Also, keep the steel wool away from it. Go buy some Oxalic Acid (search the forums for that thread too) and dip it to get any rust off, then polish it with a good chrome polish or polishing compound.

Thanks for the help. I have already picked up the Oxalic Acid and plan on getting things soaking this weekend.

True that the forks are not Mongoose they are Redline. This bike was bought brand new just as it sits, I never changed any parts and I am the one and only owner. Does this mean that the bike shop that sold it built it up from just a frame?

I really want to restore my bike, this would be the first time doing anything like this so I am looking foward to the process. What I am on the fence on is if I want to restore it to the correct stock look or to how it looked the day I bought it? The value is really not that important because it won't be for sale. Well, I need to get it cleaned up first.

Take it back to the day you had it. Unless and even if you want to show it.

I'm thinking that might be nickle, and I'm not sure if chrome polish is the way to go. Still weeding thru the restoration politics myself.

Stay the course, take your time, and don't forget it's supposed to be fun.

And yes, your LBS probably built it up the way they wanted to sell it.

There are way too many Mongooses in out of the box form already, nobody ever raced them like that for long. Restore it as you raced it at Merced or Atwater(guesses).

I think the forks are some of the last nickle plated stuff Redline did, the tubes look bigger than early ones.

Building bikes from the frame up and offering them complete was a good way of moving excess inventory. We used to take bikes like Schwinn Predators which came complete with black annodized parts and put gold or red on them because the black stuff sold better.

Take it easy on the plate, the Cal 10 stickie is a classic.

cool bike. restore it to the way you rode it.

yep, restore it back to the way it was and ready for track time.