Author Topic: Redline Proline II (Read 121868 times)

GREMLIN · « **Reply #25 on:** June 26, 2007, 09:27 PM »

Ok m8

The decals on the frame and forks look to be original. Well old now tho and falling apart.
I've no history at all on it. Other than i bought it off the bay 2 weeks back. I am going to get in contact with the seller again and see if he can shed some light on it.
The bottom bracket shell has been machined out... G.

Tricky · « **Reply #26 on:** June 26, 2007, 09:28 PM »

There seems to be a few variants on the PL II from what I have seen. Mine had the same sticker set and the chain stay, yet the frame number included a letter denoting the year. Think mine is an 82 or 83, cant remember exactly without checking. As for the seat post gusset I have also never seen one of these, need to research this Ratty!
Maybe this is mod Redline did on some of the later PL II to the counter the stress from the well tapered back seat tube section that Redlines were renouned for.....
The welds do look factory, will be interesting to find out about this.
The frame looks in very goodcondition Gremlin, will it polish up?

Frosty · « **Reply #27 on:** June 26, 2007, 09:47 PM »

The seat stay gusset is something that has been discussed a few times over on VBMX, myself and Subwax have similar frames for carrera II's but his has the gusset mine does not.

PL20 models were a five inch headtube, and had machined ends (narrower centre section). Here are some extracts;

Apparently that's an odd one. the frames with that gusset between the seat stays was a 1983 (RC serial) thing (with a little overflow into '84).

maybe someone at the factory grabbed the wrong die for some serials that day...(?)

there were also some redline frames made in Japan '83-85 that had a smaller font, all-numeric serial. speculation is they were using more than one source of manufacture.

gt0733 · « **Reply #28 on:** June 27, 2007, 06:00 AM »

Gremlin, the seat stay gusset is an oddity for a Pl. the BB brace suggests post 1982 but before late 1983 when the sticker font was changed (unless the stickers were changed sometime in it's life). the Japanese manufactured frames would have had RA, RB, RC etc which would include the brazed rear drop outs. yours looks heli arc so this would suggest it's an American manufactured frame, hence no letters in the id.

Frosty, mines an RC but hasn't got the seat stay gusset.

trust me, Grem, you will have great difficulty replacing those 3 colour stickers. the ones you see advertised don't have the white in them.
please, please, please don't paint it, no 1981/82/83 prolines were ever painted. chrome only. build her up as a survivor

ron burgundy · « **Reply #29 on:** June 27, 2007, 08:49 AM »

Quote

the Japanese manufactured frames would have had RA, RB, RC etc which would include the brazed rear drop outs. yours looks heli arc so this would suggest it's an American manufactured frame, hence no letters in the id.

Only the Carrera 1 had brazed dropouts, but I'm with you on the US built frame, although the head tube sticker does suggest it's a Jap built frame, I know they were still building frame only sets towards the end of 82 in the States, but I'm not sure when they moved every thing overseas.

Good stuff, keep it coming

kowalski · « **Reply #30 on:** June 27, 2007, 11:34 AM »

hey gremlin, i have just bought a pl11 or pl20 f+f from the states its got no decals but fame number is rc 09858, it hasnt arrived yet so i cant see if it has the same gusset as yours, the seller says its an 83, and by the pics the chrome looks slightly neater than yours, i am new to this resto lark so can you please im me to see how much you paid for yours( hope i wasnt ripped off) and who you are using to powder coat, also where can i get a og spec list or catalog parts list for an exact rebuild? regards

Trev · « **Reply #31 on:** June 27, 2007, 02:49 PM »

for powdercoating see SuperBikeDan. the best powdercoater in the business...

GREMLIN · « **Reply #32 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:39 PM »

I've had a good go at trying to polish up the chrome on the frame and forks now. Not looking good at all. In a lot of places there's just a matt finish to it. Looks as tho someone in the past has tried polishing it to within an inch of it's life. With 500 grit !!!.

Also the chrome on the fork drop is just peeling away. I've been picking it off with my thumb nail. There's no damage/cracks underneath it. It looks as tho someone has just tightened a wheel nut onto it without using a washer.

Luckily it has just ripped the chrome off instead of marking the drops.

So it comes down to how i'm going to have it refinished...
The 1st option is to have it powdered in white by SuperBikeDan. Which is easier, quicker, cheaper, and also will give the set a fresh makeover. Plus be an excellent job might i add

Or 2nd have it stripped and rechromed. Which is expensive and time consuming. Plus finding someone who'll do a spot on job. $:-\$
I suppose there's a 3rd choice. But leaving as is and applying a new decal set before building it up really isn't an option. Where the finish is so dull and hazy.

To be honest i'm leaning now towards having it rechromed. Yesterday i was sure i'd be having it powdered. But now i've spent 24 hours pawing over it i've fallen for seeing it in gleaming new chrome... Like it should be.

As far as the seat stay gusset goes. I'm happy knowing there are a few more PL20's out there with it in place. It's cool too that my frame is that bit different to most others of the same model. A bit of a difference straight from the factory.

As for the build. I can see it as... Redline Proline II frame and forks,
Redline 401 flight cranks, with 44t polished bubble script chainring,
Tioga beartrap II chrome headset,
Tuf neck polished stem,
Redline Proline pro sized v-bars,
Kashimax aero saddle,
Polished araya 7x rims, Suntour large flange hubs in red with red nipples,
D.c 1000 caliper in black for the rear, and D.c tech III lever in black,
Suntour XcII pedals,
Rainbow label comp III's in black.
Plus a few other bits 'n' bobs. But that's the bulk of it.

I payed £155 for mine kowalski m8. To inc frame , forks, and nos Tioga bear trap II headset in chrome. I don't actually know their worth. I've always thought of having a Redline as a project, but never did any searching around to find out general prices. I was actually on the hunt to buy a Kuwahara E.T or a Skyway Xl T.a in white when i came across the auction for the Pl20. I thought the buy it now seemed like half a bargain and the rest is history.
Some of the other lads are far more informed about this subject m8. I'm on a steady learning curve. Any of them will answer questions happily.

Thanx for all the info lads. Keep it all coming and i'll be keeping the questions flowing too. God i love my PL

Gav.

DR VINOAH · « **Reply #33 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:50 PM »

grem
that reads as one ace set up
not being nosey but how much of that gear off the list have you got
bar the headset

i may be able to help

GREMLIN · « **Reply #34 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:55 PM »

So far in my grand plan i have... Headset, wheels, XcII's, frame and forks

. Gonna be a long build Steve. G

DR VINOAH · « **Reply #35 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:58 PM »

i hear ya
i gotta build on the go
well on paper

kowalski · « **Reply #36 on:** June 28, 2007, 12:25 AM »

cheers gremlin, nice set up you have goin on there, funny enough i was supposed to buy a kuwahara nova f+f but the dude on ebay let me down, i was trawling when i saw my one i paid 169 + shipping so i hope this is ok? when it arrives i think i will have to check the chrome and maybe use that dan dude for a nice powder job, please let me know where you source your flight cranks from and stickers and pads i think they are like rockin horse deficate, i will post a pic of the frame when it arrives i am so excited i could sh£t !

Frosty · « **Reply #37 on:** June 28, 2007, 09:55 AM »

Here's an ad for the Carrera II

pads are rocking horse poop, most other parts can be acquired, oh except the seat post - againt these are rare and a used one last week went for $137.

decals, there are plenty of reproductions ones (sanctioned by Redline) but they are not very good, as someone mentioned earlier the white outline older proline decals are hard to find but do come up now and then. Here's two versions of Carrera I and II

ron burgundy · « **Reply #38 on:** June 28, 2007, 10:23 AM »

Nice Carrera II stickers... 302Zapper won a few sets of those a couple of weeks back, wouldn't surprise me if he knocks out some copies...

Could do with a set myself

Frosty · « **Reply #39 on:** June 28, 2007, 10:36 AM »

I know I was bidding on them aswell. It seems the red to yellow fades are difficult for the current manufacurers to replicate, also for relatively easy decals I don't know why someone has not done a better job of the white outlined prolines!!

GREMLIN · « **Reply #40 on:** June 28, 2007, 11:03 AM »

As far as decals go, what about the red/black/grey ones like on Rattys? Nobody's mentioned them yet. I like them.
I don't think i'm going to replace them like for like. The red to yellow fade would look very nice on it.

G.

Frosty · « **Reply #41 on:** June 28, 2007, 01:15 PM »

Gremlin,

Check out bmxstop for some of the approved redline decals, also 302Zapper (ebay id) he does some of the black and grey copies now and then.

http://www.bmxstop.com/

GREMLIN · « **Reply #42 on:** June 28, 2007, 08:09 PM »

I had a bit of a free afternoon today. So i decided to go over the frame properly and give it a good clean up.

I started with all the tubes that are in pretty good condition chrome wise. Seemed to come up quite nicely with the old Autosol. Put a nice little shine to it. So i thought.
Then finally i got to the top tube. The one that looks like it's been sanded down

Starting with the 1st 6 inches or so from the headtube, which is the section i tried cleaning up the other day (i took a pic before i started to see if any change happened).
I attacked it with plenty of paste for 5 minutes or so. Then polished it off... No change

Another 5 minutes with paste... I could just about see a change happening

Not a lot tho.

I thought that'd be about it. But thought i'd give it one more go to get a little bit more shine and that'd be it...
5 to 10 more minutes. Polished off... Holy batsh1t !!!, I can see my face in it

So then the next 4hrs were taken up making the whole frame (especially the toptube) look like a mirror. Well a 1000% better than it was

And that's by hand... I reckon i lost a stone today.

Pics...

Before...

After...

So it's pretty safe to say the frame won't be off for a rechrome and def won't be getting powdered over in white. But the forks will have to be refinished due to the flaked off chrome. Unless where it's just on the drops, they could be polished so the metal is a close match for the chrome?

So I'm pretty chuffed with myself today.

Time to try and source a set of decals now me thinx

G.

ron burgundy · « **Reply #43 on:** June 28, 2007, 08:30 PM »

Nice one, that is going to look great!!!

gt0733 · « **Reply #44 on:** June 28, 2007, 10:48 PM »

spot on gremlin

i know a lad that may be able to get the correct (repo) 3 colour stickers. i'll get in touch with him and see how we go

gt0733 · « **Reply #45 on:** June 28, 2007, 10:52 PM »

by the way, how are you off for the pads?

GREMLIN · « **Reply #46 on:** June 28, 2007, 10:56 PM »

I'm on the hunt for pads now bud.

RATTY · « **Reply #47 on:** June 28, 2007, 11:25 PM »

Grem, Im sending my PL down to you for polishing tomorrow, fantastic job

gt0733 · « **Reply #48 on:** June 28, 2007, 11:30 PM »

grem, i shot an email off to the fella for the stickers, so now it's a wait to see if he has any.
i have a spare white frame and v-bar pad. i only have one stem pad but it's on my proline. this pic shows the pads on my bike but the spare pads i have are the same font and really nice condition. pm me if your interested