube just
> above the chainrings that leaves the the tube with a ~20 degree bend.
>
> Now, this wasn't my bike, so other than nostalgically wanting to
> preserve the past I don't have any strong personal attachment to the
> frame. It was also a freebie, so I'm not beholden monetarily. The
> frame is also too small for me, and...rrrr...gah.. I've got to
> accept...rrraaahhh... that I've enough of a personal fleet already
> (according to my girlfriend), so I'll likely be flipping it. I was
> thinking of casually shopping for another frame with 120mm spacing,
> but with the fixie craze they're not as cheap or easy to find as they
> once were. Should I accept that this frame is scrap, or look into
> having the tube replaced and the frame realigned?
>
> I'm sure that although '70s Dura Ace doesn't have the same cachet as
> 70's Campy it's likely collectible. With that in mind, should I just
> craigslist or ebay as is?

If you are selling it, the best return is selling it in
parts. That way buyers can pick and choose while you
collect the mark-up for your time and trouble. Then you
can decide about the frame. Fix it and sell it, give it
away, or put it back in the dumpster.

--
Michael Press

 

[JeffWills]

On Jun 26, 3:45 pm, Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:

> If you are selling it, the best return is selling it in
> parts. That way buyers can pick and choose while you
> collect the mark-up for your time and trouble. Then you
> can decide about the frame. Fix it and sell it, give it
> away, or put it back in the dumpster.

I agree- part it out. Some of the '70's Dura-Ace stuff was as nice as
Campy, just without the cachet.

I'd take the frame off your hands, but I already have an Eisentraut
frame with a severed seat tube waiting for me to get off my fat ass
and *finish* a project or two.

Jeff