S&G Araya Muddy Fox MB-MF 26 A

[Gtpulse]

I put it in a skip the council placed in our village (back when they had money!) along with a Mongoose California I got for free from another neighbour!!! WTF was I thinking???? Guess I was young and only focused on newer stuff at the time?!*

Under pressure to get a garage cleared for a house move in the early 1980s my dad took a chunk of the parts/frames his scooter collection to the council tip. He still laments about how many (now) rare Lambretta frames and parts he chucked.

 

[27motorhead]

Under pressure to get a garage cleared for a house move in the early 1980s my dad took a chunk of the parts/frames his scooter collection to the council tip. He still laments about how many (now) rare Lambretta frames and parts he chucked.

Shit happens, and sometimes needs to happen, but the pain of the loss remains!

A work colleague circa 2000 had a classic Lambretta and Spent a bomb having it tuned by a shop with new carb/exhaust system etc. But he never looked after it or maintained it and got fed up with it never quite running sweet overtime that he just put it in the back of his brothers van and drove it to the council dump where a more than delighted worker took it off him as “scrap metal”. I so would have taken that off him as I know full well he’d Just pissed about with the carb himself and the whole saga of a poorly running bike could be resolved in 30min by someone with the right knowledge!

 

[Gtpulse]

That’s a sad story for the scooter but hopefully ended up in a loving home!
My mantra for that situation is have a cup of tea and come back to it another time - got me through many repairs/projects where I would otherwise have thrown in the towel!

Hoping some cables for the S & G arrive today. No idea what it “should” have had but a going for black Dia Compe for the brakes as both levers and arms are DC, and some Suntour branded for the shifting. A silly detail but thought I’d like something fancy.

I was running the old bike with a Shimano 8 speed chain, will probably go back on - but I read in the spec it had a black/gold DID Lanner chain which I think would look great. I do have a black/gold Izumi somewhere but think it’s a track chain - will that be too wide for this?

 

[Gtpulse]

Sometimes things grow legs, I started to look for a Suntour Lepree front mech to match the rear. Was looking like a £50 purchase by the time I’ve paid import etc as could only find in the US. XC front mechs I had a choice of several and found one for £15 in the UK. Got me thinking, it wouldn’t match the rear but it’s technically a better mech. I had an old XC mech in the drawer………..would a swap around of the rear cage from the 3 pulley Lepree to the XC mech work?

On the blue mat of possibilities……..
Apart from the cage the mech bodies are very similar. Some difference around the limit screws and the XC doesn’t run with a cable adjuster, but crucially the cage pivot is identical.

The XC on the right had some battle scars and was a bit scabby so I took a metal file to the gouges followed by some 400 grit then a polish. Not looking for perfection just not damaged. Will be looking for some more decals thought!


After a clean and an oil I’ve ended up with a 3 pulley XC rear mech which will match the XC front which is now on its way and a long cage Lepree as well!

 

[Gtpulse]

So XC front and rear mechs, I’m sure I’ve got a pair of shifters somewhere. Could only find one in the drawer then remembered.

I have a grave confession to
make, I’ve been using a Suntour XC shifter as the throttle control on my plate compactor on the garden……it was out of necessity, Sunday afternoon and the one on it broke and I had loads to get done.



And bugger it’s also a left/front mech shifter so I now have a wanted ad for a right/rear shifter to match. I’ve still got the ones on the old bike but they don’t look right now!

 

[Gtpulse]

Front mech arrived today, much nicer than the original one that was on there and in great condition. Not sure what the correct terminology is but it’s reverse sprung like a rapid rise Shimano mech. The LeTech one on one of my other bikes is the same.


The black/gold Izumi chain I was hoping to use was much too short - I guess being a track chain that was always going to be the case! It did fit the mechs and cassette ok, maybe look out for another.

Rear mech refitted and you can see the extra pulley now it’s under tension.



Ended up replacing the bottom bracket too, I had only ridden it briefly previously but was rough as a badgers arse when reassembled on this bike, bearing surfaces on the axle were shot. Found one on eBay but not much to choose from at 132.5mm long.

 

[27motorhead]

Shaping up nicely! Loving the rear mech. It’s cleaned up nicely and that extra pulley looks awesome!

 

[Gtpulse]

Finished!


Still not sure about the green sidewalls. Maybe will try it with some tan wall.
Chain needs a link or two taking out of it, a job for another day.

 

[Gtpulse]

And just realised there’s some crank dust caps and a pedal reflector lurking in the box I stripped off it! Will sort those out when I get round to doing the chain.

 

[27motorhead]

Lovely slack-angled shiny beauty!

Those IRC tyres have a nice tread pattern, but I do think tan walls will look better on this age machine.

This looks like one smooooooooth ride!