Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running.

nev65
Viscount

Posts: 12

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 15:42:28 GMT lighthousejim likes this

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Post by nev65 on Aug 5, 2020 15:42:28 GMT

So, my first refurbishment Project is completed.
Hopefully I have been successful in attaching external pictures to the forum… I guess we will soon find out.

Here is my 1978 Viscount Nevada 5 Speed. As far as I can tell from the literature on the forum, it was probably one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest of the Viscount racing style bicycles.

i.postimg.cc/FHZcbmR2/IMG-1982.jpg

Nevertheless, it is a great little bike, and it is a part of Viscount’s history. Therefore I feel it was important to show it, and add it to the forum.
i.postimg.cc/85kZdtNb/IMG-1980.jpg

It will win no prizes in a concours competition, but it is now back on the road and does look a lot better and neater than before.

The Orange paintwork is the original colour scheme, and presents itself well in these photos. Of the Nevada models I’ve seen, all were this colour. I’d be interested if anyone has seen or owned a Nevada in any other colour than Orange.

i.postimg.cc/zDFJGfcZ/20200729-132858.jpg

From what I could tell, my Nevada was essentially a Taiwanese bike. The small silver Viscount label at the foot of the Seat tube diplomatically says “ Made in Taiwan for Viscount of England”. The Suntour Love Derailleur and the Suntour gear shifter were the only Japanese Components on the bicycle. Everything else appears to have been locally sourced from emerging manufacturers at the time.

The Frame, Crankset, Rear Derailleur, and gear shifter are all original and did seem to clean up nicely without too much problem.

The original chrome steel wheels, chrome steel seatpost, quill stem and handlebars were in a very sorry state when I found them. The Chromework was deeply pitted and rusty and so I decided to replace them with Alloy equivalents. This way I have faithfully and closely retained the original look of the bike without increasing weight.
I have kept the Suntour Perfect 5 speed Freewheel (not in these photos). It still performs well despite being at least 42 years old, and as it was an original part of the bike… I may wish to put it back on the bike in the near future. Currently the bike sports a new modern 14-28 tooth freewheel.

i.postimg.cc/Jzbx99hq/20200729-133044.jpg

My Main departure from the original spec of the bike was to swap over the steel Taiwanese Star sidepull calipers and to change them for Weinmann 730s taken from a Raleigh racer of the same period. They are much lighter than the original brakes and yet make a better job of stopping the bike.
I’ve also added a pair of Weinmann drilled alloy handlebars of the same period which look totally at home on the bike.

i.postimg.cc/zBmJVHN5/IMG-1986.jpg

Finally a frivolous purchase…. I replaced the tired looking saddle with a saddle similar to the one which came with my old bike when new back in 1978. I hunted high and low, and this was the closest I found. Time will tell whether it is comfortable or not.

i.postimg.cc/nVW5nGcs/20200726-161404.jpg

Anyhow as a first project, I am quietly satisfied with how the bike looks now. It has retained the look and character and feel of the 1978 Viscount and is good for a few more years on the road.

And now onto my more serious Project... my blue Viscount Aerospace Sport

franco
Viscount

Posts: 884

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 16:11:34 GMT

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Post by franco on Aug 5, 2020 16:11:34 GMT

I like the look of that Nev, its really clean and the lug lining looks tidy as well. Got a proper 70’s vibe to it. Good work!
Where did you find the alloy 27 1 1/4 wheels?

Did you get away without removing the crankset to clean it? I saw the cotter pins and broke out into a sweat haha

nev65
Viscount

Posts: 12

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 16:43:23 GMT

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Post by nev65 on Aug 5, 2020 16:43:23 GMT

Hi Franco, thanks for the comments. The alloy 27 x 1 1/4 wheels are new and were sourced from Bankrupt bike parts. I figured that replacing old tired non-branded wheels by new non-branded wheels didn't compromise the integrity of the bike. As I mentioned, the Nevada didn't take its components from the top end drawer anyway. They needed a bit of adjustment upon receipt but otherwise they work fine and run straight and true...which the old ones no longer did!

I was lucky, fortunately the BB was working smoothly with no issues whatsoever ( I hope i'm not tempting fate here) so I decided to leave the BB and the Crankset well alone. Yes I had the same misgvings as you over the cottered crankset, and after reading the trials and tribulations of other forum members it strengthened my resolve not to touch it.

On this occasion I left it in situ and cleaned around it. Hopefully it's good for the foreseeable future. Maybe on another project when I've built up a few "refurbishment miles" i'll be confident or desperate enough to tackle the cotter pins.

Nev

cusqueno
Viscount

Posts: 1,281

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 17:59:15 GMT

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Post by cusqueno on Aug 5, 2020 17:59:15 GMT

Some nice work you've put in there. The bike looks great. I like your choices of brakes and wheels - and leaving alone the cranks! I think quite a bit of care went into Viscount's Taiwanese frames, with the lug lining and the metal head badge. I had a Tulsa GL at one time and it had the same features. Interesting to see the small but perfectly formed SunTour Love on the bike. According to Disraeli Gears it was made for child-sized bikes that at the time commonly only had three or four cogs. It is noted however that it can shift up to 28T and five cogs.

nev65
Viscount

Posts: 12

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 18:18:13 GMT

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Post by nev65 on Aug 5, 2020 18:18:13 GMT

Thankyou Cusqueno, For a relatively cheap Viscount I have always loved it. The frame has always seemed well balanced, if a little heavy compared to an Aerospace frame of course but for short rides and descents it's fine. The Suntour Love Groupset has been the little jewel on this bike. It has always been simple, reliable and has never had any problems whatsoever at accommodating 28 tooth 5 speed freewheels and is still running well after 42 years. Sadly this metal head badge has taken a ding at some point in its past, but it was a feature I liked on the later Viscounts. I'm not sure if my photo captures it that well, but there is a glasslike, translucent enamel quality to the headbadge which makes it look like it belongs on a more expensive bike.

franco
Viscount

Posts: 884

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 18:44:15 GMT

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Post by franco on Aug 5, 2020 18:44:15 GMT

I wonder if the crankset is Taiwanese, it’s the same pattern as Raleigh fitted on the Triumph and Hercules models in the 1970’s.

If you do have to service the BB, Nev, a car ball joint splitter from machine mart and some penetrating fluid gets most cotter pins out. Better if you can save and reuse them as well, the newer ones are softer steel by all accounts.

nev65
Viscount

Posts: 12

Viscount Nevada - Finally up and running. Aug 5, 2020 19:55:19 GMT

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Post by nev65 on Aug 5, 2020 19:55:19 GMT

Yes, Franco not surprisingly the crankset is Taiwanese, and the brand is JJS. Back at that time there were some pretty close copies of European Brands, However, I did see some a NOS crankset on Ebay a while back and contemplated buying it before reading what fun people had with cotter pins and then deciding that it really wasn't essential at this immediate time.

Thanks for the tip re the cotter pins...at the moment the BB is fine and not a sound from it, it must be due for an overhaul in the future, and I will make sure I have the necessary tools to take off the crankset an have a good look and clean. But all the while it behaves, i'm tempted to leave it alone.