Paramount restoration

[jon_norstog]

This is a restoration I did on a 50th Anniversary Paramount, for my neighbor Mike O. Mike served two tours in Iraq as a truck driver with the Idaho National Guard. When he left on his first tour he asked if I could do anything with the frame, which survived a fire and building collapse. I said I would try - as it turned out the black stuff on the frame was cooked paint, not scale, and the silver was intact in all the main triangle lugs.

I replaced the seat- and chainstays with the appropriate Columbus pieces, and got close as possible with the brake bridge and reinforcements. I also reused the original Shimano dropouts, seatstay caps, chainstay bridge and chain hanger. I used silver where Waterford used silver and bronze where they used bronze.

over my customary PPG white epoxy and 2-part sandable primer I shot Paramount "Centennial Black" enamel - a touchup bottle will shoot a frame easily. The graphics are SSSink courtesy of Dave Bohm.

I would like to thank Bradley Herron for his $50 donation toward the project. When Mike asked me how much he owed, I said "Nothing. We owe you. Thanks for your service."

mike_and_his_bike+small.jpg

jn

"Thursday"

[jon_norstog]

I took my own sweet time on the job. On his second tour in Iraq, Mike ran his truck over an IED and was severely wounded. He probably will never be the same again, but he hopes to be able to ride a bike again at some future time.

[Too Tall]

Go to heaven twice because you are Jon Effing' Nostog. Well done sir.

[Mark Walberg]

Looks great Jon. You did the right thing, and I'll bet it was fun doing it, too.
Restoring a frame is, in some ways, harder than starting from scratch.
It is great to ride one that is back on the road again.
I hope Mike gets to ride it.
-Mark