Mongoose Californian Restoration

[frostey]

Having finsihed my Haro FST which I recently sold as I needed a bit of cash in a hurry I have managed to purchase myself a Mongoose on ebay.

It looks pretty rough at the moment but has what look (in the very bad pictures) some OK kit on it, pro class wheels, Shimano pedals and from what I know the correct headset and crank.  Not sure if I paid too much or was pretty much on the money but I wanted a complete bike to restore rather than go hunting for everything.  It looks like it needs a fair bit of cleaning up etc but doesnt look too much to me.  I will keep you updated, and no doubt ask lots of questions along the way (like where can I get stickers and pads from  ).

Here is the offending item on ebay:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220743665459&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp4712.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D220743665459%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1
Any thoughts an advice would be greatly appreciated.

[daz bmx it!]

Not a bad buy do you know what type of pro class you got? anno etc plus you just missed a set of pads on here for £35! pickle got fork decals for a fiver go look quick ask bobafett on here amongst a few other goose boys they know every bloody thing about them

[frostey]

havent got a clue what it is to be honest, apart from the ebay advert (which is vague to say the least) I dont know anything about it.  I will get some better pictures taken and posted up when it arrives as I dont know much about it or gooses in general, its been 25 years since myself and my cousing were on the streets with me on my night burner and him on his mongoose (i was always jealous ).  Does not a bad buy mean it was about the going rate?

I did notice the pads last night, I have been checking the for sale section every hour or so for the last couple of weeks looking for a good bike to get me going again...and for a padset as I figured I would need one, it went in 10 mins :-(

[oldschool rider]

Original Handlebars I THINK NOT !!!!!

4 pc bars on an '83 Mongoose 

[frostey]

Yes, they will be replaced pretty soon ;-)

[bobafett]

Yeah if the wheels are alloy pro-class (and they look to be) then with the frame n forks and shimano peds I reckon you've done alright and got yourself a nice little project to play with 

[Spen69]

If those are alloy ProClass whels and Shiman DX pedals then the rest of the bike was free at that price - good score bud

[frostey]

Fingers crossed then, I will post up some pictures when it arrives and you guys can help me identify the parts ;-)

Whats the score with the bars?  Am I right in thinking they are more of a mid school thing?  What bars should I be trying to replace them with.......I still have a soft spot for CW's.

[frostey]

Well.....its arrived, needs a bit of work though :-)

If has various good bits and some bad, got a knackered old specialized seat, shimano brake levers which I dont know where they are from, very rusty spokes on the alloy wheels with suzue hubs, Shimano DX dedals (not the best condition), mongoose crank, suntour clamp, MX calipers, M3-F6116 californian frame and forks.

Here are some pics, I am generally very happy with it...but know dont know where to start, what do you guys think?

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/watfordhorn/mongoose/

[bobafett]

M3-F6116 = Merida manufactured June 1983 

Looks alright to me mate no real nightmares nothing that can't be restored.

Seen MUCH worse DX peds restored - just strip those pedals down remove the paint with nitromors, and give them a good polish or re-paint, new set of end caps from Rakas - bingo 

Frame/Forks/crank etc. will polish up fine - maybe do a bit of rust removal with lemon juice / citric acid.

Strip down the wheels and bin the forks spokes - give the wheels n hubs a good polish they'll come up a treat (remember to remove the freewheel BEFORE you cut out the spokes !!! ) re-spoke with newuns - sorted 

I'd lose the bars, stem and seat.

Pick up a cheap SR MS422 stem - usually grab them for £10 - £15 and get a set of OS bars. Most people will probably say pro-class bars but yours is an early one so they came with steel chrome plated bars then. You can get win bars or generic chrome old school bars that will look the part fairly cheap but it will look equally nice with a set of pro-class bars or GT's or something else roughly era correct and race/general street based.

Here's how a stock 83 came if you want to use it as a guide :



 

[Spen69]

All original alloy ProClass wheels have rusty spokes now but don't strip them just yet, take the bike apart and scrub the shite off it. Bars and levers are gash but the rest is the right period so keep it all. Amazing what a good clean and re-grease can do bud!

Read up on cleaning the frame and try and keep the original decals if possible!

[frostey]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply an advice, I guess the scrubbing and search for parts needs to begin!

Do the forks really need binning, tyres need to go I guess but I was hoping the forks were worth keeping? Is it hard/expensive to re-spoke wheels?  I have never done it before but am willing to give it a go, I was only planning on trying a bit of wire wool and see how they looked underneath.

Seat and bars are definately going, I will also keep a look out for a stem.

I think pads and stickers may be the hard parts, ,I have some fork stickers on the way :-) but cant seem to find the correct frame stickers.

Cheers

Leigh

[frostey]

Cheers spen, just finished my reply and read yours..

[bobafett]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply an advice, I guess the scrubbing and search for parts needs to begin!

Do the forks really need binning

My bad mate - that should have read "strip down the wheels and bin the SPOKES "  

Keep the forks FFS !!!!

    All original alloy ProClass wheels have rusty spokes now

No they don't spen - you haven't been looking hard enough mate  

Here's a couple of sets of mine that are 100% original survivors and the spokes are fine :





These ones even have the original fleccies on   Couldn't bring myself to remove them  



 

[bobafett]

   cant seem to find the correct frame stickers.

Try and keep the originals if you can but if they are totally gone or just plain doing your head in then you need these.........

  http://www.bmxproducts.com/catalog/index.php'main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=10

You may find cheaper ones on UK ebay from time to time but they are nowhere near the same quality - trust me I've seen them all.

 

[frostey]

Try and keep the originals if you can but if they are totally gone or just plain doing your head in then you need these.........

  http://www.bmxproducts.com/catalog/index.php'main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=10

You may find cheaper ones on UK ebay from time to time but they are nowhere near the same quality - trust me I've seen them all.

 

Thanks for the advice, the ones on there have seen better days but I will do what I can to save them.  Once the frame is all cleaned up I will see how they look.

[Spen69]

Jonnygoose speaks the truth on the Cali decals - Bill's stuff is awesome

Just seen the pics - yep, you need to learn how to lace wheels! Take one spoke out carefully and take it to your LBS and order 72 new ones. Then REMOVE THE FREEWHEEL and strip the rims of the spokes - 10 mins on a polishing mop (don't go wild, just tidy them up if it's gonna be a rider and hey presto, get them built back up again

Read Bendycat's thread on restoring chrome - don't go too abrasive but it looks fine anyway

Jase "StellaArtoiz" on here is the man for SR422 stems. Bars might be trickier, but keep at it. Below are a few pics of Gooses with normal Mongoose bars, GT Pro's and Experts and CW's if you want an idea.

Clan up the calipers and another trip to your LBS for the missing bits - levers you can get on here all the time

Tyres - Stodgy in the shop will do you a set of re-issue yellow label Compe 3's.

Strip the anno off the Suntour clamp and polish it up a bit.

DX pedals can be saved easily and worth the effort as they fetch daft money. Rakas17 does the end caps for you.

Let me know if you want pics and I'll send some to you bud

Spen

ps - another 'Goose saved from the landfill

GT Pro


GT Expert


Normal stock '83




CW's


Stock '83 and Pro Class.......


Hope that helps

[frostey]

Impressive collection.  Not helped me at all as I love them all! 

[Spen69]

Got another one in the garage waiting to be finished - just picked up some Tuffs for it

[fmx]

Look forward to seeing your new one finished spen, how long since the last one?

Paddy

[frostey]

I think they look really good with tuffs on.  Maybe thara an easier temporary route instead on all the work on the wheels.

[Spen69]

Well my black Tuffs are brand new so I'll swap you if you don't fancy tackling the work yourself?

Pm me if you want some pics as I put them on the bike late last night ;-)

Spen

[lk_97]

M3-F6116 = Merida manufactured June 1983 

Looks alright to me mate no real nightmares nothing that can't be restored.

Seen MUCH worse DX peds restored - just strip those pedals down remove the paint with nitromors, and give them a good polish or re-paint, new set of end caps from Rakas - bingo 

Frame/Forks/crank etc. will polish up fine - maybe do a bit of rust removal with lemon juice / citric acid.

Strip down the wheels and bin the forks spokes - give the wheels n hubs a good polish they'll come up a treat (remember to remove the freewheel BEFORE you cut out the spokes !!! ) re-spoke with newuns - sorted 

I'd lose the bars, stem and seat.

Pick up a cheap SR MS422 stem - usually grab them for £10 - £15 and get a set of OS bars. Most people will probably say pro-class bars but yours is an early one so they came with steel chrome plated bars then. You can get win bars or generic chrome old school bars that will look the part fairly cheap but it will look equally nice with a set of pro-class bars or GT's or something else roughly era correct and race/general street based.

Here's how a stock 83 came if you want to use it as a guide :



 

x2 , are these frames like rust resistant though, when I got mine it had been outside for the best part of 2 years, and before that it had been found in a tip, the chrome's pretty much mint after the foil and wd-40 treatment.

[Spen69]

Look forward to seeing your new one finished spen, how long since the last one?

Paddy

Here it is then Paddy - it's in the for sale section now

How's your Cali doing btw?

[frostey]

Right, had a spare 30 mins earlier today so stripped the wheels, chain and brake calipers off...frame is looking good and shouldnt take too much effort at all, but the stickers are always going to let it down so I will get a new set ordered.  Headset and BB bearings feel pretty bad so I will get them out later and see if they are salvageable, although I do have a spare BB I can put in if required.

Wheels are going to be my biggest headache, anyone know of any good wheel builders that I can pay to restore them for me?  If so whats it likely to cost and is it worthwhile with the Alloy pro classes?  Or should I just go down the easy (read lazy) Tuffs route?