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Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: bobafett on July 24, 2020, 04:02 AM

Title: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: bobafett on July 24, 2020, 04:02 AM: OK... so another one on the go...... :LolLolLolLol:

I've had so many of these projects waiting for me to get a little bit of time for so long now it's been hard to decide what to work on but I had to go back to where it all started - the mongoose story starts with the original SIMI stamped motomag 1 wheel back in 1974 and then late 75 they released their first frame.

It took me a long time to get my hands on a 75 but after years and YEARS of badgering Warren he finally sold me this little beauty a few years ago. Thanks Waz mate :coolsmiley:

I'd already been gathering parts over the years hoping to one day get that all important frame and so she has everything she needs to be put together..... including a NOS set of Ashtabula forks and an absolutely lovely clean set of those all important SIMI stamped motomag 1 wheels..........

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild00.jpg)

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild02.jpg)

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild04.jpg)

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild05.jpg)

Now this is a VERY early frame. It's the 332'nd bmx products frame ever built.

Considering the fact that the serial number was shared with Super-X frames built at the time you could possibly half(ish) that number and suggest that this is one of around the first 200 "mongoose" frames ever made..... and I like that...... a lot :smitten:

There's not a lot of these 75's around and Warren has tried to keep a log of as many mongoose frames (from all old school years) as possible - it's far from comprehensive but it does give a bit of a general picture as to where this frame lives in what has survived and been logged as still existing in the world of mongoose collectors - here's a snippet of the start of that list....

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuildSerials.jpg)

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild01.jpg)

Update on progress and other parts for the build coming soon..........

:daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Retrodan72 on July 24, 2020, 08:07 AM: Wow, amazing stuff John. It's really miles away from the era I like or even have any kind of knowledge about, but I love a good history lesson and if it's part of a build thread, then I'll defo subscribe.
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: NORTY40 on July 24, 2020, 11:37 AM: Wow ! Cool frame 8) and those Motomag 1's and the NOS Ashtabula's are off the scale :shocked: :coolsmiley:

Cant wait to see this one built up :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Picklez on July 24, 2020, 02:03 PM: WOW "wantit" :smitten:, now I'm envious :LolLolLolLol:

That's a thing of beauty right there. I'm typically more early-mid 80's FS driven in my builds, but find as I get older my appreciation is also evolving to a love of builds and bikes from earlier and earlier date periods.

I'm desperate to do a 79 T goose next, so will watch your efforts with this one with a real keen interest. Great thread John, I'm hooked already :popcorn:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Taipan on July 24, 2020, 05:03 PM: Cant wait to see this one unfold :daumenhoch: and those Motomags! "wantit" :4_17_5: :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: bobafett on July 24, 2020, 06:55 PM: So It's going to be built pretty much as per the 1975 catalogue......

With a tweak here and there and an assumption.

The 75 catalogue has the "hi-rise" bars on the old girl but I just really like box bars on a mid 70's BMX. And I have a nice set of OG survivor box bars. Luckily the 1976 mongoose catalogue has box bars in the "Accessories" section so I consider the box bars as an "option" set of bars for this era of goose. The one peice cranks shown in the 75 catalogue look to be chrome plated but I just can't pull myself away from putting a set of original phosphate black finish Ashtabula cranks on to match the forks.... we'll see about that one.......

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuildCataloguePic.jpg)

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuildCatalogueBars.jpg)

The other item is the seat "assumption" or "choice" as it were. There's been various conversations about the seat in that 75 catalogue picture but as we know there was a long standing relationship with Messinger seats in the 70's with mongoose and the chainwheel on that 75 goose is a Schwinn model so I have decided that the seat for this 75 goose build (of mine at least) is going to be a non quilted Shwinn badged messinger..........

The bars and seat I'm using.....

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild06.jpg)

:daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Spen69 on July 24, 2020, 11:15 PM: As always John, this is fookin awesome already... 8)
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: griff on July 24, 2020, 11:45 PM: That's just ace mate 8)
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: bobafett on July 25, 2020, 04:05 PM: A few more bits pulled out for the build.....

NOS Hunt Wilde grips.......

.....and survivor Schwinn chainwheel........

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild07.jpg)

I'll be putting thise little peice of history together very soon all being well ;)

:daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Bob_Acid on July 26, 2020, 10:37 AM: Is that the original colour John?

Looks like it's gonna be a good un mate :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: bobafett on July 26, 2020, 08:15 PM: Quote from: Bob_Acid on July 26, 2020, 10:37 AM

Is that the original colour John?

She was originally red Bob but she was too far gone so she's been re-finished......

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild09.jpg)

Gave the storage soiled NOS Cheng SHin C183 tyres a good scrub and did a little bit of "hairdryer resto"

Didn't go nuts but it definitely spruced them a tad - now fitted to the Motomag 1's

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild11.jpg)

:daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Retrodan72 on July 27, 2020, 12:23 AM: This is bonkers John, you must've had all these bits stashed away for 15 years or so, to get this stuff now would cost a kidney.
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Picklez on July 27, 2020, 01:01 AM: Motomags are looking killer, and tyres turned out great.
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: BMX1973 on July 27, 2020, 04:16 PM: Wow :coolsmiley: Can't wait to see this built. 8)
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: brettypeeps on July 27, 2020, 08:04 PM: explosion explosion that is going to be a beauty explosion explosion
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: bobafett on July 28, 2020, 04:15 AM: Quote from: Retrodan72 on July 27, 2020, 12:23 AM
This is bonkers John, you must've had all these bits stashed away for 15 years or so, to get this stuff now would cost a kidney.

Yes Indeed Dan - had these bits stashed for years mate - god help anyone trying to source all these parts now :-\

Found a nice old Schwinn stamped BB in the BB drawer....

And decided to definitely go with the Ashtabula cranks...

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild08.jpg)

Also dug out a lovely set of NOS Union rat traps.........

(http://www.jpdeane.com/BMX/mybikes/1975mongoose/Bobafett1975gooseBuild10.jpg)

Won't be long now hopefully.......

:daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Retrodan72 on July 28, 2020, 09:52 AM: Look at the stamping on the BB, so crude, but so cool at the same time. I love the simplicity of the way these parts were made.
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Spen69 on July 28, 2020, 11:18 AM: Dan, you're spot-on mate. BMX this old all looked like your dad had made it in his shed, just look at the alignment of the frame tubes on the old frames, there's always a bit of mis-alignment on the gusset plates or the matchbox at the back of the BB.....

That's why I love a mk1 Goose, always did and always will :smitten:

Personally this is already BoTY for me and it's not even built yet :popcorn:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: Mikku on July 29, 2020, 10:49 PM: Sorry, am a bit late to the party but am also feeling the love for this. A few years before my BMX time-frame began but this frame is definitely an important piece of BMX history and it's great to see it getting the tlc it deserves. Plus I never knew the origins of the Ashtabula name. :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: One of the earliest mongoose frames alive - 1975 build starts here....
Post by: bobafett on July 30, 2020, 07:05 PM: All done - pictures and thread in a mo............

Update...

Finished pics: http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,196188.0.html (http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,196188.0.html)

:daumenhoch: