# Tools For Grand Prix



## wrongway (Apr 14, 2015)

I was recently given a '76 Grand Prix. It's a mess, but as usual I enjoy tinkering with things.....so.... It looks like I might need a special tool to get the crank arms off. I think I need a Crank Arm Extractor (or puller). Is there a special one to be looking for or are they universal?


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## bulldog1935 (Apr 14, 2015)

'76 GP should be a steel cottered crank - remove the nut and drive the cotter key (bolt) out




(I love to hate those vinyl bar wraps)

'77 has an alloy SR/SunTour/Raleigh-branded (splined) crank on square taper that will use a universal crank puller





However, my '77 model has a frame manufacturing date (Nottingham s/n) of May '76, and I bought it in Aug '76, so maybe that's what you have.  
If you do, congrats - it's the first year Raleigh was all ISO/BSC threads, making it easy to work on, modify, and upgrade with new parts.  





note my BB cup looked just like this one, but was BSC thread




if it's the '77 model, here's the universal crank puller
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1PRFA_enUS414US414&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=crankset+removal+without+crank+puller&tbm=shop

of course it's also possible that somewhere along the way the bottom bracket on an older GP was upgraded to square taper (but would have still likely been a BB removed from a higher-grade Raleigh bike to match the Raleigh-specific BB shell threads)  
http://sheldonbrown.com/raleigh26.html

Phil Wood offers cups to put his costy BB on old Raleigh threads.  But again, if you actually have a '77 model, you can use any modern BSC bb

I will also confess to springing for costy on mine - I have an SKF bb, but probably won't ever need to buy another


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## wrongway (Apr 14, 2015)

Here is what I have. It has a 1976 serial number (WL6001569), but everything else says it's newer. Odd. Maybe a lot of parts have been replaced? I know the brakes and rims aren't original. I'm going to try and not put a lot of money into it.


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## bulldog1935 (Apr 14, 2015)

that's a '77 model  
Great project.  You have a BSC bb shell and can use any square-taper BSC bb.  
The shorty fenders are great - they keep your CP brake calipers clean.  
I actually have two nice pairs set aside, stainless that will fit 32mm, and Bluemels alloy that will fit 28mm.  
When you get there, if they interest you, LMK




That's the same splined SR crank that stripped on me in Austin hills in '78 and precipitated the first rebuild of my bike (to Sugino Mighty Comp crank, Zeus/Rigida wheelset, Shimano 600 derailleurs).  
I honestly don't know if the square tapers are ISO or JIS, so if you're going to change the crank, that needs to be answered.  But if you're just taking it apart to rebuild, no worries.  



though I wasn't on Brooks saddles way back then - a tough-butt college student, I was riding Unicanitor


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## wrongway (Apr 14, 2015)

If I find it's worth saving I do want to put full fenders on it someday. Wonder why it would be a '77 model, but say '76? A leftover frame? So, I can use the Park Tools CCP-22?


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## bulldog1935 (Apr 14, 2015)

http://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_serials.html#19731982 
something else cool about your bike, s/n from Worksop, the Carlton factory.

yes, you can use any universal crank puller

not leftover at all - beating the bike boom - again, my bike is a '77 model with a frame date of May '76, and I bought it Aug '76 when they were first delivered to Cumberland Transit in Nashville.
Your bike will incorporate all the production changes for '77 and IS a '77 model.  

btw, the reason my bike has so much put into it, is I've ridden it 25,000 mi since '76, it's been stored indoors.  But it fits me like a glove and is my benchmark for all other bikes.  

Not really suggesting you put a lot of money into it, rather that whatever cost-effective parts you have around or can get should work on that frame (as opposed to older Raleigh, as opposed to French)  e.g., if you need a BB and want to upgrade to sealed bearings, I have a very cost-effective low use FSA sitting around here that would screw right in for you.


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## SirMike1983 (Apr 14, 2015)

Great Porteur style variation. I like the Porteur/Randonneur style of bike. I once bought an old Peugeot frame on the cheap, thinking I could do the same with Velo Orange parts and some other things. Of course the frame comes and has a kink in the top tube, bend in the down tube, and damage to the headset area. No dice.



bulldog1935 said:


> '76 GP should be a steel cottered crank - remove the nut and drive the cotter key (bolt) out
> View attachment 208581
> (I love to hate those vinyl bar wraps)
> 
> ...


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## bulldog1935 (Apr 14, 2015)

thanks Mike, as I said, this bike is an old friend.  Tried to make it a racy Italian bike in college (now I have one of those instead).  
This is my semi-upright utility bike.  I typically I take it on 25-mi rides (though I've been up to 40 with a 2500' climb).  It's geared to climb the big hills around my house.  But it makes errands, and has even hauled a bag of charcoal up the hill.


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## bulldog1935 (Apr 14, 2015)

wrongway said:


> If I find it's worth saving I do want to put full fenders on it someday. Wonder why it would be a '77 model, but say '76? A leftover frame? So, I can use the Park Tools CCP-22?




btw, from when I was putting decals together on my GP, I ended up with some leftover Carlton seat tube and fork decals (came with my script, which I believe was old Professional).  Since your bike was made in Worksop, it would not be a lie to put these on it  




I think anything looks better than the ugly decals - especially the R-road fork decals - on the bike boom Raleighs.


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## wrongway (Apr 15, 2015)

bulldog1935 said:


> btw, from when I was putting decals together on my GP, I ended up with some leftover Carlton seat tube and fork decals (came with my script, which I believe was old Professional).  Since your bike was made in Worksop, it would not be a lie to put these on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'll keep that in mind, thanks. Say, where did you get the fenders?


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## bulldog1935 (Apr 15, 2015)

the fenders just above are 36mm Honjos that closed out at VO for $65 a few years ago - they were a steal.  
They won't fit tires over 28mm, though.  These are on my buddy's bike now and they are pretty neat and even sexy-looking, but give you less tire choice than larger fenders





When I rebuilt with my 700c wheelset and larger tires, I went with 45mm Honjo bought from Jitensa studio - these fit 32-35mm tires.  
Jitensa has very good mounting instructions and a good array of mounting hardware to look through
http://www.jitensha.com/eng/fndrs_e.html
note that Jitensa prices on Honjo fenders are not sets, but pairs of blank fenders - you have to complete the set with mounting hardware stays, etc.  Also have to drill all your own holes (I went this route when I gave my buddy my 36mm fenders, since I already had a daruma mounted in my front fork and a rack hole to drill

boulder sells complete Honjo sets with all the hardware, and you can see the price difference compared to VO or Tanaka
http://boulderbicycle.bike/Fenders-Mudflaps-and-hardware/Honjo-700c-fenders/

VO fender sets are made by Tanaka and are more cost-effective than Honjos.  
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/fenders/fender-sets/700c.html
But you can get Tanaka fender sets even cheaper if you hunt around
http://www.outsideoutfitters.com/p-...XT72twtEQIyIUEB2YuFi6pFBs37OM20VgQaArr18P8HAQ

One thing, though with aluminum fenders you must have a front rack mounting, otherwise the top fender extension vibrates so much you can damage a tire



The way my buddy got away with it on the black Schwinn above was he used my old mounting holes and ran a strap of stainless as a stiffener inside the fender and between my existing mounting holes.  



 


something else about the GP frame geometry - it matches the International, low trail, and is perfect geometry for a front load
The other Raleigh frames, particularly their forks - Super Course, Competition, Professional - are all aggressive racing geometry with quick turn-in and would be less than reliable (even dangerous) with a front load

Can't think of a better front rack for it than Nitto M-18


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