Jack Taylor frame renovation - suggestions?

[BRM]

My latest bike project is to upgrade my Mum's bike with is a 1965 Jack Taylor frame. It is currently nowhere near mint condition and many of the original parts are gone. The frame itself is in good condition, despite the fact much of the original paintwork is chipped and worn.

Now, many of the parts are easy to replace, but what to do with the gearing is causing me a bit of a headache. For a long time the bike had a Sturmey Archer 3 speed, before being 'upgraded' for an awful Shimano 5 speed derailleur in the early 90s (at the same time as I think many of the other original components were removed and presumably destroyed). I want my mum to be able to continue to enjoy riding it - its never going to be a museum piece now, which I feel gives me three options:

- Respray the bike and clean the existing derailleurs up as much as possible (not keen - the range is really too low as it is)
- Fit a hub gear (eyeing the Alfine).I don't know whether this would give a wide enough range as I was hoping to fit the equivalent gearing of 28 (front) 34 (rear) to 48 (front) 13 (rear). I believe it would be possible to modify an Alfine to fit the 120mm rear dropouts though.
- Go for broke and have the rear triangle respaced to 130mm or 135mm by someone who knows what they're doing (Bob Jackson, Mercian etc.). The frame is 531 so should be relatively easy to modify. Then fit modern 7, 8 or 9 speed equipment.

I'm currently favouring option 3 as it also gives most flexibility for the future, but does this risk damaging the frame uneccesarily?

It looks pretty likely that the frame will have to be resprayed to continue to last well and I am keen to have it done similarly to its original paint job. I have found a supplier of reproduction Jack Taylor transfers but it does also have a couple of unusual features such as double box lining and an uncommon red/organge colour. I'm looking at Bob Jackson, Mercian, Dave Yates and Argos. Any comments about the suitability of any of these for respraying/respacing work? Is there anyone else I should consider?

I'd be really appreciative of any thoughts or comments on renovating this frame - obviously it has a fair amount of sentimental value so I'm keen to get it right!

Thanks

Philip

[mercianman]

I know this is a long shot with such an old posting, but where did you find the supplier of repro Jack Taylor transfers? I have taken my 1978 Tourist model to Argos, who do Box lining, but I dont have any transfers for it

[York Commuter]

I know of one supplier of reproduction Jack Taylor transfers

http://bicycledecals.net/jacktaylordecals.htm

I have seen their reproductions of Dawes Horizon and they look pretty good although the Taylors would be a lot fussier and would require a lot of printing on vinyl

I vaguely remember having seen another supplier of Taylor copies, it wasn't hlloydcycles, but I think an American source.

Having done a quick goole I find:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/taylor/transfers.html

but I have no idea idea whether this is still current info as it looks a few years out of date

Hope that this helps

Stephen