From Mk 1 Chrome Burner / Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

[Jussa]

I will be honest, I never owned a Raleigh Burner back in my youth, I rode many of my mates and despite the vast array of colours, specs, special additions I always found them to be BMX's for the masses and as such just never had a hankering for one. Now knocking on my Mid 40's I have now been put in the position of finding out a little more about these bikes and starting to form a liking for my new aquisition.

A few weeks ago I spotted on Gumtree as selection of 6 bikes being sold as a job lot. £25 was the asking price and as it was only 5 miles away I made the call to the seller. Now it was dark when I arrived and despite trying my best to see what I had brought didnt fully realise until daylight the next day. Amongst the BSO's a glint of dull chrome caught my eye. A closer look and all was revealed, for amongst the selection of bikes sat a rather rusty 1982 Raleigh Chrome Burner Mk1. Now not knowing much about these I did a few searches and maybe in a moment of madness decided I was going to breath life back into this once shiney BMX.

This quest was spawned on more after reading GITANE80's thread and his Burner restoration project. Anyway here are a few pictures as it arrived.

It looks pretty much standard apart from the grips. everything else is stock parts from BITD (albeit covered in rust)

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Re:

The best of luck to you. I never got into BMX but I have just spent an age trying to get rust off chrome! Unless it has really eaten deep into the metal, the most effective way I found is as follows.

Find some really fine wire wool. Use it along with some Autosol and keep at it! Surface rust and minor pitting will disappear leaving only glints in the sun.

 

[Jussa]

Re:

And so the stripdown began, thankfully despite its lack of oil and grease nothing was seized and it all came apart easier than expected. The frame and bars cleaned up with some elbow grease and Autosol however I will be dipping the Chrome Frame and parts into an Oxalic Acid Bath to remove the final surface rust. The wheels were sadly seized and buckled so not worth the effort, so these will be replaced with Black Mags of some variety. New repro decals have been ordered. So far I've been very suprised at how well it has turned out, I am itching to get it built.

 

[Jussa]

Re: Re:

The best of luck to you. I never got into BMX but I have just spent an age trying to get rust off chrome! Unless it has really eaten deep into the metal, the most effective way I found is as follows.

Find some really fine wire wool. Use it along with some Autosol and keep at it! Surface rust and minor pitting will disappear leaving only glints in the sun.

Cheers for the hints, its pretty much what I did on Sunday, however I've been reading up on Oxalic Acid and its ability to remove rust and restore chrome back to its sparkling glory

Link below;

http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=351132

 

[mrgumby]

Re: From Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

Oxalic acid every time.. But don't overdo it!

Lovely bike you have there, you even have the r-nut on the seat post clamp and the rear chain tensioners. (The rear reflector doesn't look original to a mk1)..


Have you seen this:

www.dtrcartwright.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ ... 83B_06.htm

 

[Jussa]

Re: From Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

Oxalic acid every time.. But don't overdo it!

Lovely bike you have there, you even have the r-nut on the seat post clamp and the rear chain tensioners. (The rear reflector doesn't look original to a mk1)..


Have you seen this:

http://www.dtrcartwright.pwp.blueyonder ... 83B_06.htm

I did think that about the reflector, it is branded 'Cat Eye' and not your more common round one. :?:

 

[mrgumby]

Re: From Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

Not sure where its from...

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Re: From Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

Amazing what a bit of elbow grease will do.

As for cleaning up rusty chrome Bendy has written a fantastic guide which is in the BMX part of the forum somewhere. Should really be a sticky!

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Re: From Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

viewtopic.php?t=134229

 

[Jussa]

Re: From Rusty Wreck to Sparkling Gem

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=134229

Some great tips there from Bendy itching to get started now lol