Rusty Lenton Sports Reg Harris Model

[Windhover]

Just bought this very rusty Raleigh Lenton off ebay having been looking for one at a reasonable price for a year now. Looks like it has been left outside for some time and the rust is deep everywhere but it seems to me to be intact and unmolested. Can't decipher the frame number but the 3 speed hub is 1954 and it has the correct 40 spoke rear wheel and 32 spoke front wheel. Question is will it be restorable to an oily rag condition?

• Have heard of oxalic acid as a rust treatment. Does anyone know if it works and does it affect the paintwork and the transfers?
• Are these aluminium mudguards correct?
• Came with a Brooks saddlebag in a desperate condition. Is this correct for the bike?

Any answers or advice most welcome.

 

[raleighnut]

It may be too far gone but good luck.

AFAIK the tubing is 531 plain gauge though so there is a fair bit of 'meat' to the tubing.

 

[Spiderweb]

The bike looks too far gone to me so I'm really interested to see what you do with it. Some before and after pictures would be good to see.

 

[biggs682]

@Windhover never tried oxalic myself but others speak well of it , i dont think you would have a lot to loose by trying it

Looks a bit of work for sure , you could try a small area with fine wire wool just to take the surface rust off then try a cutting compound and polish and see what it looks like , keep us updated

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I like Bilt Hamber's Deox C. I have never tried it with transfers however. It is very gentle. I have used it to reveal tiny stamped writing on very rusty steel.

Electrolysis is fun. Gentle as well although again, not sure how transfer friendly it would be:

You would need a bigger container such as a plastic paddling pool.

 

[woodbutcher]

Just bought this very rusty Raleigh Lenton off ebay having been looking for one at a reasonable price for a year now. Looks like it has been left outside for some time and the rust is deep everywhere but it seems to me to be intact and unmolested. Can't decipher the frame number but the 3 speed hub is 1954 and it has the correct 40 spoke rear wheel and 32 spoke front wheel. Question is will it be restorable to an oily rag condition?

• Have heard of oxalic acid as a rust treatment. Does anyone know if it works and does it affect the paintwork and the transfers?
• Are these aluminium mudguards correct?
• Came with a Brooks saddlebag in a desperate condition. Is this correct for the bike?

Any answers or advice most welcome.

You are a brave soul ....have you tried to remove the seat post yet

 

[Cycleops]

^^ This is going to be your biggest problem and as it's well rusted in might render the frame scrap, sorry .

 

[southcoast]

The quill stem might cause a few problem too.

 

[mikeymustard]

It's just patina!
Oxalic works pretty well on chrome particularly, but I think it needs some chrome left to work on!

 

[Illaveago]

I think it looks worse than it is. It will need some gentle treatment if you are hoping to keep as much of the transfers as possible .
Oxalic acid treatment was used for removing industrial fallout on car paintwork in the 70's.
There seems to be a quite a few favoured methods, vinegar, citric acid, lemon or lime juice. I have used Hammerite rust removing liquid which you mix with water and find that effective for soaking parts in.
I was just remembering how they used to treat cars in garages which may be useful. Newspaper was placed over the surfaces and the oxalic acid was poured onto the paper until it was soaking. This was repeated to prevent it from drying out . You may be able to adapt this method by wrapping paper around the frame and then carefully pouring your acid onto the frame . A bowl placed underneath would catch any spills which could be recycled.
Areas where there are transfers are likely to be fragile so care will have to be taken .
Good luck .

 

[Illaveago]

It is amazing how some rusty chrome comes back after treatment . Some really bad looking rust scabs can be carefully scraped back using a flat screwdriver.

 

[Windhover]

Just bought this very rusty Raleigh Lenton off ebay having been looking for one at a reasonable price for a year now. Looks like it has been left outside for some time and the rust is deep everywhere but it seems to me to be intact and unmolested. Can't decipher the frame number but the 3 speed hub is 1954 and it has the correct 40 spoke rear wheel and 32 spoke front wheel. Question is will it be restorable to an oily rag condition?

• Have heard of oxalic acid as a rust treatment. Does anyone know if it works and does it affect the paintwork and the transfers?
• Are these aluminium mudguards correct?
• Came with a Brooks saddlebag in a desperate condition. Is this correct for the bike?

Any answers or advice most welcome.

Dismantling proceeding well. Just left with the stem; headset and bottom bracket any of which will render the frame useless. Quill stem is resisting even a torque wrench and is currently bathing in paraffin. Seat post came off surprisingly well. Crank cotter pins came out eventually in the vice combined with some heat from a blowtorch. Frame number is 356121 T which dates my bike as 1952 (1952 numbers commence at 236530T; 1953 numbers commence at 367369T so production is 10903 per month making mine 11 months after 1952 commences = November 1952.) Hub dated 1954 so hub presumably replaced at some time. Mudguards are Bantel make. Anyone know of them?

 

[southcoast]

Try turning the bike upside down and pouring some oil into the head tube and leaving it to soak for a while.

 

[biggs682]

Glad it's all coming apart nicely

 

[Windhover]

Try turning the bike upside down and pouring some oil into the head tube and leaving it to soak for a while.

Thanks, yes that's what's happening tonight. Paraffin seems to be a cheap and effective penetrating oil. If I can get the quill stem out the rest looks to be freer.