Along with some parts, the frame is almost ready for refinishing now as shown in the photos, taken on a freezing morning! As part of a general inspection we’ve gently levered out the crushed seatpost clamp area (which is in fact threaded on the driveside) and just need to remove the headbadge and the ‘dimples’ (aka ‘thimbles’) in the original fork’s crown.*
Also pictured are the front brake pads clips** and the Renthal bar brace (which is going to be powdercoated black with polished clamp and new bolts) and the stem (ditto but with black clamps). Don’t think that fixed cup is going anywhere but we’ll make sure no powdercoat gets inside the bottom bracket shell. For the record, the frame number is NE3022591 which I believe means…
N = Nottingham
E = April
3 = 1983
022591 = unit number
* if this is not possible, we plan to mask them off with something that will resist sandblasting (and then mask them at the powdercoaters with special tape)… still ruminating on this one! Donor forks perhaps?
UPDATE 17th JAN 2013: using this method, the thimbles came out with no issues :)
http://www.raleighgrifter.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tech&action=display&thread=714#
** basically floating stiffeners for the fork legs which connect to the pads with small plates… look to have been originally black and this (new powdercoat) will certainly stop them scratching the newly finished fork blades. Might look into shrink wrapping them after.
Headbadge is now removed! I lightly chiseled the rear of the rivets (outwards from inside the head tube) then very gently prised it off from the outside with a knife :D the dimples in the forks are NOT going to be easy (if possible at all… even with the known method of prising them slowly out with a blade).