Where it all began - To restore or not to restore?

[Clean]

RADsters,

Many of you will no doubt have heard how I spent most of my BMXing youth on a pimped up BH California, a Spanish made Halfords cheapie. In fact, one of the reasons I got back into this lark was to own some of the bikes I could only dream of as a kid. 

Earlier this year I let one go on Fleabay, and subsequently regretted doing so. Last week, our very own Winsta IMed me on Facebook with a link to an untouched, survivor, BH California in the same spec and colourway as I had back in the day. Some good fortune and a little haggling later and I am now the proud owner of my first ride; not my very own, exactly, as mine had new forks, saddle, calipers, levers, tyres, pedals etc., but the bike where this nonsense all began.

 

However..... this "Bloody Heavy" beauty has been untouched since purchase - still has the original Padset, and black Michelin tyres on her - and is in complete working order. Just a little surface rust on the chrome and a few paintchips, other than that, pretty fooking mint for a bike that is near 30 years old! 

This is the eBay piccie (I will get more up when I pick her up from my mate's - who picked it up from Southampton for me - and there is some clear and crisp winter daylight):



And now my dilemma.....

Do I resto or not? 

Do I repimp to my original spec or not? 

(A re-pimp will require, amongst other things, obtaining some chrome Tange TRX1200s and having the steerer tube lengthened to fit the non standard head tube on the California. Not so easy now that my dad no longer works in a SME Engineering firm!)

Answers on a Post(card) to RADBMX.co.uk! 

Thanks!

Clean.

[Peter J]

I'd do it how you had it BITD Rich


Thats how I'm doing my ammaco 

[pickle]

Nice one rich, if you do decide to resto then I've got some of those forks......yours for what I paid.£10 next time at the BR  

[brettypeeps]

I'd do it how you had it BITD Rich


Thats how I'm doing my ammaco  

But keep the original parts to go with it  and have the best of both worlds

[RATTY]

Ask yourself a question? what bike would you like back the most?
The bike you got on day 1? minty fresh
or the bike you ended up with, the one with the history, the scars and the special little mods that made it your bike?

[Dannywhac]

If I'd known you were after one:

http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=377844

Yeah - do it how you had it bitd  

[In2 bmx]

Leave it as it is Rich mate .   

[ozone]

Headtube doesn't look any bigger than 4" looking at the pic - maybe you'd get away with using a low-rise headset.  

[Jaymz]

BITD rebuild fo sho

wish i could find my first ride

[Gnarlyscoots]

Take all the original parts off, box them and store in the loft   Build it how you had it and I guarantee you will want to put it back again  

Do it your way. Cannot explain how I felt when I done my Torker  

[Clean]

If I'd known you were after one:

http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=377844

That's the one I bought, mate!  

Headtube doesn't look any bigger than 4" looking at the pic - maybe you'd get away with using a low-rise headset.  

My dad definitely had to get it cut and welded, unless I am suffering false memory syndrome; I will ask him, but I definitely remember my initial disappointment when the new forks (a birthday pressie from the lads I rode with - Animal knows who I mean) didn't fit, and my joy when they finally did!
 

I will need the following to make her work:

* Pickle's forks, "Cut 'n' Shut"
* Shimano SX Levers in Gold
* Copy DC MX900s (I think) in Gold
* Sharp Cables in Yellow
* Yellow Snakebellies
* Red Kashimax
* Seatpost adapter shim and gold Seatpost
* Gold Beartrap Pedals
* Gold Suntour Power Stem
* Red "Steve Goode Motorcylces" Cali-Light style Padset (Animal will remember these, too)
* Red Sharp Grips (the ones with the Bar End thingies
* Yellow Sharp BB Boot

Could prove a nice challenge for 2012; maybe I should start a wanted thread? I do have an issue with the fact that I only paid fifty quid for the whole bike, and the Red Kashi will cost more than that!  

[animal]

Yeh defo do it as u had it buddy  I'll sort the forks 4 ya  yep remember them pads aswell  Sure Steve Firebird can sort the 4 ya 

[WINI]

Nice work Rich, glad you managed to get it and join the 1st POS Club 



I'd do it as you had it too, but keep as a survivor rather than minty bling 

[Darren KAP]

   i'd leave it as is ,  just a good clean  

[Clean]

Nice work Rich, glad you managed to get it and join the 1st POS Club 

I'd do it as you had it too, but keep as a survivor rather than minty bling 

Can't thank you enough for the find, Mark, and for thinking of me once found! 

   i'd leave it as is ,  just a good clean 

Thanks, Daz; I really am "just a good Clean" 

[Spen69]

Chuck it in the skip for fooks sake Rich, what's the bloody matter with ya

 

No polishing please - make it a survivor

[Clean]

Chuck it in the skip for fooks sake Rich, what's the bloody matter with ya

 

No polishing please - make it a survivor

 

Just spoke to dad; he is more chuffed than I am and can't wait to see it. I remembered correctly, too; he had the Tange forks cut, lengthened and rewelded!

[Hootski70]

Got a sharp b,b cover in yellow you can have Rich , 

[deeman]

do it how you had it bitd,or as close as you can get!!i think you are halfway there with the offers from pickle,hootski and animal!!it'll be much more personal!!cant beat the memories a bitd build brings back!!

[dancetothedrummersbeat]

Rich, I would do it has you had it bitd, then buy another & keep that one factory spec!

[animal]

Sent u a pm fella  Re mr Goode 

[SaMAlex]

My mate had one of them. When he got new forks for it we had the same problem so we cut a bit off the top and bottom of the head tube.
Much easier, and way more back-street! haha.

I think we also got a new headset but the bike had a non BMX diameter headtube. It was a nightmare, the whole bike! 

[Clean]

My mate had one of them. When he got new forks for it we had the same problem so we cut a bit off the top and bottom of the head tube.
Much easier, and way more back-street! haha.

I think we also got a new headset but the bike had a non BMX diameter headtube. It was a nightmare, the whole bike! 

 

[pickle]

Will bring those forks to the BR next week mate 

[hunterdubber]

Dead chuffed for ya Richie 

Wait till i lands mate you'll be all over it 


What a dillema though , with it being as good as factory new , do you leave it

Well as long as you keep and store all the bits to put back yo standard, go for the full BITD replica of yours , happy days 


Like Alex said thet must have the smaller 1" threaded headset ( same as a MTB 1" headsets ) a found I had to get one of these when I did my Piranha last year,, another POS beauty build   

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