1999 Santa Cruz Super 8: rescue job! - Finished..!…?

[Dan_Trials]

That certainly is a nice blue

 

[Biankeith]

New forward shock mount finished. while I like the aesthetic of the original, I don’t like the structure of it - the large central hole intersecting the mount holes, and the mount holes being a slot. This version will spread the load a lot more evenly across the two bolts. I’m unsure how to finish this, I considered anodising but I’ll probably either go with black on the top plane (will leave the sides as they’ll only end up getting scratched and looking tatty) - or I’ll polish.

The decals arrived today as well. I’m not entirely happy with them - the highlighting on the Santa Cruz wording is different to the original. It ma6 not be an issue anyway, my painter is worried that the thinners in the clearcoat could react badly with the glue and cause the decals to bubble under the clear coat while it’s drying - meaning a repaint. We’ll test one of the decals I don’t want to use and go from there.

im also thinking of using a current head badge rather than the original style sticker - but that can be decided later.

the new fork decals arrived as well. They’re not the thick plastic ones that came as OE, so I’m going to offer up and check they’re sized correctly the. Probably stick them on with a view to re-attaching the originals over the top.

 

[Biankeith]

It’s coming..!

there’s a lovely Pearl fleck to the finish

 

[Biankeith]

Ok - I picked up the frame last night. happy with the colour, it 100% on the pearl but I need to see it in daylight. It’s also a bit on the thick side but I can live with that.

The decals are unfortunately not right. The downtube decals are the wrong design and are too long so they overlap welds at either end, and frustratingly, the swingarm decals have been put in completely the wrong place so I’ll have to redo those. I’ll get stickers made up specifically rather than buy from eBay again. I’ve had zero luck with ebay sticker sets being right(I supplied the decals, the painter just applied them).

The guy a,so forgot to bring the new bearings and shock mount - doh. So it won’t be built up for a while!

Anyway, here are a couple of pics from him and one i took quickly trying to show the fleck.

 

[W7Ford]

That looks stunning in fresh paint. I feel your decal pain, I've bought not particuarily cheap decals off ebay in the past, and been pretty pissed off at the results. Gil_m should be able to sort you out.

 

[Biankeith]

bit of a test build this weekend. I’m really pleased with how well the new shock mount fits, and i think the whole frame looks fab.

I will put better decals on in due course - I relocated them and it hasn’t gone well. I’d also really like to fit new bolts throughout. Maybe black. Maybe oil slick.





Unnnnnfortunately. I didn’t do a good enough job of cleaning the inside of the VPP pivot. I hammered the axle in as far as it‘s gone and it will now absolutely not budge in either direction, even after moving up to a larger mallet.

I really don’t want to have to use a blowtorch or press it out because it’ll damage the new paint!

 

[albash82]

Dis bigg boi ain't no vpp bludd.
He be single pivot fo lyfe yo!

As far as the stuck axle goes, you'll have to drift it back out, in the direction from whence it came.... Well, that's what I'd do anyway. Hit and hope!

 

[albash82]

Also, How'd you get on sticking that HT badge on the old frame? Those new badges are designed for modern tapered headtubes, is the Supereight just fat enough for it to be ok, or does / did the badge need some modification?

 

[Biankeith]

Also, How'd you get on sticking that HT badge on the old frame? Those new badges are designed for modern tapered headtubes, is the Supereight just fat enough for it to be ok, or does / did the badge need some modification?

It’s an after market one so just a flat square. A bit of a squeeze and on it went!

 

[TZEDS]

Stripped down and properly inspected this weekend. It’s the first time I’ve actually had a chance to look over it properly. As I already knew, cosmetically it’s in a ‘right state’ - cables, chain and rear mech fit only for the bin.

I’ve never even seen a jockey wheel this worn before;

View attachment 561721


Now on to the bad.. :-D

With ‘structurally sound’ from my original post still ri going loud, of COURSE the shock mount plate is cracked through one of the holes;

View attachment 561722
So if I want to actually use it, i need to decide whether a weld, welded patch or replacement plate is needed. Which has to happen before paint.

Which leads nicely into - the Inside of the swingarm is waaayyy more complex than I had realised from the pictures I’d looked at. I don’t think the paint scheme I had planned is going to work at all, So I’m probably going to go with Nardo Grey without the highlights, and use components to add the colour - which is a shame! I’m going to speak to the painter this week and see what he thinks.




View attachment 561723

All in, though, it’s a fantastic bit of early DH kit. Oversized everything and multiple machined parts. The rear brake callipers arch is 3 pieces that bolt together through the swingarm, bolt-on dropouts. Bonkers.

Ive got a couple of these frames,and the work of welding them must have taken hours,especially the swingarm.