# Fork with nice original paint; is it Scrap?



## partsguy (Nov 21, 2013)

Well folks a few days ago I began to tear down a 1964 Firestone 500 II for a complete mechanical overhaul and a light cosmetic cleaning (chrome more than anything). It has very nice original paint and then I noticed something...the fork doesn't look right. As I try to remove it I noticed it seems crushingly tight in some areas and I knew it was bent right then but I didn't know it would be this bad. It's not only bent, but it's gouged DEEP into the metal on the steer tube. My guess is that this fork is likely not fixable and even if it was, it would be unsafe to use. I have other Huffy forks on parts bikes but it will have to be stripped, repainted, repop fork darts applied, and then I'll have to try to age it to match the bike.

Whats your thoughts on this?


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## partsguy (Nov 21, 2013)

*This is the bike...*


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## dougfisk (Nov 21, 2013)

Certainly it can be repaired, IF it is worth it to you.  The tube can be straightened and the gouges welded up, or a replacement steertube can be transplanted.  It just depends what route works best for you.


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## partsguy (Nov 21, 2013)

Well thats about what I thought. I don't own a welder and can't justify buying one at this time. I'll probably just replace it with another vintage fork and repaint it to match. I have a nice 1972 Firestone Warrior girls bike with no rust on it that will work nicely.

If it were your bike, would you fix the fork?


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Nov 21, 2013)

Looks like someone tried to straighten it before. The discoloration looks like it was heated.Will the girls stem work, a lot of the girls stems are longer then the boys.


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## partsguy (Nov 21, 2013)

I've heard that about balloon tire bikes but I'm not sure if the same holds true for middlewights I'll check. If the girls fork won't fit, I've got others.


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## partsguy (Nov 21, 2013)

Oh and does anyone know how the steer tube can get gouged so badly?


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## SirMike1983 (Nov 21, 2013)

classicfan1 said:


> Oh and does anyone know how the steer tube can get gouged so badly?




Possibly by the corner edge of an over-pipe being used to pull against the bend in the steerer tube. One of the old, tree shade mechanic methods of fixing such a bend was to slap the fork in a vice and run a large pipe over the steerer tube. It look as if someone tried to pull against the damage using the overpipe in a couple spots there and made gouges.

They actually had a tool called a "Little Brute Fork Jack" in some bike shops meant to correct the type of damage you see there. It works better than the tree shade overpipe method.

The other possibility is that those areas rubbed on something inside the frame due to the now-bent shape the tube took on.


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