BoTM Feb 13 'Restoration Special' - Nominations Please

[sinnerman]

I see where you mean about the bankrolling it , but sadly that is why they win BOTM ,the owners with the biggest pockets win every time .It's all very predictable ..but I think if all it takes is putting a new saddle on it then any fool can do it and maybe if that's all you need to do then do it with an expensive bike like a Klein or a Fat and sit back and enjoy the endless re posts and sycophantic patting on the back

Sorry im not Agreeing with that.

"BOTM winners with the biggest pockets win every time."

NONSENSE.

 

[gerryattrick]

Here's my 94 Merlin Malt.

It was my first build of a bike from a car boot sale wreck to the bike that has been my main ride. I think the only bits that are original are the frame, seatpost & seatpost collar. Hours spent stripping & polishing the frame, new decals from Gil-m, XT stuff that was waiting in the shed, a car boot RC36 fork, wheels off a Marin Eldridge Grade.

Looking at some of the comments in this thread I'm not sure whether it's a restoration, renovation or rebuild, but here goes anyway.......

 

[Rustyretro]

Wrong thread sorry - response removed

 

[trail_head]

Here is my entry, which definitely qualifies as a restoration, as I lost count of how many hours I put in. It started out as a wreck.
Full nut and bolt strip down, frame was heavily pitted and all the components were seized. I managed to restore most of the original parts, some of which took hours individually - the rear mech for example. Painted the frame myself in flip paint from rattle cans. Rebuilt the rear wheel (first time I've done that) using original hub, rims and new SS spokes. 531 Decals from Lloyds.
This was true labour of love, as it is to replace the same model which I had stolen from me 30 years ago.

You can see more details of the build and the state of the original bike on one of my other posts.

Wrong thread sir.

 

[Kleinola]

So here comes the reason why I´m now a full time addict to retrobikes. Bought the bike brand new (HLF Paint) in -93 i think...then by mysterious reasons it was repainted by some mysterious painter in an obviously horrible color (missing in picture #1 are the logos in Times New Roman Bold font). Later on parts from a Wheeler 9900 was switched on to the Pinnacle. Later on again planning on going to ride some downhill (had a manitou fork at the time) I had the lovely M900 cantis replaced for LX V-brakes at a local bike shop. They threw away the m900 cantis by the way and I did not bother...Also they mounted the cables outside the frame attached with some platstic straps (too much work to get them inside the frame they said) I didn´t mind that either. Then the Pinnacle was hidden for 12 years in the garage. Then I began to bother. Bought a Klein Dolomiti -91, then I added a Klein Adept -93, then I found ETOE, now the Pinnacle is restored (including M900 cantis)...at last.

 

[dyl]

I love the Elgin. Just read your thread, I'd love to have a go on that bike. One thing though - "urgent care" - please do elaborate.

 

[sandmangts]

I love the Elgin. Just read your thread, I'd love to have a go on that bike. One thing though - "urgent care" - please do elaborate.

The first trip was after I trimmed off the drop stand tap on the left side. I still had the dropout clamped in my vise and I was starting to file it smooth and I slipped. The metal was still quite sharp from the cut so I sliced my hand open under my thumb. That was 7 stitches and the cut was full of metal shavings. The second trip was just bad luck. I had been using the angle grinder, file and sandpaper all day on the brazing always wearing goggles and a respirator. My shirt was covered in metal shavings though and when I took it off one flew into my eye. I tried for hours to flush it out but it was so painful I couldn't take it. Had to have an eye doctor remove it. He said I was lucky because there would be a scar but it was outside my line of sight.

 

[Huelse]

Ok,

I re-enter my Ibis Mt.Trials. Good example for a low-cost homemade restauration.

before:

after:

build-thread:
viewtopic.php?p=1552106#1552106

 

[makster]

^loving that!!^

 

[24pouces]

My old EST, my first real mtb I bought.
After quite 20 years of rides,

I have restored it as the prototyp shown in some magazine : new paintjob with the neon green swingarm, I drew the decals and Gil_M printed them. And, finding all the original shimano XT and ritchey parts for still pleasure when riding it