This old Trek--a 1984 400--was my road bike from 7th grade all the way to the end of college for me (I successfully grew into it, so it still fits me perfectly). It had run its course with me as other interests had me dry dock it indefinitely around 1994.
The bike hung in my Mom's basement since then until I got inspired. I'd been thinking of doing something with it over the past few years. Initially I was going to do a singlespeed, but the more time I spent on my road bike (Decathlon Sport 7.2--an entry level euro bike) the more I realized that I liked gears.
Since I raised so much money for the MS150, I got a $250 gift card to a bike shop--that set this project in motion--although I spent way more than that.
Here's the bike upon seeing daylight for the first time in 16 years:
Note the 80's-riffic neon green bar tape w/ fly pattern on it. Very hip. Hard to see, but the bike had a nice film of mildew on it--that's the white stuff on the seat pack. Yuk. 
Stripped it down of anything I wasn't reusing
I repacked the bottom bracket (still in great shape) and headset, so they were now good as new. I also cleaned it obsessively--think of that scene in Full Metal Jacket where Pyle was cleaning his gun like a psychopath. 
Started throwing it together with all of its new parts
Now it was looking like a bike. Ran all the cables and got to work fine-tuning. What parts you ask?
Specialized Pro II Ergo bars and Shimano Sora 9-Speed/double levers, quill-to-aheadset adapter with a Giant stem
Wrapped with 2 layers of bar tape--Bontrager 1st layer, Specialized Cork S-Wrap 2nd layer
Tektro R536 brakes--specifically for the 27" to 700c conversion
Tiagra long cage derailleur and SRAM 11-32 9-speed cassette (I still want to get up hills--I have nothing to prove) and a SRAM PC58 chain
Our own EastCoastMojo hooked me up with these trick little STI adapters that replaced the frame shifters and let me run newschool STI levers. They pretty much look factory on there 
I borrowed a derailleur hanger straightener from work (I'm a bike tech part-time) and straightened the hanger. I also spread the rear dropouts by hand (carefully) so the 130mm hub would fit in the 126mm space.
Wheels were a low-buck deal I got on ebay--Alex R450 doublewalls with Michelin Dynamic tires 700x23C
WTB Pure saddle
Re-used my oldschool red Rhode Gear seat pack after scrubbing it down with a brush and some 409. Also re-used the stock cranks and front derailleur. Polished those up w/ some Mother's Aluminum Polish to make them a little prettier.
Specialized bottle cages and an Avenir pump completed it.
Took it on a shakedown ride yesterday and it's just divine. I forgot how pleasant a steel frame is. Shifts beautifully, brakes nicely, rides very comfortably and quietly. It's like a new bike--because it essentially is.
So there it is--a nice entry level sport tourer that is back from a long hibernation. Now, I just wait for Spring to come.
