I'm not certain but I'd guess that the Black Lightning logo would stand up to lacquer thinner. If not I guess you wouldn't be out much if you end up having to repaint it.
1988 Black Lightning
- Thread starter IdahoBrett
- Start date
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
It’s worth a shot to try with lacquer thinner. I shall try.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
I’m into tearing down the complete Black Lightning now, so hereto forward I shall refer to it as BL2.
It didn’t look like the headset had been serviced in quite some time. Cups look fine. So do the bearings. But I bought a box of ten retainer sets so I’ll install new ones.
It didn’t look like the headset had been serviced in quite some time. Cups look fine. So do the bearings. But I bought a box of ten retainer sets so I’ll install new ones.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
New bearings and grease. Brake caliper cleaned up nicely.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
Lacquer thinner was ok.
Understandable why it was painted. They sold a lot of those, so you might come across a nice one at some point.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
I have it in my saved searches on ebay. Hopefully one pops up...someday.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
A bit more work accomplished on BL2
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
Shelf life expired
.I should’ve taken close up pics of the QR skewer. It looked too pitted and rusty to reuse. The through shaft still had great cad plating. So the hubs were lubed often enough early in the bike’s life. It shined up nicely with blue scotch brite and mineral spirits.
Not perfectly happy with the front brake cable housing length. A tad long and makes the adjustment nut swivel off to the side. It’s OEM Dia Compe housing and it is kind of a pain to cut vs. newer Shimano stuff. Even with proper cutters.
I’ll tackle the rear brake caliper clean up and cable run in the next couple of days. I discovered a Meguiar’s polish that does well on the scuffs that are on the top bar. Previous brake job, someone routed the rear brake cable around the wrong side of the head tube and rubbed some paint raw. Plus the housing and cable moved as one when rear brake was applied. Also rubbing the paint raw along the top tube. It should polish out nicely.
JohnnyD
Well-Known Member
Can't wait to see the end results.Shelf life expired
I should’ve taken close up pics of the QR skewer. It looked too pitted and rusty to reuse. The through shaft still had great cad plating. So the hubs were lubed often enough early in the bike’s life. It shined up nicely with blue scotch brite and mineral spirits.
Not perfectly happy with the front brake cable housing length. A tad long and makes the adjustment nut swivel off to the side. It’s OEM Dia Compe housing and it is kind of a pain to cut vs. newer Shimano stuff. Even with proper cutters.
I’ll tackle the rear brake caliper clean up and cable run in the next couple of days. I discovered a Meguiar’s polish that does well on the scuffs that are on the top bar. Previous brake job, someone routed the rear brake cable around the wrong side of the head tube and rubbed some paint raw. Plus the housing and cable moved as one when rear brake was applied. Also rubbing the paint raw along the top tube. It should polish out nicely.
Did the handlebar come with the bike? What's the center to center width? I've yet to find one wider than 40 cm.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
Yes the bars came with the bike. And yes measuring CTC at the ends I got about 16.125”. That would be 40cm. It says 420 on the bar end. I take it that should be 420mm?
kjop
Well-Known Member
just found something very interesting that would fit nicely to the old black lightning. it's a golden mafac-simplex-groupset.
and it's for sale... but don't know anything about the seller^^
https://steel-vintage.com/products/mafac-simplex-golden-edition-groupset
and it's for sale... but don't know anything about the seller^^
https://steel-vintage.com/products/mafac-simplex-golden-edition-groupset
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
What? You call that done? It’s lumpy and crooked. Come on! Let’s go play fetch!
Every bar maker seems to measure differently, Nitto must measure center to outside. I will have to look and see if mine is marked 400 mm or if I measured it as so.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
I took the freewheel off and cleaned it up. But only oiled it. The pawls have a wonderful clickity-clickity sound when spun. I lubed the rear hub. I didn’t like the looks of the cups. But reassembled anyway. It took me a bit to find a sweet spot that I liked when “adjusting” the cup tension.
I pulled the drive side crank arm. The non drive side is being stubborn. I’m letting it soak in kroil overnight. Not corroded I think. Didn’t see any. But before I added a cheater bar to the crank arm puller, I figured it was time for a break before I broke something.
Destroyed one dust cap getting it out. And realized I didn’t get crank arm bolts in the pile of parts I bought for the other BL. Off to ebay I guess.
I pulled the drive side crank arm. The non drive side is being stubborn. I’m letting it soak in kroil overnight. Not corroded I think. Didn’t see any. But before I added a cheater bar to the crank arm puller, I figured it was time for a break before I broke something.
Destroyed one dust cap getting it out. And realized I didn’t get crank arm bolts in the pile of parts I bought for the other BL. Off to ebay I guess.
IdahoBrett
Well-Known Member
I’ve got the drive side bottom bracket out. I don’t have a pin spanner on hand for the non drive side. Yet.
I intended on replacing the caged bearing set. But it appears there is a pressed in cup. No tooling on hand for that. Not even sure what it would take. I’m coming up dry for internet searching on Sugino BB bearing replacement for this vintage. May just clean and grease.
I intended on replacing the caged bearing set. But it appears there is a pressed in cup. No tooling on hand for that. Not even sure what it would take. I’m coming up dry for internet searching on Sugino BB bearing replacement for this vintage. May just clean and grease.
This looks great! Have you repainted the stem mostly? What are you planning to do with the lettering on the stem? I believe originally it would have been that same dull gold/yellow colour as the other decals.
I have two stems like that, would love to bring them back to their original glory. Both are well, well worn but the 'Black Lightning' lettering is still faintly visible on both.
Haha my paint is flaky and bubbly all over when you see it in person - I went to town with a paint sharpie as much as possible. The worn look kind of matches the whole bike though so I'm pretty happy.
Upon looking at this again I see that yours is the Criterium series (unlike mine) so I think slightly different frame dimensions(?) and also without the cantilevered rear dropouts (which I love and hate the look of haha!)