The latest addition to my Apollo stable - this tasty (but almost too big) 1986/87
Apollo III with a nice chro-mo frame. Very light, very quick.

It was even free, although very incomplete (virtually a bare frame-set), so it cop-
ped a full rebuild and overhaul, with any missing parts being replaced as required.

New, they were not a cheap machine.

John Smith wrote on Jun 6^th, 2015 at 8:10pm:


Depends on the material - plain alloy will clean up with fine steel-wool and a bit of Brasso or
Autosol. A bit of crunched-up aluminium foil may also work.

Steel, use steel-wool & Brasso. Really bad rust will come off with a bath in brown vinegar, but
degrease the parts first or it won't work (some say Coke works, but I haven't tried it). A fine
wire brush (I use one with brass bristles so as not to damage the job) is useful. Hand-held is
OK, but small rotary ones to fit your drill are cheap-as at Magnet-Mart.

Anodised (coloured) - don't use abrasives or you may lose the colour.

After removing corrosion, either keep lightly oiled, or shoot a coat or two of clear lacquer over
the part.

John Smith wrote on Jun 6^th, 2015 at 8:20pm:


No, don't let the oil go near the pads - just a wipe with an oily rag on the part where you removed the rust from.

One or two drops on a square of dunny-paper is plenty, just re-wipe when you clean the bike, or if it gets ridden/left in the rain.

Check these old 1970s Dia Compe center-pull brakes - the one on the left is as-acquired, the one on the right has been 'tickled'
with a 2" rotary brass-wire brush, then polished with Brasso.

The bits which would get an oil-wipe are the (dodgy) chrome bolts, the springs, and the retaining stud/nut (all steel).

Ah! The disc itself - yeah, just steel-wool, don't polish the bit the pads contact.
Mounting bolts/nuts you can go wild on, it won't hurt.

It will almost certainly return eventually, as the whole thing is exposed to the
muck off the front wheel in the wet.

This one's gonna be fun - a vintage Speedwell, circa 1946-50, in very sad condition.

It WILL live again...

The very rare 1960 Slim Ward-built 'Satellite' has just had its annual
overhaul - 2 new tyres, new brake cables, a full lube and adjustment
and a good wash.

She's good to go for another 12 months... quality won't die. She'll last
for another 55 years, easily.

Kat wrote on Sep 15^th, 2015 at 9:00pm:


I like the green satellite Kat. Very nice

Ahhh
So many push bikes, and only one bull bar.................