Bike with Oscar Egg Super Champion derailleur

[BlackRockJohhny]

Hello!

I bought a bike on eBay because it had the Oscar Egg Super Champion derailleur. I will greatly appreciate your help in resolving a few issues and questions (please refer to the attached pics).
I’m not a mechanic nor a seasoned collector, I just love old bikes. I’ll probably say some things wrong or have left out some info. Please correct me as you find mistakes in any of my statements or questions.
A mechanic friend of mine assembled the bike.
I can only attache 20 pics per post, so I'll reply to this with the additional 16 pics (total of 36 pics).

• The biggest issue is that the derailleur doesn't shift into the largest cog. An attempt to do so results in the "shifting fork" (part number 6 in this CABE post) colliding badly with the spokes (see one of my pics that shows the shifting fork well into the spokes). How to fix this; some notes:
  • For one thing (don't know if this could account for the problem), the wheels appear to be incorrect for the bike. I did some research, and the rims appear to be of the "Westwood" type; ie, are designed to be used with rod brakes, not the caliper brakes on the bike. From what I've read, dropbar bikes (like mine) wouldn't work with rod brakes. Assuming that's correct, I will get new rims. Would 700c rims work? If not, what size rims should I get? Would correct rims resolve the issue of the shifting fork colliding with the spokes? I'm guessing not, but I'm asking anyway.
  • As the schematic shows, the angle that the fork blades (ie, the part that the chain runs through) make with the "arm" part of the fork (ie, the part that the spring attaches to) appears to be greater than 90 degrees (appears to be close to 120 degrees). Whereas, the pic of mine shows that mine is about 90 degrees (maybe someone bent it at some time). Could that account for the issue?
  • What else might account for the issue; maybe:
    • Note that the tension arm has the lettering "Super Champion B SGDG" (not sure if either of the "G" letters are "C" letters, though).
    • The chainstays (maybe the frame is wrong for the derailleur)?
    • The freewheel (if that's what the set of cogs is called)?
    • The hubs?
    • Is the tension arm not horizontal enough (for diagrams, see http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=d27c8286-7ab3-4fbd-8f32-46eb62e774b1&Enum=108)?
    • Maybe some other aspect of how the derailleur is mounted?
    • Maybe I need a period-correct chain?
    • Anything else?
• Need help identifying frame maker and the age of the frame (ideally, what year it was made, or close to the year). Here are some notes (and, refer to my pics
  • There is the number 408 on the left rear dropout and one of the frame fork blades.
  • Under the bottom bracket there is the number 18, also what appears to be "C51" and it looks like the letters "AC" inside of a diamond.
  • Maybe the decal pics will help (assuming that they are original to the frame or at least a reproduction of the original decals).
  • There is some sort of bolt at the bottom of the bottom bracket. Is that some sort of lubricant port? Maybe that will help date the frame or identify the frame maker.
  • Are the cogs/freewheel/cassette (or whatever that assembly is called) period correct? If not, can it be determined what period they are from?
• What sort of cotter pins should I get that are period-correct, to replace the crankarm bolts?
• Where to get matching wingnuts?
• Where to get correct headbadge, once frame age and maker is known?
• Of what time period are the brakes? Pedals?
• Where to get period-correct frame pump given pump boss/pin (see my pics)?
• The jockey wheel on the tension arm appears to be too recent a vintage. Where to get period-correct jockey wheel (star-shaped, from what I see in Osgear patent, although maybe circular would be appropriate).
• Where to get a period-correct chain?
• Any comments / questions / suggestions will be appreciated!

 

[BlackRockJohhny]

As noted in my original post, here are the additional 16 pics.

 

[GiovanniLiCalsi]

I have an NOS 1937 Oscar Egg derailleur, shown below.
Hope this helps....

 

[BlackRockJohhny]

Hi GiovanniLiCalsi,

Thanks for your reply.
Are those parts for sale? If so, how much do you want for them?

Do you also have the tension arm? If so, how much would you want for it?

Also, if you have the tension arm, where would it mount? I ask, because my understanding is that different evolutions of the derailleur had different mount points for the tension arm.

Thanks!

 

[sam]

I beleave your machinic set the Turning Fork too close to the cogs. Look close at the photo I think I see a ghost where it originally sat. Move it forward till it doesn't hit the spokes when shifting.

 

[usarnie1]

Prior to replacing the rod brake rims on your bike, you need to count the spokes on each rim. That way you will be able to choose the rims which will mate up to your hubs.

 

[BlackRockJohhny]

Thanks sam and usarnie1!

Sam, regarding your advice to move the fork further from the cogs, I tried that and it didn't seem to help. Anyway, when you look at Oscar Egg's patent diagrams, it seems that the fork should be fairly close to the cogs.

I'm not a mechanic, so I'm still at a loss. The bike is in a local bike shop right now, and they are trying to work on it.
As a wild guess, I'm wondering if the freewheel is wrong. Looking at the pic of my freewheel (about the 14th or so pic of mine, above), the largest cog appears to have around 20 or 21 teeth.
However, as the vintage price list below seems to indicate, the freewheel should be a 16-17-18 (ie, several fewer teeth on the largest cog than I have).
So, I bought a 16-17-18 vintage freewheel on eBay, as shown below.
Hopefully, that freewheel will solve the issue.

Any thoughts?

 

[dweenk]

• What sort of cotter pins should I get that are period-correct, to replace the crankarm bolts?

With patience, penetrating oil, and a good cotter press those cotters should be able to be re-used.

 

[juvela]

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Wedgebolts have too light of a cut.

Either replacement with bolts of a heavier cut or filing is called for.

Would look more correct with false acorns or true acorns rather than the simple hexes that are on there...

Fixed side of shell appears to be stepped, is that correct?

Or is it just a groove which goes part way round?

Wonder if chain with beveled plates might shift better..just an idea to explore. Not all links are the same; this could contribute to poor running.

Brake pads appear wrong; moot at present since rims are wrong.

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