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Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: kuwahero on October 31, 2010, 12:14 AM
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Following the current trend for mini's I thought it was time to out my next wee project for your viewing pleasure. Are we sitting comfortably then i'll begin...
Ever since I came back home to BMX in 2005 I have wanted a Kuwahara Mini, among others. After seeing Bodamus's on Jamie's Kuwahara site my longing began. I approached Ian a few years back about buying it from him but he wouldn't entertain me. Finally, the night before leaving for MK08 I won a semi complete bike from USebay and subsequently got shafted by the seller who never sent it and promptly disappeared from ebay and paypal with my hard earned. :Aresehole: As you can imagine I was well fooked off and gave up on the idea.
Anyway, about a year later a NOS frameset appeared on Ebay from Germany and with seconds to go I was sniped. Aaaaargh!
Fast forward to a few months ago while chatting to my bro and surfing US ebay I noticed a NOS frameset and decided to take a closer look. It turned out to be Juan @ BMX Addicts that was selling it and had decent Buy It Now price. At this point my finger took on a mind of its own and the button was rapidly pressed. I promptly paid and crossed my fingers that this time I would get my hands on PRECIOUS!
Well two weeks later with a trip to the Parcelforce Depot to pay £32 import duty. I finally owned my KM1 mini... almost 5 years from that first yearning. :4_17_5:
So to wet your appetite here are a few pics as it currently stands... Bit of OS trivia for ya! These framesets were actually made in the US for Everything Bikes the Kuwahara distributor under licence by GJS.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/km1mini1.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/km1mini2.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/km1mini3.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/km1mini6.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/km1mini7.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/km1mini8.jpg)
The project begins.....
I have decided to build this as a factory replica of early 80's Kuwahara Pocket Rocket - Deric Garcia who rode longside Clint Miller on the Kuwie team, aged 11. It has taken me a while to gather pics and info on this little dude. However , I am now in a position to start and have been slowly gathering together the correct parts, as a fair few a rare vintage Italian Road components. Anyway, I still have a few to find, however, have quite a bit of restoration to do on some of the bits I have so far. This will hopefully give me enough time to source them. So stay tuned as my little project diary progresses as parts arrive and are fitted. Hopefully, one day it will resemble Deric's bike
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/dericgarcia1.png)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/dericgarcia2.png)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/dericgrips.jpg)
Deric's Micro Spen Moto Machine
Frameset - Kuwahara KM1 Cromoly
Bars - Junior Aluminium Powerlite Powerbend
Stem - Junior Pro Neck (clamps drilled for lightness)
Grips - Black Oakley B-1B's (sleeves removed as he had small hands and 10 donuts on each to keep his hands at the ends of his bars)
Headset - Aluminium Galli Superlite
Rims - Aluminium Ukai 20 x 1" 1/8
Spokes - Alpina 0.80" Stainless with Aluminium Nipples
Hubs - OMAS 36H Serie Mozzi with Hollow Titanium Spindles (cone nuts used instead of axle nuts for lightness)
Tyres - IRC ZII 20 x 1"1/8 Sew Ups (think these will be hard to find)
Brake - Weinmann Type 500
Brakepads - Scott Mathauser Finned
Lever - Dia Compe Tech 3
Brake Cable - Dia Compe Rear
Pedals - Suntour XC-1
Cranks - Sugino Mighty Tour 170mm with 110BCD Fixed Spider
Bottom Bracket - OMAS Big Sliding with Titanium Spindle
Chainring - Sugino 110BCD 40T
Chainring Bolts - Sugino
Freewheel - Suntour 16T
Chain - Sedisport Nickel 3/32"
Seat - Uni Mini
Seatpost - Carbon Fibre integrated with Seat
Seat Clamp - Sugino integrated with Frame
Pads - Kuwahara California Lite
Plate - Haro Mini Series
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Great stuff Marc, looking forward to this :daumenhoch:
I do love a good "mini" build :coolsmiley:
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Looks like the long wait was worth it Marc :daumenhoch:
Looking forward to seeing this done , love the mini's myself after doing my Juniorfox 8)
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Thanks guys. Can't wait to start, gonna take my time and not rush this so its done right though.
First job is to remove the decals and give it a really good polish. These were first built in 81' and ran alongside the KZ1 with the white decals. However, by the time the Laserlite, etc came along the decals had changed to black. So i'm going to change them for some NOS black ones I picked up from Japan a few years back. My last set too, which I had been keeping for this very job.
Marc :daumenhoch:
p.s Joff, I managed to get some Uni decals from Del inc the reversed one we discussed. ;)
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Looks cool as fook that lil fella :coolsmiley:
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it all comes to he who waits :daumenhoch: looking forward to seeing this built up nice find
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:) Looks like it was worth the wait.Good looking frame too. :daumenhoch:
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Lookin' good Marc :daumenhoch: . Lovin' the Deric Garcia ride , remember that being featured bitd ( trick parts , mucho donuts , mini Series One etc etc ) .
Do you have the big air pic of him too ?
Look forward to the progress ;)
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I think I do Matt. Pretty sure that one is in the same issue of BMX Action as well as his bike spec. If you have it and any other info please let me know mate.
9/10 Donuts on each grip to keep his wee hands at the ends of his powerwings. :LolLolLolLol: they are proving hard to find as they are the narrow ones that you find on b-1b's and I can only find 5mm ones.
So if anyone has any thin donuts let me know. Plain colours please as I can dye them all black.
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Spec added for nosey Nath :LolLolLolLol:
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:smitten:
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Spec added for nosey Nath :LolLolLolLol:
:LolLolLolLol: Cheers mate :daumenhoch:
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nice marc. :daumenhoch:
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thats lovely dude :daumenhoch:
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Finally got my MIni Pro Neck. Needs a bit of resto, but should come up ok.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/proneckmini.jpg)
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Nice project you've got yourself Marc (remember talking about this at Preston and the roadie bits you'll need ) :)
great to see the pics of it , finally here :smitten:
Best of luck with your search ;)
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Great project. You will get some great satisfaction on this build :daumenhoch:
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Slowly starting to find the parts I need. Picked this one up last week on ebay and is currently on the way from Germany. Will need Some Del magic to make it white rather than yellow.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/IMG_8869.jpg)
This was the one part I thought I would struggle to find. Even had Jay make a template of his so I could try make a repro. Looks like I dont need to now, but may still try it.
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Excellent score on the "mini series one " :4_17_5:
, now they've gotta be like hen's teeth ???
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Marc glad you got your PLATE mate :coolsmiley: That looks to be an AWSOME BUILD !!! FARSER CAMPBELL used to ride one of these in 83 / 84 He had a MINI ESP Stem the clamp on type !!!!
LOOK FOWARD TO SEEING THIS :4_17_5:
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Going to enjoy seeing this come together 8) :daumenhoch:
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Come on........Come on......... Hurry Up :D
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Looking good Marc .Can't wait to see this one finished . :daumenhoch:
You gotta have a mini in your collection.. ::) :-X .
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this is gonna be the dogs danglies when its finished :smitten:
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Patience Nath, patience !!!
I moved it from the garage to my bedroom today. So there is some progress :LolLolLolLol:
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Patience Nath, patience !!!
I moved it from the garage to my bedroom today. So there is some progress :LolLolLolLol:
sounds like your going to be humping it marc!! :-\ :LolLolLolLol:
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Quite little update with progress so far. Removed and scanned original decals as wrong colour for this build. Then polished frame and applied NOS black decals. Fitted NOS Galli Superlite headset and temp fitted NOS OMAS BB cups. Restored and fitted Jnr Pro Neck stem and Jnr Powerlite Powerbend bars, DC Tech 3 lever and Oakley B-1B grips, without sleeves. Just need to track down 10pairs of thin black donuts now. :LolLolLolLol: Also fitted NOS Uni Mini Seat (Repro DelCals), NOS Weinmann 500 Caliper and temp fitted DC Cable and my Used Custom Kuwahero Pad.
Excuse the crappy phone pic will take a series of proper pics when I get time
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/pp322/kuwahero/kuwie_mini/kuwiestage1.jpg)
Managed to find some 1"1/8 Ukai Rims but they need stripping, polishing and re-anodised. So thats next job and then I can get the wheels built. Cranks have also arrived but need same process to make them minty. So it is slowly coming together and I am enjoying restoring the parts I can't find NOS.
Cheers Marc :daumenhoch:
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Looking good so far MARC :daumenhoch: this is going to be one SWEET BUILD !!!!!
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oooh likey likey ;)
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that is foooooooooookin sweet marc :4_17_5: