Update on Robin Hood Restoration
Today I spent the morning taking apart my Robin Hood bike, disassembling everything, including the bottom bracket and fork. I cleaned the wheels, using 00 steel wool and copper polish, after first degreasing. Everything came apart smoothly and I was thinking that I was going to set a new record for bike disassembly, when I ran into trouble getting off the sprocket side crank arm; the bolt would just not come out. After using a hammer too much the bolt bent and I ended up spending about 45 minutes drilling and hammering and hack sawing to nearly obliterate the bolt to get it out. The bolt on the other crank arm came out with a few whacks--go figure. Everything else went fine. I polished all the rest of the chrome parts and did spray the "crystal clear shellac" over the old Robin Hood decals, which looks like a strategy that is going to work great for saving the original decals, while allowing me to sand, primer, and paint the rest of the bike. Tomorrow I'll start on the paint job: fenders fork, chain guard, and body.
Here is my parts list:
2 tubes
2 tires (white walls would go nice with the white rear fender paint, white hand grips)
Sturmey Archer shift lever and cable
1 crank arm bolt (the one that I obliterated taking it out)
a longer seat post so I can ride the bike when it's finished
maybe 2 nice new white hand grips if they have something in the same style--the originals aren't in too bad a shape.
The "free" bike will probably cost me about $75 in parts and paint when it is all done (it will be worth every penny).
best
Robert
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Ok, here is the update on my Robin Hood: I've completed my first restoration project, and you can look at the
before and
after pictures. Overall I was happy with this restoration as it was pretty cheap and easy, although time consuming. I'm sure if I had to buy expensive parts or rechrome or spend serious money on a paint job, then I might not be so happy.
