83' Challenger 5 Bar

[thebigdog]

Thought id start a fresh thread on this. Plan is a strip down clean up , rebuild survivor style.
Collection pics

Had a nice chat with the original owner, he took a holiday back in the 80s to Canada and ended up not to far from a bmx race track, there were some people practice racing there and he got chatting & ended up racing on a challenger bmx , and buying a f&f from the guy who built them.
Came back to the UK and raced , he told me he won many races in the UK and Europe.
He fitted some great parts to the bike.
Pro neck bars , titron pedals , araya aeros, tuf neck stem etc.
His reason for sale was due to emigrating , he just couldn't take it with him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thebigdog]

So some survivor parts that were required = grips, tyres ,saddle & post.
The saddle had a wopping great big crack in the top, the seat post is solid steel one and was badly damaged , the grips are perished & the
tyres are newer type ones.
So a small list to sort but I had a spare cromo post so sorted there, and even the angle is exactly same.
I put a wanted up for some survivor grips but then ended up finding some in my spare bike box!
Blue Ame cams

Then sourced a nice rider kashimax

Tyres, wow what a hard one , trying to find old rider survivors is near impossible.!! Then i stumbled across some nos Michelin cobra comp 3s .
Im normally a amber wall guy, but I really liked the look of the all black on the first pic,  i think it looks a bit harder.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thebigdog]

So the Wheels are next .
Although the hubs are sealed , the brgs were shot to bits , the axles had been cut down? And somone had wound on the wrong tpi nuts.!
So new sealed brgs and axles have been fitted & sadly the spokes wont clean up they are to far gone , so the wheels have been dropped off for a rebuild with new spokes.
Some current clean up pics -






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thebigdog]

Turns it shes a vary rare beast with only one other on the museum and that doesnt have any decals & og forks.
The frame number =

5=5 Bar 83=year 124=# made.

I got in talks with the guy on the bmxmuseum who has the other 20" challenger  , he still talks to the guy who owned challenger racing (hes about 80 now) , the owner said he only ever sent one frame to the UK and that went to a factory shop? So that cant be this one , as the guy brought this one back himself from Canada.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CustardLips]

Nice work... looking forward to seeing this cleaned up. 

Got a pair of survivor Cheng Shin comp 3's if ya need em.

[thebigdog]

Nice work... looking forward to seeing this cleaned up. 

Got a pair of survivor Cheng Shin comp 3's if ya need em.

Ohh sounds good mate
Can you send me some pics?
Just so i can see what they look like


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mr B]

I saw the other one in a bmx shop in Mousehole in 1985. Very nice. Been after one for years, if you ever.sell it let me know.

[thebigdog]

Had the crank out last night for a rebuild and a good clean up.
Funny what you find ,since 83 hes run no spacer washer on the drive side so the power disc was rubbing on the bb
I also found hairline cracks in the bb cups ,guessing it had all been too tight over the years ,causing stress on the cups and bearings.
So spare washer and cups from the stock box were used.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mikku]

Great job so far mate!! Plus that's a handy old spares box you've got there too!

[griff]

nice find & great bike 

[Bigplinky]

Wow what a find, love the parts mix on it 

[MartyC]

Awesome thread and a great find 

[thebigdog]

So wheels back from builders, they done a great job on them.
Thanks to Nick too for the survivor comp3s great addition.
Everything has just been so filthy!
So its just been a case of deep cleaning stuff.
Happy with how it's turning out although possibly needs black grips.?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thebigdog]

Looks flipping lovely but aren't those grips on back to front?

No? Right way , other way & you would struggle to grip.
Well thats how i have been having them anyway


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Avro]

Looks excellent; black grips are A +1 from me or swap out the brake lever for a black one but, looking at the whole, I love it.

[thebigdog]

Looks excellent; black grips are A +1 from me or swap out the brake lever for a black one but, looking at the whole, I love it.

I hear ya , the tyres, saddle and grips are the only new (well old ) parts want try and keep as many og bits as i can if poss
Trying to find og rider bits is hard lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Midschoolfool]

Very unusual bike. Looks like they took all of the best ideas from the best bikes of the day and then incorporated them all into one.

[CustardLips]

Looking good Matt. 

[thebigdog]

Finished it today , happy with how its turned out , found a skyway fin for the brake and some survivor tange grips.
Was getting a bit dark so will get some better pics of it soon




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deeman]

Love this...love the design, love the rarity 

[thebigdog]

Love this...love the design, love the rarity 

Thanks
Dont think I've ever sat on such a roomy and comfortable 20" lol
If next weekend is ok ill take it out for a blast , it just needs to dirty up a bit!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rooski]

Really like that, nicely restored. 

[MartyC]

Lovely 

[sawzall]

that's looking great matt

[thebigdog]

that's looking great matt

Thanks Phil hopefully you can see this one soon, I know you like interesting frame sets