1996 Specialized Stumpjumper FS A1

[Scott-S]

While I was on holiday in Llanidloes Mid Wales, I got bored (as you do) and started looking for a project seeing as Ive literally just finished my halfwit
I was looking at Kona and I even spotted a cheap seats Marin that could have been interesting, but never in my wildest dreams did I think Id find a stumpy at what I consider to be a reasonable price.

Background early 90s as a young man I coveted 2 bikes, The Kona Lava Dome and the Stumpy both were financially well out of my reach so I bought a Diamond Back Sorrento instead.
Fast forward to last year I bought the Kona, still never believing I could ever get a stumpy.

Fast forward again to Tuesday when I spied a "1994 Specialised Stunt Jumper" on marketplace that had been on for 5 weeks and reduced from £250 to £150.
so I arranged to see it on Wednesday evening.

These are the seller pics.

 

[Scott-S]

On Wednesday I made the trip from Llanidloes to Leominster, took one look at the bike and handed over the money without haggling.
It was a honest bike that seemed all original with some usage rash on the paintwork, I took one look at the 8 speed cassette and knew it wasn't a 94.
Knowing nothing technical about the yearly specs of them I thought the grip shifts were aftermarket additions.
got it back to the cabin I was renting and snapped these pics



8 speed Sram cassette still shiny (bin food)


The much beloved/maligned Son of Strongarm cranks (probably bin food, but we'll see)


Cheap crap risers, (Bin food)


The gripshifts (will be replaced with M740's I think)


The Serial


Original Mavics


Brakes have been upgraded to XT v-brakes


Oh yeah, and these

 

[Scott-S]

I got up the next day and dragged the bike out into the sunlight for a better look.

First things first, those ugly risers are going now!


Now thats a much better looking bike already


And thats when things got out of hand.... really out of hand


To be fair it was never going to fit in the car otherwise... you can see I couldn't get the forks off but after some advice from a friend it came free.
Damaged but free, but thats ok because it was being replaced anyway.


Here you can see the paint damage where its been worn away


Unlike the other pics above where you couldn't feel anything, this is rough and textured.
This is the inside of the drive side chain stay.


As above Ive said that Im replacing a few things, well pretty much if it moves its being replaced and its because of this grey stuff.
Its everywhere on the bike and it's flexible not hard like mud so the slab cleaner attachment of the jetwash couldnt move it at all but scrubbing with hot soapy water and a stiff plastic bristle brush would eventually dissolve it.


Future plans and direction, first of all I need to get the frame clear of that gunk and Im struggling to get it out of the BB splines so that I can get it out.
Every single seal or bearing is suspect because of that grey gunk so everything will be replaced.
Now for the controversial part, I don't have the patience, time or even the knowledge to mess around with the Rockshox so Im going to look for a set of straight forks that match the style of them and make the bike a fully rigid until I can be bothered dealing with the forks.
Which will more than likely be replaced if I cant find someone to rebuild them for me

Im still weighing up my options for the paint, I'd honestly like to try and repair and blend in the damaged areas rather than going full respray as its a 29 year old bike so it shouldn't look like it just came out of the box.

Plus I have a bag full of gunk covered components that need scrubbing, so I might get it back on rubber for its 30th birthday if Im lucky

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Watching, because it'll be gooooood. I was a Spesh fan back then too

 

[SFP]

Damn nice acquisition. Own a 94 M2 FS myself (although I do believe the frame and matching futureshock will be hitting the block soon).

And re bar ends.... I put them on everything. Wanna part with those ones?