This must be the longest running build of mine that I can finally say "it's done".
This is my 1983 oval tubed Tange made KZ-3 "E.T. LASERLITE" custom build complete with original bike shop decal and Tange MX125 headset just like it had when I got it some years ago (serial number T3G2200).
It was in quite a state...note the only decal.
I needed to complete this rather mystical build for my own sanity's sake and get some shots in the correct light to try and show just how deep this gloss back is - and just how chrome some of the other features are...
Yep - deep gloss black with custom chrome Kuwahara delcals... #ftw
Because the bike was originally sold by W.F. Holdsworth cycles in Putney, London, who have now gone out of business, but who were also a road bike manufacturer in their past, I wanted to build a Laserlite with a little bit of a difference. As if they received a newly released Kuwahara Laserlite frame & fork and built it up for a customer - yeah I have a wild imagination...
If you've been following this long winded build you'll have read that I happened to visit the bike shop on the day they closed down - needless to say the chap I spoke to was a little downhearted but cheered up when I told him what I was up to and handed me a strip of decals. Because of that I wanted to make this a little tribute build - so I changed direction and built a custom Laserlite like it may have been assembled by a bunch of roadies for a lucky kid whose folks had a little more buying power than most in 1983.
I added the E.T. just because this is no ordinary Laserlite and of course the movie had been released the year before. Call it poetic license and nothing more.
As such I slowly collected the kind of bmx parts that were indicative of the early eighties and slightly resembled the KZ-1 bikes; so this Laserlite has the following era NOS and new parts:
Hanabishi CR-MO three piece cranks with original BB
MKS BM-15 pedals
Suntour Silver Arrow seat clamp
Selle San Marco Concor Supercorsa saddle
WIN V-bars
WIN hinged stem
Suzue sealed bearing hubs
Asashi spokes
Dia-Compe two finger lever
Dia-Compe DC 890 caliper
Tioga Comp III tyres
Ame Tri grips - cos I had them and wanted to finish this!
The Tange MX125 headset was restored, polished and re-decalled as was the original headlock but sadly that didn't fit over the stem shaft so I had to leave it off.
I also had SBD powder the UKAI Speedline rims in satin anthracite because I thought it would add to the custom feel as opposed to chrome or standard anodised colours.
Here's even more detail pics for you to feast your eyes on:
Done.