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Aug 10, 2017 18:40:36 GMT
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A couple of weeks ago the Mrs bought me this, freshly dredged from back of someone's shed/canal. I have history with Choppers, having had nearly every model, but with kids and life they've all gone bar the mk3 I bought new in 04 when I was 14. She actually rang me to say "I've bought you a Chopper" and I rather got my hopes up. Anyway, after a full strip down, repaint, new bearings, new mudguards and tyres, this is where we are up to. Just waiting for the v brake noodles in the post, along with a new gear cable. And a chain wheel, since the one that was on it came off in 3 pieces. Fairly sure this thing has spent time underwater, and they certainly aren't made like their predecessors. Anyway, she want convinced this heap could be resurrected so i did it the exact the exact way she wanted it just to prove her wrong. The seat and back pad were absolutely bolloxed, so a pait of jeans was sacrificed, and i think they look pretty snazzy in denim. Whole restored including the bike stands me at about £40 so far, and now the daughter wants one doing, so if anyone has a mk3 they want shot of, give me a shout
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Aug 10, 2017 19:22:32 GMT
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Very impressed that you managed that - all for about £40 ! You could unwittingly start a new sideline..............
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They do seem to be quite unloved at the moment, prices are still quite low. Good save though, that looks fantastic!
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Aug 12, 2017 21:18:55 GMT
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All done, will get some pics tomoro, rides lovely and she's over the moon. Although her dad has been a gonk and said he doesn't want his 30 year old daughter riding it cos they're not safe, he hurt himself in the seventies on one... I'm still alive and been riding them 15 years her mates are even impressed with it which I wasn't expecting lol. Looking out for another now if anyone has one? Stepdaughter wants one
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Aug 12, 2017 23:00:38 GMT
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What a killjoy... I hurt myself countless times in the eighties on mine, infact it was probably a bigger part of the hobby than riding it itself, but i carried on regardless! Still have one infact, andi'd ride it tomorrow if it wasn't rusted solid... Awaits patiently in the garage for its turn!
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Aug 13, 2017 14:49:31 GMT
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Aug 13, 2017 19:38:31 GMT
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Not now no, I don't like mint or rare bikes, because I won't ride them. Market is well on the up though I see, was curse word when I sold the bulk of mine We've been out today with the Mrs under strict instructions to watch the paintwork, which she did, rides lovely and she's over the moon
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All done, will get some pics tomoro, rides lovely and she's over the moon. Although her dad has been a gonk and said he doesn't want his 30 year old daughter riding it cos they're not safe, he hurt himself in the seventies on one... I'm still alive and been riding them 15 years her mates are even impressed with it which I wasn't expecting lol. Looking out for another now if anyone has one? Stepdaughter wants one He's right there not safe - well at speed anyway - I had a Mk1 Chopper in the mid 70's - the front end would go into an uncontrollable speed wobble - no matter what you did to correct it - it would have you off it in heap on the floor - times many - I used it for the 2 mile each way commute to secondary school - it wreaked many pairs of school uniform trousers / shirts and to this day I think I still have road grit embedded in the palms of my hands / elbows. Mum was quite pleased when it got nicked out the school bike shed never to be found or returned ! Raleigh utilised the Ford colour range for their bikes in those days - I had a part time job in a local bodyshop and could colour match with the paint swatches - the Chopper was Ford Electric blue and its replacement another Raleigh but this time a racing bike was Ford Sebring red
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This is Ford Electric Blue, it's an exact match to Raleigh Horizon Blue that mk1s came in. I've never encountered speed wobble lol, but then I never ride them flat out, too much like hard work
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Aug 21, 2017 19:02:12 GMT
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Resto number 2, this one is going stock, already repainted and half reassembled, just waiting on a couple of parts in the post
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retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member
Winging it.....Since 1971.
Posts: 3,714
Club RR Member Number: 94
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The Unloved Raleigh...retrolegends
@retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member 94
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Aug 21, 2017 19:33:34 GMT
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Good work mate, are you one of the 20 or so of us on the Mk3 Chopper Facebook page? 😆 Here's my pair, the UltraVoilet live on the wall upstairs and only comes down for a dusting, it's the only way to stop the chrome from disintegrating! 😆👍🏻
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1974 Hillman Avenger 1500DL1992 Volvo 240SE1975 Datsun Cherry 100a flying custard1965 Hillman SuperMinx Rock N Roller1974 Austin Allegrat Mk1 1.3SDL1980 Austin Allegro Mk3 1.3L1982 Austin Allegro Mk3 on banded steels2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible 220bhp TurboNutter1966 Morris Minor 1000 (Doris) 2019 Abarth 595C Turismo (not retro but awesome fun) www.facebook.com/DatsunCherry100a
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Aug 21, 2017 20:12:54 GMT
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I'm not on Facebook bud, was on RCOC way back when but not been on in years. Ultra Violet looks brand new, I had a ltd edition mk3 new in the box I sold in 2009 to fund a new car.... £36 in a no reserve auction
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retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member
Winging it.....Since 1971.
Posts: 3,714
Club RR Member Number: 94
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The Unloved Raleigh...retrolegends
@retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member 94
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Aug 21, 2017 21:25:58 GMT
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I'm not on Facebook bud, was on RCOC way back when but not been on in years. Ultra Violet looks brand new, I had a ltd edition mk3 new in the box I sold in 2009 to fund a new car.... £36 in a no reserve auction Yeah it's pretty pampered, bought it in 2004 and it's never felt Tarmac or been ridden on! I was on a few Raleigh forums including the Raleigh Action Bikes and the Grifter forum but they seem to have pretty much finished now, I used to go to Billing Aquadrome for the RCOC/Custom Bike show weekend up until this year when they finished the car shows so without the NSRA there the wife wasn't fussed about going again, shame really as we had some great weekends there.
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1974 Hillman Avenger 1500DL1992 Volvo 240SE1975 Datsun Cherry 100a flying custard1965 Hillman SuperMinx Rock N Roller1974 Austin Allegrat Mk1 1.3SDL1980 Austin Allegro Mk3 1.3L1982 Austin Allegro Mk3 on banded steels2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible 220bhp TurboNutter1966 Morris Minor 1000 (Doris) 2019 Abarth 595C Turismo (not retro but awesome fun) www.facebook.com/DatsunCherry100a
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Aug 21, 2017 21:30:07 GMT
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I went to that in either 2004 or 5, had lads riding bikes over a jump featuring an on fire cardboard box until security stepped in it's been a nice change to do bikes again instead of cars, need to get a rack now so they can go the shows with us My purple mk3 was intended to be like yours, never ridden, but thought id take it for a cheeky ride after a fortnight, doing my best to keep it clean, popped a wheelie that got away from me that took a chunk out the sissy bar, so it came into daily rider duties after that
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The Unloved Raleigh...fr€$h&m1nt¥
@freshandminty
Club Retro Rides Member 99
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Aug 21, 2017 21:56:40 GMT
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astranaut would you be interested in any more mk3s? Mine hasn't been rode much but is missing the sissy bar section and the sissy bar support frames snapped from me leaning back on it. Plan was for me to file them down and fit blanking caps and then fit a mk1 or mk2 saddle but never got around to sorting it.
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Aug 21, 2017 22:00:43 GMT
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Double post
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Last Edit: Aug 21, 2017 22:04:32 GMT by astranaut
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Aug 21, 2017 22:02:10 GMT
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fr€$h&m1nt¥ I'm pretty much at capacity ATM but there is room at my grandads.... Can you pm me a few pics and what you were after for it? Excuse double post not sure how hot occured
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Last Edit: Aug 21, 2017 22:03:44 GMT by astranaut
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The Unloved Raleigh...fr€$h&m1nt¥
@freshandminty
Club Retro Rides Member 99
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fr€$h&m1nt¥ I'm pretty much at capacity ATM but there is room at my grandads.... Can you pm me a few pics and what you were after for it? Excuse double post not sure how hot occured I'll dig it out at the weekend and get some photos.
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Aug 25, 2017 13:10:47 GMT
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Cheers Grizz More or less done now, just waiting on a new toggle chain. Haven't gone for mint or replaced loads of parts like the other one, it's had a new seat, cables, bearing and gears, be paint and stickers, the rest has just been polished up with new fixings. It's going to get used and abused so not worth going balls out, but it has come up nice.
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Last Edit: Aug 25, 2017 13:15:42 GMT by astranaut
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