Thought I would share my current two wheel restoration project. My mum decided to put a Hawk Flipper bicycle in the loft for future use for a grandchild. Unfortunately I didn't take the hint when I was about 8:-)
The bike subsequently stayed in the loft hidden inside a plastic bag waiting patiently for a child to be introduced into the family. My little girl hit three recently so the bike was subsequently unveiled. However the bike had been sitting in the loft now for 25 years.
The bike was made by a company called hawk I cannot find much out about them it's a very solid bike and marked as being British made. It's unlike modern bikes the welds are quite crude with the emphasis being on strength. The mud guards are metal as are most parts such as brake levers etc.
After 25 years of waiting patiently for a new owner it was still in good condition however the moulded foam tyres had rotted and the chain was seized as well as the wheels. Only a little surface rust on the mud guards.
So I stripped it down and bought a replacment set of modern heels with tyres and inner tubes. This was to replace the plastic wheels and the foam tyres that cannot be bought or fitted anymore.
When I fitted the new wheels they wouldn't fit being wider at the hub than the standard wheels. I tried bending the frame out but it was so solid that there was no flex. After a brief think I drilled out a hole for the valve and stretched the tyres and inner tubes onto the existing plastic wheels. After 30 minutes of muttering under my breath and tire irons flying everywhere I managed to get the tyres on.
A quick lube of the chain and flexing in mine hands and it was ready to go again. I lubed up the bearings polished the frame and gave the mud guards a quick coat of satin black.
Fitted the bell and stabilizers and voila a 25 year old new bike.
<a href="http://s1354.beta.photobucket.com/user/Sukhdeep_Johal/media/DSC_1014_zps6978a8ff.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1354.photobucket.com/albums/q683/Sukhdeep_Johal/DSC_1014_zps6978a8ff.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_1014_zps6978a8ff.jpg"/></a>
The bike as it came out of the loft the tyres literally disintegrated as it was being brought out.
The strip down
The wheels that I eventually stripped down to fit over the existingplastic ones. I was hoping to do a straight swap but the hubs didnt fit so ended up drillingout the plastic mag wheels for a valve and fitted the tyres and inner tubes.
Good old satin black from the poundstore.
The essential pinnk bell.
Slowly starting to take shape.
And voila finished in six hours 4 hours longer than i thought it would take :-)
The bike subsequently stayed in the loft hidden inside a plastic bag waiting patiently for a child to be introduced into the family. My little girl hit three recently so the bike was subsequently unveiled. However the bike had been sitting in the loft now for 25 years.
The bike was made by a company called hawk I cannot find much out about them it's a very solid bike and marked as being British made. It's unlike modern bikes the welds are quite crude with the emphasis being on strength. The mud guards are metal as are most parts such as brake levers etc.
After 25 years of waiting patiently for a new owner it was still in good condition however the moulded foam tyres had rotted and the chain was seized as well as the wheels. Only a little surface rust on the mud guards.
So I stripped it down and bought a replacment set of modern heels with tyres and inner tubes. This was to replace the plastic wheels and the foam tyres that cannot be bought or fitted anymore.
When I fitted the new wheels they wouldn't fit being wider at the hub than the standard wheels. I tried bending the frame out but it was so solid that there was no flex. After a brief think I drilled out a hole for the valve and stretched the tyres and inner tubes onto the existing plastic wheels. After 30 minutes of muttering under my breath and tire irons flying everywhere I managed to get the tyres on.
A quick lube of the chain and flexing in mine hands and it was ready to go again. I lubed up the bearings polished the frame and gave the mud guards a quick coat of satin black.
Fitted the bell and stabilizers and voila a 25 year old new bike.
<a href="http://s1354.beta.photobucket.com/user/Sukhdeep_Johal/media/DSC_1014_zps6978a8ff.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1354.photobucket.com/albums/q683/Sukhdeep_Johal/DSC_1014_zps6978a8ff.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_1014_zps6978a8ff.jpg"/></a>
The bike as it came out of the loft the tyres literally disintegrated as it was being brought out.
The strip down
The wheels that I eventually stripped down to fit over the existingplastic ones. I was hoping to do a straight swap but the hubs didnt fit so ended up drillingout the plastic mag wheels for a valve and fitted the tyres and inner tubes.
Good old satin black from the poundstore.
The essential pinnk bell.
Slowly starting to take shape.
And voila finished in six hours 4 hours longer than i thought it would take :-)
