My latest project. Stratton.

[Mamba]

Nitromors it is then!!

Then Trustan 23, acid etch primer, primer and then get into the town and get as close a red paint match as I can. Depending on the weather I may get a chance to spray it. It's been the usual Irish spring weather, horizontal rain!!

Or, I could start cleaning up more of the other bits and pieces.

i've been reading through all sorts on here. I'll clean up all the chrome and Ali in the usual way and then the wheels with the Jif/Cif and the blade to clean off the brake marks. We'll see how she shapes up.

[Jaymz]

I reckon Ford Rosso red would look great on it

[Mamba]

Well, it's been a while, unfortunately a whole heap of things had to be done this past while so she was put on the back burner for a while.

However, she had ALOT more rust then I originally thought. As I fixed one bit I came across more! I had to strip the paint so unfortunately she hasn't got the original paint any more She had some that was concealed under the goose neck part of the forks which gave me something to match too. This was after the first set of two coats of Volkswagen Mars Red No2:

By pbi at 2011-05-14
Unfortunately however the good weather stopped as I was applying another coat of paint so it all went cloudy, so, i'm having to key it and re-apply in warm weather (assuming we get any more over here)
In the meantime though, the wheels had the rubber scraped off as carefully as I could (by hell that was a long slow process!! The wheels, as you can see have not been redyed, they have a 30yr old patena still, they've only been cleaned. Still, thanks to bankruptbikeparts on ebay I got a set of Snakebelly amberwalls which I think look great!

By pbi at 2011-05-14

Still i've polished up all the aluminium and it is coming up very nicely indeed, especially the brakes. The old brake cables are still in good condition, it's all down now to the chromework. I didn't realise just how much there is until you strip it all off and polish. A fair amount of it is in decent condition given the age however, i'm not sure as to whether I should get all the chrome parts rechromed or only those parts that are very badly pitted or where the plating is coming off.
Take a look and tell me what you guys think. I know it's very hard to tell with pics, chrome doesn't photograph well on a happysnapper digital camera:

These are the parts that definitely need done:

By pbi at 2011-05-14

These are all the parts together. I'm torn between maintaining as much of the original finish as I can since I had to loose the original paint due to the abundance of tinworm and making it look asgood as I could.

I must say the quality of the paint and bike was abismal. There was no primer at all on the handlebars, there was welding spatter and even small bits of mig wire still attached to the frame. I left these on for the originality, it was VERY tempting to grind them off But I left it as it was. The new paint looks fairly decent but in truth it is a slight shade more orangey than the original paint when t-cutted. The paint on the cap was almost a direct match but is a bit further out than i hoped. I'll be back out tomorrow to have a look for a better match.

I had a disaster when disassembling the rat trap pedals to clean them up for possible replating. If you have a careful look you will see a missing section. I've still got the piece, i'll basically have to mig weld a sort of plug and shape it to look like it's the lug folded over before replating.

[animal]

Dave is so correct  its all we could afford bitd , everybody had such bikes with a right miss match of parts & colours  beg borrow and cadge was our moto bitd  I absolutely killed a Raleigh Extra burner , it was made up in the end of all sorts  had diamond back forks but broke them and my mates dad welded them in his shed with an arc welder . they were a right soddin mess but did me 4 a few more months and much lighter than the originals  Frame got welded so many times I forget . but she snapped in half in the end 

[Mamba]

I know, I thought this machine the absolute biz bitd. I was only 7 at the time, the bike was too big for me. Whilst stripping the handlebars I came across a ding on the right hand bar just on the curve before the grip. I suddenly remembered how it got there. I went arse over tit trying to show offand managed to go over the handlebars and get smacked in the teeth with them!!  i made that dent in '82 for crying out loud!! 

Apparently these bikes changed in parts etc every year so no one can say exactly what was what so it's kinda difficult to "get it right" as it were. But, i'll give it my best shot anyway.

Problem is i'm starting to get keen on doing the next one, not a renovation this time though, my own particular brand of custom bmx, something a little different from the norm not big bucks big brands but something a little different. I can't help looking at all those pics of your BMX's on here and be inspired

[Jaymz]

this is looking great so far, cant wait to see it done. Keep up the good work fella

[Mamba]

Thanks mate Given the care and attention to detail of you guys with your machines, that really is a comment that is much appreciated

[Jaymz]

Thanks mate Given the care and attention to detail of you guys with your machines, that really is a comment that is much appreciated

very little care and attention in my builds aas i ride all my bikes, no point getting them mint as i use them all

[Mamba]

No offence intended mate. I assumed yours is as good as others here, but you're right of course riding them is what they're designed for after all.
I'll definitey be having a bash on mine - the difference is i'll probably be balling like a schoolgirl when i get stone chips

[Jaymz]

No offence intended mate. I assumed yours is as good as others here, but you're right of course riding them is what they're designed for after all.
I'll definitey be having a bash on mine - the difference is i'll probably be balling like a schoolgirl when i get stone chips

gotta add that when my daughter fell off the stinger aero and ripped the edges out of the NOS MKS BM10 pedals i was gutted, but then if i wanted it to be mint i wouldnt have let her ride it

[Mamba]

True.

My nephew is dropping "subtle"   hints about getting a go on it after it's all done but in all honesty I still don't know whether i will let him or not I am ashamed to say
We'll see.

[Mamba]

Well, I kinda disappeared off the grid for a while but i've finally started to put this bike back together at long last!!

Still need to get another set of decals and a yellow frame pad with press fit studs for it but in all honesty, i've got tired of it sitting in bits in the shed. My nephew and I started to put it together yesterday and it's turning out pretty well. Just need a couple of minor things to finish.

I'll get some pics up soon. My PC died a death so i've borrowed my Sis' Laptop for a wee while.

The one piece crank gave the most bother, some of the threads were mangled but with a bit of careful work with a hacksaw blade, some needle files and some brute force and ignorance she went together.

There has been one hic up though. I seem to have lost the wedge for the stem.I have the bolt and stem but I can't find the wedge anywhere!!

Looking on line for one now to see if I can get a correct one of course.

Pics will be up shortly.

[Mamba]

Here she is ...... (Nearly there)

It's a bit dull oustide and the paintwork needs a clean, lots of greasy fingers all over it.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Jaymz]

  looking cracking

[Mamba]

Cheer mate,

This is my first build, learning quite a lot from it. Ready for the next one, maybe a customised old school frame, a loop-tail ideally.

Was considering re-dying the wheels, I remember them being a lot more yellow but that was a very long time ago so I may be wrong. Can the seat be re-dyed too? It has lost it's sheen.

Most of the bike is original although a few things left to do would be:
Replace handlebar pad with correct straight item as she isn't a V-bar.
I need to repaint the press studs on the stem pad as they are rusty. The pad is original so i'd rather not replace if I don't have to.
Need a frame pad with press stud fastners, that went missing a very long time ago. It was plain, no markings at all as I remember.
The seat clamp again is original and in dire need of re-chroming.

I still have the old rat trap pedals but I couldn't fix one of them as the tab that secured it broke, just couldn't get a neat weld to take right. So, I bought the NOS pedals fitted. I hope they are of the correct period. I never did like the original pedals, always ended up digging into my shins!! If I can get a correct replacement for the same rat traps that were original, i'll get them chromed and fitted.

She's shaping up alright I reckon. She's not high dollar or a great BMX but she has family history. I was over here in Northern Ireland when my Dad was down in the Falklands back in 1982. My Mum, Sister and I stayed over with my Grandparents in N.I. whilst he was sown there. We actually lived in the East Coast of Scotland then. I remember playing on it then, it was my Aunts in fact at the time. It was in his garage since then, until Christmas 2010 when my Grandad passed away. Now, my nephew is helping me rebuild it.

[Dr Skyway]

Great thread, Great story and a cracking build.....

Will look awesome with decals on.

[Mamba]

Cheers,

It's the decals that are proving to be the most difficult to get tbh. The originals I took off as carefully as I could but most literally crumbled. Will get them sorted somehow though. Perserverance, that's the key!!

[CustardLips]

Don't think you need to do anything with the wheels or the seat. They look Sweet. 
Excellent Restoration Work. 
ps. Turn your seat clamp round !

[Mamba]

  DOH!!

Didn't notice that!!

Will do!!

Cheers, it's my first attempt but i've got to admit i'm really enjoying this, already planning the next one.

[MickRich393]

Great story and build!   

[renegaderacer]

Just seen your thread and I'm loving this bike!! 

Like Jaymz, I can't get enough of these cheap end bikes and it makes it even better that you've had it in the family from new and it's still complete and being faithfully restored. 

Have a word with Del about the graphics as the man can work wonders with nothing! I gave him scraps from my Falcon Pro and he replicated the original graphics perfectly! 

Giles 

[Mamba]

Cheers guys, that's very much appreciated.

Aye, I will contact Del, just read the his sticky. He obviously does some fine stuff indeed.

[Dr Skyway]

Cheers guys, that's very much appreciated.

Aye, I will contact Del, just read the his sticky. He obviously does some fine stuff indeed.

Del's a top guy too......

[Mamba]

Cheers, i've just PM'd him so really hope he can help me out with this one.  From looking at his decals he's infinitely more than capable!! Awesome work!

[dordymush]

top resto   .
come out mint that has. really like it  .