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Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 06:02 PM

Title: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 06:02 PM
This was an Ebay impulse buy from a week ago, Really poorly advertised and the seller failed to mention the seat post was stuck solid in the tube and the dropouts were bent, it arrived a couple of days ago with the parcel guy holding the frame/forks in one hand and the box in the other asking me whether anything was missing , After contacting the seller he offered a refund, but I thought I would check outs what it was 1st and have a go at the seat post problem, After doing a bit of research, measuring weighing etc It is in fact an early mk1 DP firebird frame, although Im not sure what the forks are, The frame and forks weighed together are just under 3 kilos, this is now the seat post has been removed and no headset fitted, this is comparable with the original  as the original frame and forks with a headset weighed in at 3.1 kilos .. My question is what are the forks, they look like mongoose but are more ovaled around the fork legs, they have no markings like the frame and the dropouts are for 3/8 th 10 mm axles , they are also light and appear to be made of the same (4130) material as the frame, any thoughts appreciated .. This is the Original ebay photo ...
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/jj262/lambrettalee/CBE-HewBGkKGrHqFhkEzehFyjGBNGMRHSw_12.jpg)
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 06:08 PM
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/jj262/lambrettalee/006-2.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/jj262/lambrettalee/007-3.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/jj262/lambrettalee/009-2.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/jj262/lambrettalee/008-1.jpg)
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: Spen69 on January 13, 2011, 08:27 PM
Forks deffo NOT Mongoose bud...... :-\

Odd looking things though.

Spen
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 08:51 PM
Yeah, I have a pair of goose forks in this style and they are heavier than these and chunkier, I wondered whether these maybe a prototype of some  sort that was never put in to production? I like them and will leave them with the frame as I am unlikely to get the correct DP forks, just very curious as to what they are ...
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: Darren Wood on January 13, 2011, 09:15 PM
I would give STEVE ( FIREBIRD ) A SHOUT i am no expert on dp but they may be dp like all smaller companys things changed quite a lot  :daumenhoch:

Very nice find



WOODY  :4_17_5:
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 09:40 PM
I had a look on Steves site and there is nothing similar on there to these, under the front frame section is remains of black paint and also in the bottom bracket, Steve said the 1st few were black and gold , there is a slim chance it may be one of the first batch of however many but it can never be proved I suppose, it may have been painted black a few years ago ..I dunno , would just be good to know what the forks are ....
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: Bettyswallocks on January 13, 2011, 09:42 PM
Nice mini...  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 09:46 PM
Nice mini...  :daumenhoch:
ooohh Cheeky
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: poolysheriff on January 13, 2011, 09:47 PM
I would give STEVE ( FIREBIRD ) A SHOUT i am no expert on dp but they may be dp like all smaller companys things changed quite a lot  :daumenhoch:

Very nice find



WOODY  :4_17_5:

Like Woody says

See what Steve thinks  ;)
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: firebird on January 13, 2011, 10:28 PM
I would say that they're 100% not dp, if they were there would be no creasing to the tubing when they formed the bends on the fork legs. None of the frames I have ever seen have these marks, this tells me they weren't made using the same tooling. All of the race frames even the very early models have the dropouts on the leading edge of the fork legs. Also in the eBay photo the tubing is a different colour. One thing I did notice, can't tell on the iPhone but on the inside edge of the legs is there a seam running up the full length of the tubing? 4130 tubing is seamless.

Steve
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 13, 2011, 10:35 PM
No seams ...any idea what they could be off
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: firebird on January 14, 2011, 07:03 AM
I've never seen these forks before, I don't know what they are.
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: rick1970 on January 15, 2011, 08:12 AM
Hi mate have a look in museum section, page 3. copies+replicas theres a err her humm skyway ta replica there with
your forks by the looks ,could be wrong .. :)
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: Moza on January 15, 2011, 11:40 AM
nothing to do with your questions but I love the old school feel to your garage with the Mini  :daumenhoch: do you mind telling me what model ??? ive noticed the minilites and the BMC sticker in the back window :daumenhoch: Is there anything else hiding under the sheets lol ??? I have an 85 Escort RS under a sheet in my garage :laugh:
Title: Re: 1st Generation DP Firebird Forks I.D .. mongoose
Post by: stfc on January 15, 2011, 05:42 PM
Hi mate have a look in museum section, page 3. copies+replicas theres a err her humm skyway ta replica there with
your forks by the looks ,could be wrong .. :)
They do look the same, very difficult to say, The mongoose forks also look like that from the angle the photograph is taken, needs a front on picture to see the angle of the tube ....
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