Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Malvern Star "Sportstar" retask

some weeks ago it was still warm in Melbourne and I was working in a bike shop. I bought this for $10 because I wanted something to do at work during my lunch hour.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/malvernstarfame.jpg
I knew it was a piece of junk and that I'd probably paid more than the going rate for it but I pushed on, pulled it down... was dismayed to find that it uses some kind of proprietary Malvern Star BB with no options available to convert it to a modern sealed unit! I put it aside for a few weeks.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/IMG_0714.jpg
finally decided that I didn't want a big dollar spend on this one and the existing BB and crankset were in good shape any way so I stripped the paint. A few things I discovered:
1. Paint stripper in a spray can is better than the brush-on type.
2. Steel wool is awesome.
3. cannot understate the usefulness of an iron shaped orbital sander!
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/20042011053.jpg
I used an etch primer and baked the frame and forks next to the fire (it's just started to get cold here).
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/21042011061.jpg
Not a good picture I'm afraid but I've laid on the first couple of coats of British racing green and am, as I write, baking it in front of the fire again. Raining out tonight I wonder if I'll be able to get another coat on tomorrow?

Looks great so far! Not bad for a $10 project.

Just started to get cold...? Perhaps you're south of the equator, no?

Looks like a fun project, dig me some British Green steel. Keep us updated on the progress.

Just started to get cold...? Perhaps you're south of the equator, no?



Melbourne

mhm.

The Great Southern Melbourne yes. Strictly speaking I live in a small rural town 50mins out of Melbourne but I commute into town most days. About a month from now we'll get snow I need to get the clear coat on well before then.

With the weather closing in and not being able to get out and do much I haven't got far, but here's a fresh post:

made some graphics for it, was going to re-create the originals but they really sucked, decided to acknowledge that its a garden gate Malvern but give it a more subdued feel... Or whatever, anyway printed up these stickers at work on white vinyl, spent 3 hrs cutting them out and placing them, crooked. Oh well all under the clear now anyway!
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/IMG_1174.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/IMG_1173.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/IMG_1172.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/IMG_1164.jpg

Wow...that came out great! :thumb:

Wow...that came out great! :thumb:

+1

And woah; purple fire? :lol:

that's a sweet little pear

Wow...that came out great! :thumb:



Ditto. I usually hate on vtg frames getting stripped, but you did a nice job.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn96/AltChop/malvernstar.jpg
thought I'd throw up a pic, progress has been slow which is depressing but I've been mostly collecting parts. all I really need to get is some bars. have to build the wheels...

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/bottom-brackets/grand-cru-threadless-bottom-brackets.html

I know you're in Melbourne, so I don't know if they ship out there (or if it would be worth it), but if you could get a hold of one it might solve your BB problem.

that did turn out great! i'm impressed.

i'll be honest, this was my thought process as i scrolled down:

-sweet! a malvern star for $10

-oh god, he stripped the original paint, this won't end well

-rattlecan grey?!? *facepalm*

-alright, at least he painted it for real, even if it's a solid boring color

-that's way better with the decals and lighter green accents. bravo, sir, bravo.

i think i'm just used to most people's ****ty paintjobs

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/bottom-brackets/grand-cru-threadless-bottom-brackets.html

I know you're in Melbourne, so I don't know if they ship out there (or if it would be worth it), but if you could get a hold of one it might solve your BB problem.

awesome find!

hi^5

That looks really good. I love the lighter accents and those custom decals. Great conversion!

Be aware that VO's threadless bottom bracket doesn't work too well unless the spindle is longer than 113mm. I had a hell of a time getting it to work with my old 105 crankset.

that did turn out great! i'm impressed.

i'll be honest, this was my thought process as i scrolled down:

-sweet! a malvern star for $10

-oh god, he stripped the original paint, this won't end well

-rattlecan grey?!? *facepalm*

-alright, at least he painted it for real, even if it's a solid boring color

-that's way better with the decals and lighter green accents. bravo, sir, bravo.

i think i'm just used to most people's ****ty paintjobs

LOL excactly what I was thinking too! Really nice job on the paint and decals though. That stem is really cool looking too. Please just dont ruin it with dumb colored deepveees or aggrospokes!!

IMHO, that frame is just screaming for a vintage brooks saddle, some hammered fenders, porteur or moustache bars, polished rims, etc.

Thanks for the positive feedback folks. I've been collecting parts for it during the winter months, no deepvees or aggrospokes. Since I decided that I'd keep the cotter pin crankset I thought it"d be inappropriate to go all sport/fixie. I've got some nice old araya rims, a suzue front hub, Sachs Torpedo coaster rear. Of course a Brooks would look great on there but the idea was to keep the whole build under $100, which I'm still on target with so far.
It all got a little out of hand and I'm spending far too much time on details. I had originally wanted to just throw a bike together real quick for riding about town and not being too worried about, now I'm thoroughly hooked into the build! Still with all the extra parts I've collected and rejected I've nearly built a second that'll fit the hack niche quite well! I'll let you all know how that goes also.

hoping you folks will help me. I'm looking for a set of bars, Ideally alu, like on this awsome bottechia (http://www.cycleexif.com/biascagne-cicli-scatto-fisso#more-7681). Also although I'm pretty much set on some whitewalls what are my options with 27" tyres?

http://store.somafab.com/noahsarcbar.html

http://flic.kr/p/bDmoHR/
Finally got her finished, I decided that I actually wanted to take it for a ride. realised that things were getting out of hand and so threw whatever parts I had laying around on. the most expensive things were new headset $15, chain $15 and the paint job which was about $45. Remember that the frame, bars and cranks were $10. all else was recycled parts even the bar tape. So, under $100... course now I've collected 5 other bikes in the process!
http://flic.kr/p/bDmoHX

wtfpictures

http://flic.kr/p/bDmoHR/
Finally got her finished, I decided that I actually wanted to take it for a ride. realised that things were getting out of hand and so threw whatever parts I had laying around on. the most expensive things were new headset $15, chain $15 and the paint job which was about $45. Remember that the frame, bars and cranks were $10. all else was recycled parts even the bar tape. So, under $100... course now I've collected 5 other bikes in the process!
http://flic.kr/p/bDmoHX

thar ya go.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6986256713_12f69bacfd_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6986256707_cc487ca616_b.jpg

I love it.