# Old unloved Brompton - FOUND!



## JhnBssll (11 Oct 2019)

I fancy another refurb project and have my heart set on a Brompton. I've been scouring eBay but they all seem too good for my purposes, I really want something that has been used and abused and will take some work to freshen up. As such i dont want to be paying too much but understand even poor examples hold their value.

If you've got something that might fit the bill I would be interested to hear from you with some pics and a price 

Thanks in advance!


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## steveindenmark (11 Oct 2019)

You will struggle. Bromptons are well looked after and even tbe old ones are expensive.


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## JhnBssll (11 Oct 2019)

I have been struggling for a while but I'm sure theres one out there somewhere for me


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## vickster (11 Oct 2019)

Even the stolen ones command a high price


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## rogerzilla (13 Oct 2019)

I bought a very well-used one for £250 a few years ago. That seems to be the bottom price for an L3 with not much paint left and a waggly rear end. At high mileages the head tube will likely be stretched, meaning a loose lower headset cup. 

No bike is "worth" refurbishing in an economic sense as a re-enamel is so expensive*. A Brompton even less so, as the base price is too high. You only do it for fun.

*powdercoating cheaper but rarely nice - also, a Brompton would need the hinges dismantling for powdercoat, which is not a home job. For wet paint jobs, the stem and main frame hinges can be left intact.


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## JhnBssll (13 Oct 2019)

Thanks for the reply some good info there. I wouldnt be doing it to for economic reasons, I just enjoy rebuilding bikes and feel like a Brompton would be fun  Hearing that the hinges arent a home job just makes me want one even more 

£250 for a tatty one seems reasonable, but the last tatty one I watched on eBay went for nearly double that


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## rogerzilla (13 Oct 2019)

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/193011748767

That one went for £200. Cheap ones are out there, but not in London, where they are most in demand.

If you're doing a rattle-can respray you should be able to leave the hinges and free them up between coats. Dismantling requires reaming for new oversize pins, which Brompton will probably not sell you. In fact, Brompton won't sell many parts to end users now, which makes a refurb tricky.


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## JhnBssll (13 Oct 2019)

That's encouraging, ill keep my eyes peeled then.

I've got plenty of equipment available to me at work including mills, lathes and a hydraulic press so should be able to rebuild the main hinge if it came to it, even if it meant machining my own oversize pin. You've got a lot of knowledge on this subject @rogerzilla have you refurbished many?


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## Freds Dad (13 Oct 2019)

This might be of interest to you. 

https://www.easyliveauction.com/cat...y-classic-antiques-interiors-auction-lot-248/


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## JhnBssll (13 Oct 2019)

Freds Dad said:


> This might be of interest to you.
> 
> https://www.easyliveauction.com/cat...y-classic-antiques-interiors-auction-lot-248/



Very interesting, thanks for sharing! I may well take a punt at it


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## Zanelad (13 Oct 2019)

Let us know how you get on. The fees seem steep if I'm reading their page correctly.


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## LCpl Boiled Egg (13 Oct 2019)

Do you think you would be able to fix the problem with this frame? It's still in my garage, but I've been cannibalising it for bits on the replacement Brompton so it's not a complete bike I'm afraid. Happy to take more pictures if it helps.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/is-my-frame-beyond-repair.157120/


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## JhnBssll (13 Oct 2019)

ABikeCam said:


> Do you think you would be able to fix the problem with this frame? It's still in my garage, but I've been cannibalising it for bits on the replacement Brompton so it's not a complete bike I'm afraid. Happy to take more pictures if it helps.
> 
> https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/is-my-frame-beyond-repair.157120/



Interesting... I've got welding gear too  I've recently signed up for a C&G welding refresher course starting in January so this could be a good subject to play with  I would be interested to find out what the rest of the bike looks like and how much you would want for it  Where abouts are you based?


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## LCpl Boiled Egg (13 Oct 2019)

JhnBssll said:


> Interesting... I've got welding gear too  I've recently signed up for a C&G welding refresher course starting in January so this could be a good subject to play with  I would be interested to find out what the rest of the bike looks like and how much you would want for it  Where abouts are you based?



I'll have a look in the garage and work out what's left of the old thing, take some pictures and send you a message soon. Oh, and I'm in East Cambridgeshire so not too far away for you if you're in Suffolk.


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## JhnBssll (13 Oct 2019)

ABikeCam said:


> I'll have a look in the garage and work out what's left of the old thing, take some pictures and send you a message soon. Oh, and I'm in East Cambridgeshire so not too far away for you if you're in Suffolk.



That would be splendid, thanks very much! Look forward to hearing from you


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## tom73 (13 Oct 2019)

Reading stuff like this makes me think the fun me and dad would have had going stuff like this. 
loved seeing him at work as kid I learned a lot. A true craftsman 7 year apprenticeship and time spent in the REME along the way.
It showed in everything even in the little things. 
Even now the smell of tap oil brings it all back.


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## rogerzilla (13 Oct 2019)

JhnBssll said:


> You've got a lot of knowledge on this subject @rogerzilla have you refurbished many?



I've rebuilt three, although I only did the rear hinge on two of them. Reaming the new bushes is a dealer job but, if you remove the old bits first, mine only charges a tenner. Most of the work is in removing the old bolts.

I've also done a seat tube shim, which turned out to be trivially easy. The secret was to really clean out the old glue and stuff first.


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## chriscross1966 (15 Oct 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/193011748767
> 
> That one went for £200. Cheap ones are out there, but not in London, where they are most in demand.
> 
> If you're doing a rattle-can respray you should be able to leave the hinges and free them up between coats. Dismantling requires reaming for new oversize pins, which Brompton will probably not sell you. In fact, Brompton won't sell many parts to end users now, which makes a refurb tricky.


I strongly suggest that one got pulled as the original bidder offered him cash on the side for a quick sale ....


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## chriscross1966 (15 Oct 2019)

JhnBssll said:


> Interesting... I've got welding gear too  I've recently signed up for a C&G welding refresher course starting in January so this could be a good subject to play with  I would be interested to find out what the rest of the bike looks like and how much you would want for it  Where abouts are you based?


That's a brazing job on a Brompton, go near it with normal welding equipment and it will almost certainly fail catastrophically.


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## Freds Dad (25 Oct 2019)

JhnBssll said:


> Very interesting, thanks for sharing! I may well take a punt at it



Did you have a punt?


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## JhnBssll (25 Oct 2019)

Freds Dad said:


> Did you have a punt?



No I didn't, but I am popping to see @ABikeCam this afternoon and will hopefully be leaving with a lighter wallet


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## JhnBssll (26 Oct 2019)

Thanks again to @ABikeCam - I now have a slightly sad Brompton in my garage ready to play with 






I'll start a build thread at some point soon when I've had a bit of a play


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## gary r (23 Dec 2019)

My old sad Brompton before and after pics, cost me £50 to purchase.


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