here's the story. i have an old beat-up Hutch Trick Star frame. the fork is gone, as is the headset, except the 2 cups still in the frame. i would like to be able to build this up, not as a "restoration" since it ain't pretty, but just as a usable bike. thing is, i have very little experience on BMX bikes.

i know that old BMX threaded headsets are unique. I have an old threaded fork that should work for the bike, but obviously i can't just throw on any headset. to the best of my understanding (correct me if i'm wrong...) the differences between a BMX headset and an ISO headset are the diameter of the cups sitting in the headtube, and the inside diameter of the steer tube (i.e. the stem size). i THINK the outside diameter of the steer tube is the same as ISO standard, as is the crown race. so would it be possible to get a 1" crown race and 1" threaded top race and use them with the existing BMX cups? (provided nothing rubs, etc). also, are the bearing rings a unique diameter?

You cannot use a ISO headset on these old BMX frames. The cups are not the same and the crown race isn't the same. They still sell these headsets on eBay or other places fairly cheap (not like it was back in the 80's mind you) but an example being a Bear Trap 2 should run around $20 or so. A Tioga AW-27 about the same.

yeah i was just looking at those in case i need to buy one.

p.s. small world, i grew up in Kingwood