Author Topic: Rickman Racing Pro - 'Rusty Rick' (Read 14288 times)

dinglem · « **on:** July 08, 2016, 11:19 PM »

Well this could be interesting.....

I saw this listed on eBay recently and watched it go up and up, before eventually being relisted a few weeks later due to the original winner not contacting the seller after the end of the auction.

As you can see it appears to have been stored at the bottom of a lake for the past 25years, but having been steadily looking for this particular model for a while now, i thought i'd watch it for a second time and see how high it went. With limited bidding i thought i'd take a punt, especially as it came with the uber-rare original Rickman forks. I was hoping it might be saveable, but it was hard to tell from the listing pics.

As advertised.

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So yeah.... pretty ropey. Anyway, i won it for a steal and asked the seller to hold on to it for me until i got back from France, and I collected it yesterday. I was hoping that i wouldn't be able to crush the tubes with my bare hands and i am really chuffed to discover that the tubes are much more solid than they initially appear.

The stem is a Piranha - again something i'm happy to have, so along with the rear brake all would not be lost if the the frame turned out to be a duffer.

dinglem · « **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2016, 11:23 PM »

I finally got a bit of time to look a little closer at the Rickman this evening. It really is very solid and with a little elbow grease i have started checking each of the tube sections over and removing a little rust where possible. All i have used so far is Mothers Polish and a lot of elbow grease, but i have been very surprised to discover that there is a little chrome still remaining under all of that rust.

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dinglem · « **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2016, 11:27 PM »

I've had plenty of fun and games today trying to break it down as pretty much everything is rusted in and fused together.... still got to get the BB apart but the headset is now turning and i've got the wheels and chain off also. Polishing results have been really surprising.

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dinglem · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2016, 11:32 PM »

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Overall i'm pretty pleased so far. I'll continue checking the tubes over as i strip it down, and with a only a handful of Rickman Pro's known it could work out as a total bargain if i can save it. $:-\$

oldschoolace · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2016, 11:43 PM »

Looking forward to seeing this develop. Looks like it's crying out for a citric acid bath

nosepickben · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2016, 01:58 AM »

That really does look horrific. Well done for having a gamble on it though. Bet it's been in a damp cellar for a while.

john4130 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 09, 2016, 08:32 AM »

the original photos look like you could have poked your finger through the rust, i see you have all the tools for stripping it down. hacksaw and a hammer.

dinglem · « **Reply #7 on:** July 09, 2016, 09:43 AM »

Yeah, I've never had to hacksaw a chain off before! The seller told me he had received plenty of abuse for listing it - basically people telling him it was a scrapper - but he knew the tubes were completely solid so stuck with it. It was discovered under some pine trees with the rear end totally sunk into the ground. Why somebody would leave such a high-end bike like that is beyond me.

Still fighting to get the bb apart currently.

Gashead · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2016, 11:48 AM »

Gunna need some elbow grease on that.....looks great mind

Retrodan72 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2016, 12:10 PM »

Knowing what you're like Mart, this will be an amazing transformation.

Jaymz · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2016, 07:12 PM »

Get it in a citric bath dude.

bigfatolly · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2016, 11:25 PM »

I saw that being listed and thought it looked unsalvageable.
Good to see you are persevering with it...

dinglem · « **Reply #12 on:** July 10, 2016, 12:45 AM »

Yeah, had to be worth a punt....

Progress today - managed to get the bb out after a fairly tedious struggle, and whilst the bearings were pretty much mush the bb frame tubing itself is pretty much unmarked.

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The dreaded top tube (which looked the worst in the eBay pics) also shows signs of life, and the chain stays and rear drop outs are also totally solid.

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insectbones · « **Reply #13 on:** July 10, 2016, 07:53 AM »

Now that's what I call a project! Looking forward to seeing this come together

Jaymz · « **Reply #14 on:** July 10, 2016, 09:26 AM »

Looking good.

rooski · « **Reply #15 on:** July 10, 2016, 10:26 AM »

Coming along nicely, the rear drops look very good. Nice one!

southern andy · « **Reply #16 on:** July 10, 2016, 10:28 AM »

Good luck with it.

I bought a knackered shed fire one years ago. It was proper smoke chrome lol. Best £54 I ever spent. Don't think I have any photos of it on photo bucket any more.

factory pilot · « **Reply #17 on:** July 10, 2016, 11:26 AM »

Now this is what we call a proper resto thread .. Good luck Marty

fischflo · « **Reply #18 on:** July 10, 2016, 12:02 PM »

First pics looked rather disconcerting tbh $:-\$ - You prove us there is still humanity under that decomposing skin !

dinglem · « **Reply #19 on:** July 10, 2016, 01:34 PM »

Bit more progress today, the stem is now apart and out (and saved), headset is out, so all that remains is the seatpost tube which is well and truly jammed in. I've been on it for over an hour so far today and it's still not budging. Getting there though...

oldschoolace · « **Reply #20 on:** July 10, 2016, 01:46 PM »

Pm'd you buddy

midschooljon · « **Reply #21 on:** July 10, 2016, 05:22 PM »

Great thread. Looking forward to seeing how this comes together.

dinglem · « **Reply #22 on:** July 10, 2016, 06:56 PM »

Finally back to basics...

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pickle · « **Reply #23 on:** July 10, 2016, 07:37 PM »

Wow you've got your work cut out with this one, looking forward to seeing how it progresses

Mikku · « **Reply #24 on:** July 11, 2016, 01:30 PM »

I love survivor builds and this could be the best ever!!! Subscribed for further progress and pics!!