Chip at C4Labs

Great to finally have the time to sign up here. Just wanted to introduce myself and share some pictures of my latest project completed. I wasn't sure what forum would be most appropriate, but it is unique.
-Chip
This bike won best in show at the '07 Rockford Midwest Nationals VintageBMX.com Museum out of over 700 bikes. It is still receiving major attention from vintage collectors world wide.
This is the first 16" I have ever seen, I'm sure the first 16" wheels like them.
1979 Mongoose Motomag 16" with era correct team parts and a removeable Gary Litlejohn side hack
I'll post the full details if te interest is here

kemmer

Too cool.

Stacey

Werd!

East Hill

You're joking, aren't you? Of course we want the details !

Oh, and welcome to Bike Forums .

East Hill

Chip at C4Labs

'79 Mongoose Motomag frame and fork (cut down)
Kenda Tires (NOS)
Mongoose Team Stainless bars (Thanks for the repair Rodz Repair)
Mongoose Team Stainless post
Mongoose Team Gold stem (refinished)
Mongoose Team grips (NOS)
Quilted mongoose seat
Dura-Ace cranks(cut down)
Union pedals / chain (NOS)
Mongoose stamped headset / clamp (NOS)
Custom Hack (C4Labs)
CNC'd wheels (Richmand Technologies)
This project was brainstormed at the Rockford banquet last year from Pep's idea to do a pit hack after we won with the '85 Haro Master pit. It took almost 4 months just to figure out how to make the wheels and we spent a month reforming 20" mags with little success. Rod Miles at Rodz repair was there with advice and ideas right from the start, but all options seemed impractical or too expensive. Luckily after I wanted to give up, John DeBruin (Richmand Technologies) sent a (5 axis CNC machine shop) business card to me with a frame he needed powder coated. I won't go into specifics, but we made a deal that took more then 6 months and help from 9 other members at VBMX (Keep_it_ warm Tom helping the most) to complete. I still needed CNC programing and finish work I couldn't afford. Gary Bisle (another customer I have) just happens to be very talented in the programing end and was a tremendous help with that part after I offered services to him. With the wheels out of the way I thought it would be easy, but it was only the start of many challenges. I purchased a complete 80 Motomag in great survivor condition to use as a base, but couldn't bring myself to even repaint it. We also wanted something 70's. After finding 3 badly beat and broken Motomag frames, we spliced them together in the 16" size using as much of a '79 as we could. I wanted an original Littlejohn hack and had heard there were a few broken ones out there, but even those I found out, are highly prized for there rarity. In this case it was only right to fabricate one from scratch. I never realized how much welding and tube fitment it would take to get it right. Gary (another well known customer and hack collector) was vital in providing key dimensions and photos to complete this phase. With the hack and frame mocked up, we chased parts for the rest of the year. Stephen Beven, Ginni Rinni, Rod Miles, and Ebay got us everything we needed to insure it would be correct as possible. Lee Barube (one of my decal designers) was able to use designs Pep (my web designer) drew up for the decals. Last of the challenges was the cranks. The 165’s I had just didn't look right and I don't believe they made Dura-Ace’s any shorter. We used the Jig we made last year for the Haro Pit 400’s to cut and shorten them to 152’s. I was trying to avoid doing this because I thought solid Aluminum with the groove would take too much time to clean up. I have to mention James Tobin (huge early freestyle collector and good friend) for all the advice along the way, and he convinced me to cut the cranks. My father and a local machine shop I work with got them done in 2 days. My Father was more then a big help throughout the whole thing. I think this was the best part of it. He was working at the shop for hours with me almost every week all year to help get it done, and even stayed with me until morning the last night before we shipped it out for the Rockford show. I can't thank him enough. Big thanks to everyone who helped out, no way we could have done it all ourselves.





This is just one of about 7 bikes we have cut down for special projects and are still working on a few more. other pits include, a '78 Torker, 2 '85 Haro Masters, and an early Hutch Trickstar. We don't normally focus on doing custom fab work for customers, but we like to provide examples to show what we are capable of once or twice a year. We primarily focus on powdercoating bicycle frames and all our equipment is highly calibrated and custom designed for that. We don't even except much else. Once I learn this site's culture and have my web site refinished, I'll have a lot more to share.
-Chip

East Hill

I would never have believed the amount of work you put into that bike, but it's a great bike, and thank you for the details!

I'm dying to see the other projects--the Torker and Trickstar in particular.

East Hill

wds178

A true BMX artist has entered the building. Prepare to be blown away.
Chip knows what to do.
Look forwards to seeing what you bring to Rockford next year Chip
-Bill

East Hill

Already am...I'm going to point people to this thread when they sneer at someone's Mongoose.

Who's who in the photos, Chip?

East Hill

randya

Mongoose was the real deal before they sold out to Pacific Bicycles, sometime in the 90's I think...

Chip at C4Labs

2nd photo is my daughter and youngest son, in the last photo is my father, son, and me. Thanks for the compliments.

CCR

immaculate bike !!!