DP Ltd. Ed. GL Plus Firebird ...25 years in the basement...

[ED209]

During a chance conversation with my brother-in-law I said I was looking for a old DP to do a resto on and start riding again - he said he had his one still in his parents basement after 25 years. On the condition that I didn't just do it up and sell it he said I could have it...   

Today I went and picked up a rusted but beautiful Limited Edition GL Plus ( number 171! ) and with the help of 'Firebird' Steve's 'connections' I'm gonna try and recreate the Ni-Bronze finish and keep it as close to its Ltd Ed. roots as possible.



I'm going to be riding this bike as much as possible so its not gonna be a show bike... but obviously I still want it to look ill. More than anything I WANT TO RIDE IT!

Will update with developments. Cheers.

[billstup]

Nice one, although it looks like you`ve got your work cut out with that one, good luck 

[ED209]

billstup - you're not wrong  - it needs some work alright! I'm just taking a steady approach as this is the first bike I've done in a long time.

Just spent the evening doing a functional clean and rebuild so I could get out there in the dark and have 'a ride'. It was amazing!



I just put those bars on as I'm used to them and the Vincent Rock bars that were on were so crazily wide. Would love some DP ladder bars but I'm just going to have to wait until some surface.

[oldschool rider]

I remember when GL himself came upto Glasgow with one of these, thought the bike looked cool in it's smoked chrome effect 

Be nice to see that when it's finished.



Steve.

[steve Beech TA]

what a find, surly when its done it will be to nice for a rider

[bodamus]

Nice set of Vincent Bars in that first picture they'll be worth a few quid.

bodamus

[phantom photon]

Lucky bugger 

Look forward to seeing it being brought back to its former glory 

[daz bmx it!]

What an Awsome find keep us posted on the resto,with Steve Firebirds knowledge that should turn out sweet

[rollin72]

awesome find, cant wait to see it brought back to life

[firebird]

Hi Ed

Glad to see you made it onto Radbmx.

i should be picking mine up next Sunday. looks to be in the same condition as yours is in.
i like the bronze finish next to the pink, looks good.

keep in touch and we'll get the coating sorted out.

steve

[magna13]

Always wanted one of them, proper nice!, resto it well

[bigfatolly]

nice survivor you got there,you should put the rock bars back on though,they are cool as fook.
dib dobs on the white kashi if you want to get rid though

[Mattdub]

Cool score indeed 

[ED209]

Bigfatolly (your words, not mine )

Nah mate - those Rock Bars are not doing it for me at all - much too wide - they are officially up for sale if anyone is interested - I will stick some pictures up when I get chance. DP Ladder bars or nothing ( well, not nothing - the shit ones I've got! )

Sorry dude - the Kashi has to stay ... it 'Jiffed' up a treat yesterday! 

[ED209]

Those Vincent Bars are on E-Bay now - just waiting for my Site Supporter status to get them up in 'For Sale'

[ED209]

...and here's the bike in its prime back in 85/86 ridden my Mr Will Blomfield. I've just been reading my old ABMX's and I'm sure he turned his peak upside down after reading the article on Mon's barn ramp.

[ED209]

Couple of other pictures from when I just got this bike.

Fully stripped now and in the process of being sanded. Firebird Steve did the research on re-creating the original Ni-Bronze finish and it was coming in at around £300 with no real guarantee that it would be the colour we were after. As an alternative I've been looking at Krylon Metallic Enamal Dark Anodized Bronze or Light bronze & Dupli-Colour's Metalcast Smoke spray to try and get a comparable colour ( on a budget! ) - anyone ever tried a chrome spray? is it anything like chrome?

Whilst the Ladder Bar hunt continues I've got some 'ready to paint' GT Bars off Mr Steven Costa and I'm busy restoring as many of the original parts as I can to keep it true to its original build. Changes so far are VF Rock Bars for GT, Powerglide grips for White Ame Rounds, no name steel chainwheel for Tuf Neck ( thanks again Steve Costa ), broken bearing raced Tange Headset for Tioga Beartrap NOS - Tange BB for sealed Tioga BB.

Looking for : decals for Rickman layback, a rear OGK and a buyer for the VF Rock Bars.

... now back to the sanding