1984 VDC FREESTYLER

[glenboy]

Here is my 1984 VDC Freestyler in Orange, bear with me this is going to be a long post  


Right i got this in about July in survivor state  , paintwork was all original and most of the og decals were still present but all rough, on looking around for info on these i came across two magazine features on this bike one in bmx racer and freestyle december 1984 issue and Freestyle BMX issue 14 may 1985 and quickly realised it was the same bike used in both bike tests (only difference was wheels and different seat and post) apart from this the rest of the bike spec was the same , and then after some geeking up studying the decals , postions and also a scratch on the monkey bar decal on the bars i realised it was my actual bike that was used to say i was stoked is an understatement , that my actual bike was in these mags and also that it had been ridden in these tests by neil ruffell, andy irwin and jess dyrenforth really added to the interest, when i got it i wasn't sure what direction to go in but after talking to a few people about it (hunterdubber,stidds and daz kap  ) i knew i had to go down the restoration path and put it back to where it was back in the 80's

here is what it looked at when i got it














So then the restoration process started ,so the hunt for stuff continued some of the bits were easy to get some not , first job was to measure the decals and mark there exact position and seek replacements, obviously my first port of call was DELS DECALS , the silver and black ones were no problem but the hot wheels sticker and the vinyl cut out VDC ones del had to specially make which he did and they were absolutely perfect so many thanks to DEl for that , what a legend, then on looking at the chrome on the forks it wasn't marvellous so off they went to Hockley Chrome off here to be rechromed and he did a smashing job, they are mint just look a bit streaky in the pics as i took the pics with the flash on and inside but they are mint, then the next stage was contact the legend that is superbikedan , i told him i wanted the colour matching and i wanted it doing in 2 pack rather than powder and as usual dan didn't let us down absolutely stunning when i got it back here it is at dans before he sent back











In the meantime of this happening parts were being sourced , a lot off here , some off ebay and elsewhere , also i needed a few bits annodising and sent them off to Paul at CCA Custom Colour Annodising off here and again he did a cracking job, for the vdc i needed black tech 3's and the black pro neck 2 stem , so i bought a scruffy pair of teck 3 s and a polished silver pro neck 2 and paul worked his magic and they look factory finish i really can recommend his service , spot on


The parts search was interesting to say the least nice thing is i had an exact list of what i needed as it was shown in both magazines and the pics were clear, list below of parts and a mention to who i got them off in thanks for their help



vdc freestler frame and chrome vdc forks, pro monkey bars circa 1984
pro neck2 stem (off ebay then re annod by CCA off here )
rear brake cable dated 85 (the winsta)
front cable dated 84 (daz kap)
Epoch mori headset (was gold but polished it back off to silver , Bendycat Eleven)
orange ame grips (ebay)
takagi spider and chain ring (biaggio, he gets a slating generally but he was very helpful with me and cheap on these )
takagi crank (stelaartois)
kkt smx pedals (ebay)
mx1000 brakes (graveldog)
orange tuff pads (brakedancer)
uni turbo seat (in2bmx)
black dc seat clamp (phippsio)
wheels i already had the gen 2 skyway graphite at front and coaster normal tuff at the rear was off hunterdubber
comp pool tyres (bodamus) couldn't find the pana tyres with the big lettering on like it had bitd

 

this is my actual frame forks and bars used here in the 2 tests bitd so this bike has always been in the uk rather than imported in later

http://bmx-recollection.com/Downloads/Archive/Bike%20%26%20Product%20Tests/VDC%20Changa%20Freestyler%20Test%20-%20Freestyle%20BMX%20Volume1%20Issue14.pdf

and here

http://bmx-recollection.com/Downloads/Archive/Bike%20%26%20Product%20Tests/VDC%20Freestyler%20-%20BMX%20Racer%20%26%20Freestyle%201984-12%20(Dec).pdf

here it is with neil ruffell on it back in december 1984


and here it is with orange tuffs on and a elina seat and post but rest of parts the same in the mag bike test in may 1985

[glenboy]

here it is now , i'll get some nicer pics up these have been taken inside with the flash on

[glenboy]

and some more
































edited ............added a couple of pics in daylight

[hunterdubber]

About time  

I've been waiting to see this beauty since I saw it picked it up in bits in the boot of your car Glen

This is one special bike , love the colour , the history , the spec , the whole thing  

Totally screams Early 80's Freestyle  


 

Jealous as fook    

[brummie]

stunning glen 

[baldbmxer]

 

[superbikedan]

love it love it love it, just awsome, pure old skool

[Badbaldie]

amazing what comes out of your boot Glen.    nice to see something different and a true labour of love , shes stunning mate , great history and big thank you for sharing 

[Darren KAP]

  Glen you've done one hell of a top job     as i said when i was at yours  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, dib dobs me please   


   


                     

[WINI]

Whoa!  Fookin awesome job Glen, that looks the dogs danglies

Or as the Septic tanks say, SICK! 

[brettypeeps]

Now there is a thing of Beauty Glen

[brass monkey!]

Word ! 

[Daletsunami]

That is great 

Love the orange 

[trickydeno]

quality glen! beauty 

[Retrodan72]

Awesome Glen great story too Bro.

[TORKER mick]

what a superb build

[bigfatolly]

Love it,great story

Would love to know where you got it and the story behind it

[wildon]

Top job, great story too     

[glenboy]

thanks a million everybody for the comments really means a lot , as everybody has their own ideas , so you never know how other people see things, yes its been a long winded journey this one but i'm chuffed with how its gone as said only real compromise was the tyres as i could not find the panaracer tyres with the big bold print anywhere so i went with the comp pools which i'd always wanted some of them anyway so it was a good excuse , nice thing with this is bar the frame forks and bars and the front wheel , lots of the other stuff was fairly cheap as far as old school stuff goes , it was just finding the stuff  you want when you want it, i was amazed i got all the bits , best buy was probably the pedals kkt smx which i got for a tenner

[diesel]

Excellent work, really nice to see something with so much attention to detail 

[deeman]

man,that is a beautiful bike,loving the hot wheels decals bought back memories!!

[ukoldschool]

Great stuff! VDC's rock!

[crazycraig]

Makes me want one !!!!


You got anymore pix to share 

[double chevron]

Now that's a story!
You did it justice

[lk_97]

That's nice! I had the freestyle bmx mag where it had the vdc test, did you notice on the picture with the ice-cream board, it had the word 'DIE' etched into it?