Vintage and Modern hybrids..?

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Hi all. First time poster here :) I'm looking to build a bike from scratch but things have changed a bit since i last did this (racers in the early 90's) and i'm pretty clueless with all the new gear and standards. So this is the first of what i expect might be a great many queries as i go about trying to build a bloody good bike without spending 3x the amounts of cash i need to from buying mismatched, incompatible or poor parts!! I've got the basic setup in mind, but have a few concerns. One big area is my chainwheel/mehcs/chain setup. Tastewise i have a real hankering for something like a classic Campag Record rear derailleur.. such as this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130167763916&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=003


I've already purchased a pair of mags which i'm told will take an 8 or 9 speed cassette. However, on a sale for the same type of mech a Q&A raised compatibility doubts for it's use with certain possible numbers of gears. I'm looking to have a large crank 52 teeth, probably a Campag Strada or similar with just the one chainwheel and the 8 or 9 at the back. So would it be a problem using this rear mech? And what would the objections/doubts have been anyway... that some of the sprockets could be too big and beyond the mechs range? Wouldn't chain length affect that more? A related query is bottom bracket. I'd like to get a good sealed unit in, but how to make the best fit for crank.. i'm guessing you're trying to get the crank somewhere in line with the middle of the cassette? but without having both the crank ad the actual BB there how can you work out what the most appropiate length will be?


Sorry.. bit long winded!

cheers :)

ps. do we have a section for projects/pics?