Hello from North West

[AL_B]

Hi,

I'm from the Warrington area. I'm another 40-something bloke who grew up in the 80's when the BMX craze hit the UK.

Recently my son turned 5 and I got him his first Mongoose. This has kick started my project to restore my old Mongoose that has sat in my dads shed / loft for over 30 years.

So about a week ago I brought the bike back from my dads, and it's now living in my garage.

I've been doing a lot of research already, and I've confirmed the serial number with vintage mongoose.com. It's an August 1981 frame, but must have been in the change over period, as it has generation 2 drop outs, and 1982 spec parts. Originally I thought it was a Supergoose, but it doesn't seem to be has it doesn't have the 3 holes in the brake bar. But It has a gold mongoose full clamp stem, pro-class wheels, 2-piece crank, original handle bars, dia-compe 890 brakes, shimano dx pedals (my mod in 80's), original competition III tyres. I also added as a kid an Elina ultra light seat. It's in pretty good condition and what minor rust there was has come off easily with aluminium foil and autosol metal polish.

One of the main things I need to do is chrome the bike frame. As, stupidly, as a kid I sprayed the frame black!

Once done, I can't wait to get out on it, riding around with my son, and hopefully teaching him a trick or two - if I can still do them!!!

Cheers

AL

[Mat]

Radchester, week on Sunday, see you there bud.

[CustardLips]

Nice one. 

Put some pics up and put the tin foil down. 
  to Rad.

[AL_B]

Cheers. But there is no way the bike will be ready by then!

Know any chromer's in the Manchester area?

@Custard

Yep. Just trying to decide on where to upload to. My OneDrive is full after turning on camera roll backup!

AL

[Spen69]

Welcome mate

As Matt said, Radchester next weekend in Manchester city centre is not to be missed. This weekend in Milton Keynes is the biggest oldschool gathering ever......

But your bike - if you foolishly painted it in the 80's, just buy a bucket of paint stripper and remove it as the chrome will beuunaffected beneath it There are plenty of threads on here in the technical stickies how to restore chrome and all the parts on your bike sound awesome so get some pictures up

[NORTY40]

Cheers. But there is no way the bike will be ready by then!

Know any chromer's in the Manchester area?

@Custard

Yep. Just trying to decide on where to upload to. My OneDrive is full after turning on camera roll backup!

AL

    to RAD Al 

Cool you still have your original bike from back in the day 


Re chroming :Leigh metal finishers in Swinton do a good job ..... they ain't the cheapest though 

Get some pics up as you might be surprised how well an old frame can look with a bit of time and effort .  It's only original once 

[CustardLips]

Cheers. But there is no way the bike will be ready by then!

Know any chromer's in the Manchester area?

@Custard

Yep. Just trying to decide on where to upload to. My OneDrive is full after turning on camera roll backup!

AL

Photobucket (top of the welcome thread). 

[AL_B]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

As a kid I swapped my Team Murray plus some cash (I think) for the Mongoose - as I'd always wanted one.  I'm not sure if it was chrome originally or white - Alzheimer's is kicking in early!!

Anyway here are some pics.

Pic1 my dad's loft



Pic2 in my garage



Pic3



Cheers

AL

[Spen69]

Al that is ready to roll bud..... survivor is all the rage these days

Get to Radchester pal - it's a riot

[CustardLips]

Bet the chrome's sweet under that paint. 30 yrs of protection. 
And yeah get on the Radchester ride.

[Retrodan72]

There's nowt wrong with that Al that a clean and regrease wouldn't sort out.

  to  btw

[griff]

Bike looks great and welcome to Rad!

If you can possibly get a pass at late notice, get yourself down to MK tomorrow

Only happens once a year and is the biggest selection of OS BMX in the country, plus a great laugh
And it's free!

[AL_B]

Bet the chrome's sweet under that paint. 30 yrs of protection. 
And yeah get on the Radchester ride.

I have started to remove the paint. Best household product seems to be Acetone (Nail Polish Remover).

I don't think the frame was chrome before, I think it might have been white. Honestly cant remember. Take a look at this pic.



I'll give that chroming place in Swinton a ring. How much are we talking roughly for re-chroming a frame?

Thanks

AL

[CustardLips]

Not sure about just the frame but a f&f is about £300.   

Or alternatively get it powder coated for £50 off Superbikedan.   

Check his work out.   

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,56789.0.html

[AL_B]

Not sure about just the frame but a f&f is about £300.   

Or alternatively get it powder coated for £50 off Superbikedan.   

Check his work out.   

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,56789.0.html

Yikes!!!! [picking myself up] Wasn't expecting it to cost that much!

Think the missus will suddenly take an unfavorable view of this bike project.

[BMX1973]

Nice to have your original bike.

  to   

[paulb113]

I bet you can still do stuff,i can still do tricks from 30 odd years ago.I am from Wigan,plenty of local rad rides in North West and skatepark lockins etc

[dancetothedrummersbeat]

Cheers. But there is no way the bike will be ready by then!



AL

Re chroming :Leigh metal finishers in Swinton do a good job ..... they ain't the cheapest though 

I've used them for a while now, and their work is excellent. Depending on how much polishing is needed to the frame, expect to pay £200 ish for a frame & forks - maybe a little less. They've done quite a few parts for me now. Here's a few photos of my Hutch (now sold  ) - The finish is mint. All stamps/serial numbers perfectly preserved.

[AL_B]

@andy

Thanks! Wow that bike looks good.

I rang Leigh Metal Polishing Services, as they are now called. (hope its the same place!) And they said it would be upwards of £180, depending on the frame etc. They need to see it really. So I'm going to strip the bike down and take it to them. I only need the frame doing. Forks are in good condition.

Thanks for your help and recommendations guys.

AL

[AL_B]

Another question guys.

What's your thoughts on my intention to get the frame chromed? Browsing the forum people obviously have different opinions on keeping a bike as a 'survivor' or 'restored'.

I'm really not sure what to do. I love the shiny look of the chrome bikes on here - but that was not the original finish of the bike. Now that the frame is stripped down of parts, it can clearly be seen it was a white frame.



But white is not my thing, which is probably why I sprayed it black as a kid.

Either way, in my opinion, the frame is not really a true 'survivor' because it doesn't have its original finish anyway. And even if I chrome it or powder coat it white, it still wont be the original finish.

Appreciate your opinions.

Cheers

AL

[Spen69]

Al, even though this is your original bike, I've always felt re-chroming is such a large cost you have to be really sure. You could have it powdered four times if you wanted, or at least three if you include new decals and at the end of the day, Mongooses came in colour as well so if you went for as close to one of the original colours they did BITD, you'd be doing the bike justice.

Superbike Dan does simply the best candy red and candy blue out there and those two colours make an awesome build. So does the yellow that gusset Geese used to come i and then there's a solid red and blue as well as black and white.

My advice would be have a good look on the Mongoose page on the museum in here and get it either powdered or sprayed, put some new decals on and enjoy the bike - the £150 you will save will fund either the finishing touches or maybe your next bike, or heaven forbid you could use it as a very weak arguemnt to the missus that you actually haven't gone mad with the costs.

Just my thoughts - what ever you do though, never sell your original bike. Every member on here wishes they still had their BITD bike and a hand full of them have actually found it and love that bike more than any £2k NOS exotic build.....

[AL_B]

Hi Spen

Thanks for the honest advice, and I understand what you are saying.

I took the frame to Leigh Metal Polishing Services this lunchtime. They've basically said it will be in the region of..[gulp]...£300. And this frame is in pretty good condition. The paint has protected it well.

I've now been looking at white geese in the museum, and there are some stunning examples. I'm going to go away and have a think. Chrome looks best IMO, but White is the original colour of the bike, and that along with the cost of chrome, is swinging me towards white power coat. The bike would then be a part 'restore' and part 'survivor'. A true representation of an 81/82 Mongoose with original 81/82 parts.

I'll never sell the bike - I hope to pass it on to my little boy for his enjoyment when he's older.

Cheers

AL

[AL_B]

Just thought I'd post an update on my restoration project.

Well, I decided to go for it and get the frame chromed. I should get it back very soon.

All the original 80's parts are all ready to go back on, after cleaning and polishing. Couldn't help buying a few new bits though, like new tyres, black brake cables, silver seat post clamp. Decals and grips from BMX Products Inc. But I will build the bike initially with all the parts I originally put on it BITD.

Couple of things that do need sorting though are:-

- Front wheel has a nasty dent / impression on the rim, meaning the rim narrows inwards at one point. Not sure how to solve this - any advice?
- Pedals which are original Shimano DX's are anodized blue...and I'm trying to decide whether to strip them and polish them up, like some guys on here have done. Blue wont match the rest of the bike, which should be black / silver.

Cheers

AL