Chip

I haven't had time to read this entire thread, but I at least want to make an offer for future repairs done by anyone. I've bought quite a few busted PK's over the years, most of the time it's the rear triangle or seat mast thats mangled. 3 piece frames I call them, because often I find them in 3 pieces, sometimes missing a side. So basically, I end up with more front triangles then rear ones. Next time someone has a top tube that is beyond repair (which I have yet to see), I will trade them for an original replacement, so a round tube will not need to be used. This post is in no way meant to discredit anyone, just wanted to offer solution to prevent it from happening again.

Anyone have or making stickers for these?

They use that spider on quite a few crank models they made. A lot of chrome shops do have a problem with the spider, and I've seen several sets redone that didn't work out too well in that area.

The frame had some major issues when I got it, and definately needed repairs and replating. One thing we found unusual was the seat mast had a crack starting at the vent hole for the top tube. There were a few times I wished we had a better frame because of the time we spent trying to weld up small dents before getting it plated. The crank arm plates had the usual crack, and the original forks were cracked as well.

For the hubs, we welded all the holes, had them turned on a lathe, then found a local machine shop with an index table to redrill and chamfer new holes. Welding them up solid was a lot more time consuming then I would have thought, but it was possible. I have to thank Paul (Hutchandsuch) for giving me a beat up set to try it on. I originally intended to use ACS Z hubs that I had, but the correct Suzue sealed hubs really completed the bike right. Having all the correct parts on the bike was really important after that, and I have Brian P, Subwax, Juan and Steven Beven for some last minute bits they contributed as well.

In the photo (taken last month) the pad is stock, but I did have it trimmed 3/4" on both ends before the show. Overall the feedback I got on the color was really good, and I couldn't have been happier with it myself. It was a bike we were real proud to display. Next show with it will be Brian P's in August.

We displayed this bike at Rockford as a project our shop built over the last year. Mainly to display the new color we came up with for the Turbo smoke chrome, and also to show some of the fabrication skills we have available. The bike originally came from Steven Beven as a very worn and used survivor, and most original parts were intact. We had to replace the grips, pads, and chain. We replated the post, hardware, brakes, and cages, but the bodies, stem, and clamp stayed original. We used an NOS 39T Sugino chainring, chrome 7X hoops, skinwall tires, and the forks were replaced with mini Viper forks. The frame was cut down, cranks cut to 155mm, and the hubs converted from 36h to 28h. Just thought this would be the best forum to share this with first, hope you guys like it as much as we do. I think next year we will try to make the CA shows.

Would it be an option to just rebuild the wheel with new spokes? I usually charge about $75/set

I powdered one a few years ago, and have one at the shop now, same owner. Also saw one at Rockford 2 years ago. I don't think there are many more then that in collectors hands. -Chip

I actually have a box in the 20mm length. They are chrome plated now, but I can powder them any color to look anodized. I try to keep red, blue, and white in stock for my own projects. Just contact me if they will work for you. I have not found anyone producing colors in the longer length. -Chip

I powdercoated one pink Hollywood in the last year, it was the original color. I can't remember who got it because it was sold before I finished it. The paint fade on the fork steerer could help me ID it better, but it's hard to tell from the pics listed. I can tell you the fade in the BB is the way I do almost all my frames, and it's very hard for the average shop to duplicate that. I do the same on the fork race area. I'm fairly sure the factory painted them solid, and almost up to the threads on the forks. All factory pink Hutches I have seen have had very poor quality paint to say the least. Bare spots, runs, severe "orange peel". If it was restored, it may be the one I did. I'm now ordering rub on decals to mark jobs I do and we have even been discussing "branding" the powder in a conspicuous place. It's lately become a problem with people selling some work I do as NOS, or some people selling frames with issues, falsely as work I've done to try and boost credability.

It is being ridden

Yes, I've just made holders to powder them any color and recieved great feedback from people who have used them. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=130061287239 C4LabsPC@aol.com -Chip

Almost all of the frames I powdercoat are in need of some protection from further corrosion. The majority of them are freestyle bikes like Haro's where they almost seemed to have been painted with water colors at the factory. My priority is in preserving what is solid and taking as little away from the metal and fabrication marks as possible. This way the frame can be redone infinately without loosing any details and most will withstand minor abuse or corrosion if ridden or neglected later on in there lifetime. I do strongly reccomend against repainting a frame that doesn't need it, just for color or perfections sake. Neil's green JMC definately needed to be repainted (it was repaired). I tried to convince him to do a traditional color and even had a perfect white powder applied to it. He wanted green so bad, he paid extra for me to redo it in the custom color. What's the harm here? For the next guy that own's it or if he tires of it, I or someone else can redo it in the original red with no additional harm done to the frame. Neil saved it and put a lot into it. I respect him for that. It does look better then I thought it would and has a certain appeal if you allow it to. If done correctly I think preservation is a good thing. As far as not having the same appeal, In think that is personal. As an example I can say that I used several diferent SE blues, and the frames I painted didn't have that appeal to me, but after spending the money and time to get the color right, I do get that nastalgic feeling from looking at them. With Haro's, and even James' NOS pink Trickstar frame I have often been dissapointed to see how crappy the original paint was. Looking at a quality repaint, I see them as I would like to remember them. I consistantly get more for restored Haros over NOS ones. Most likely this only applies to them at the time, but it shows restoration can be justified in some cases, and has it's place in the hobby.