Sometimes a little clean up is all you need to get a project done. I sat on this bike quite a few years before I decided to get started on it. I was going to do a full restoration on it. But the more I looked at it as I took it apart I realized this bike was a survivor. So I went into preservation mode. I cleaned it and removed as much rust as I could. I waxed all the parts for protection and reassembled it. (I am a big believer in the protective qualities of wax) I was very happy with the result. I talked about this bike a little back in June when I was getting it ready for Gonzo’s BBQ. It was in a post about getting my “BMX hat trick” and achieving one of my collecting goals. Collecting like so many other things can run through trends. I feel I was lucky enough early on to set some parameters for myself when it came to my collecting of BMX bikes. The parameters were simple enough. 1. Go for what you know! Hell I was out of BMX altogether by ’76 but I kept tabs here and there on stuff by checking out what my friends and their little brothers were riding. So when I started collecting I limited myself to bikes from the 70’s. 2. Learn all you can about the history of what you collect. Do the research! Doing this not only enhances the collecting experience it also tends to make your personal experiences and impressions from your “Glory days” just that much sweeter.

When I first got involved back with BMX and collecting bikes the trend was ramping up to the full on ultra bling and or custom restorations. But lately I have noticed the trend seems to be coming around to keeping things as original as possible and preserving what already exists. I like this trend. It’s one that follows my own opinions on this subject. To tell the truth I have always hated popular trends. For example: back in the day I was known to wear a cowboy hat! For one I just like hats in general. And for two I just thought it was cool. I was a SoCal boy born and raised and a hard rocker to boot! (Disco STILL sucks!) By no means did I ever consider myself a cowboy by any stretch of the imagination. Then the movie Urban Cowboy came out. All of a sudden wearing a cowboy hat was considered “hip” it was the latest trend for the mass marketing *** wipes. As soon as the trend hit I never wore that hat again.

I have also noticed that a lot more folks around the community are getting into the older 70’s vintage bikes. I see it as a good thing because it means more of the bikes I love will be saved and some real rarities unearthed. On the down side it means more guys will be out there looking for the same stuff I’m looking for and possibly driving up prices for that very same stuff. But that’s how these things tend to go. But unlike back in the day, this time I do not intend to hang up my hat!!

So enjoy these before and after pics and remember sometimes a little elbow grease is all you need.

Before.


After.

Well, how do you explain being buddies with TIM....he's pretty "hip" and "trendy" right now. Are you going to look elsewhere? Twomey is more the "survivor" type...LOL

Great post SOD! And you're killin two birds with one stone - posting YOUR bike in front of Mrs. Sod's beautiful planting beds! You're slick, dude!

[ September 30, 2006, 06:15 AM: Message edited by: Keep_It_Warm ]

Beautiful job! I think it's a great thing that more people are restoring the 70's bikes. It puts the focus back on the true roots of BMX. My first BMX was a converted Huffy, which I hope to build one day. Then came the '76 mongoose which was the only bike I ever raced. I have some bikes from '81 and I consider them new school compared to what I rode BITD. So I say dig out those old heaps and let's see 'em.

Nice!

Sod, you wanna get together when I come out in October?

Sod,

Well written post. I think similar to you about bikes and attitudes. If I do put any of my bikes back together I will put them with parts I still have as cleaned up survivors and as I raced them.

I recently saw the Kawasaki (at Entradero) that Reillly1 owns (another nice one). It made me think of how modern those bikes really were when they came out when compared with Stingrays. They (and other bikes) at the time changed how bicycles looked and rode forever, a watershed moment if you will.

Seeing your bike cleaned up as good as you could do (with lots of elbow grease) shows a labor of love and a respect for the history of the bike.

Excellent work!

LOL! i think i can take some credit for pushing the "survivor" movement. one of my favorite topics when Sod and i talk. and it sure wasn't the trendy thing to do for a looooong time.

sweet cleanup, Soddie! welcome to the survivor's club.

[ September 30, 2006, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: TIM ]

survivors rule. not big on doing "restorations" unless they really, really need it. for me, i have a hard time getting myself to just remove original old, beat decals - even if i have genuine originals to replace them with.

[ September 30, 2006, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: mr coasterbrake ]

I think I have some Kawasaki green around here....


Another cool bike from the Sodfather.

I raced in the 70s and 80s (and even a little bit in the 90s) but 70s bikes is what gets me going.

The bike looks awesome, more importantly, do you still have the cowboy hat?

quote:

---

Well, how do you explain being buddies with TIM....he's pretty "hip" and "trendy" right now. Are you going to look elsewhere?

---

Har! Tim and I have been on the same page with this subject for a long time. I may not like popular trends but i don't abandon my friends. (hey that rhymes!) no matter how trendy the are.

quote:

---

Sod, you wanna get together when I come out in October?

---

Yur durn tootin' bukaroo! let me know when you breeze in and we'll do it up! but alas I don't golf. but no worries we'll have fun!

quote:

---

more importantly, do you still have the cowboy hat?

---

Nope! But I have plenty of others to crown my noggin! The funny thing is my wife asked the same question. when I told her no she said " I'm supprised. You still seem to have everything else you ener owned!" OH!! Cut me quick to the bone! That woman knows me too well.