Gullwing???

Slalom Skateboard Trucks

Moderator: Terry Kirby

Post Reply
Lenny Poage
Lenny Poage
Lenny Poage
Posts: 244
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:46 am
Location: Huntington, WV
Contact:

Gullwing???

Post by Lenny Poage » Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:13 pm

When I first started slalom skating, I saw that Gullwing was coming out with slalom trucks. I never saw one "in person" and haven't even thought of it until I saw a pair on ebay. That got me curious. Whatever happened to them? Are they still around?
HOSS

Luke Hickling
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 2:53 am
Location: east moriches, new york
Contact:

gullwing sidewinder 2s

Post by Luke Hickling » Thu May 24, 2007 2:58 am

well, i know gullwing had a sidewinder one. id never heard of them before until i saw them on some website, it wasn't a big one so idk what it is. now gullwing has a sidewinder 2. they are currently on 3 sector 9 boards, that can be found at sector9.com. my friend got the charger, and it was pretty cool. it turned mad fast, but i dont really slalom some i cant compare it to anything. the trucks have a sick design too. its kinda like theres two trucks in one.

Christopher Bara
KILL CITY RACING
KILL CITY RACING
Posts: 637
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 1:00 am
Location: Detroit

Post by Christopher Bara » Thu May 24, 2007 4:49 pm

the SL2002 has already come and gone....looked like a cross between a split axle and a phoenix....nice looking, but it sucked, at least as a front....may work out alright as a rear..same principle as a Splitfire rear, just with unnecessary tuning needs and bushings that were completely useless

Wesley Tucker
1961-2013 (RIP)
1961-2013 (RIP)
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am

Post by Wesley Tucker » Thu May 24, 2007 6:09 pm

There used to be a Gullwing forum here on SS.com. I zapped it and moved the very few topics (maybe three?) into the General discussion forum.

As best as I recall at the time I researched everywhere trying to see if they were available to no avail.
Image

Marty Agather
Posts: 63
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:20 am
Location: TwinTown, MN

GW Splits

Post by Marty Agather » Thu May 24, 2007 9:57 pm

I've got an original pair of splits, HPG IV or some such. I'll second CB.

The design of the truck was pretty advanced, with the angle of the king pin much closer to the angle of the pivot. The big problem was that the way all the geometrys worked out, the hanger pivots less against the bushings than side to side swiveling in between them. Not owning the splitfire makes me guess more than perhaps is prudent, but I think the spherical bearing eliminates the slop, limiting the hanger motion to work more directly against the bushing.

All in all the GW turned like banshees, but didn't feel precise or return to center very well. They seemed pretty good to this old boy, but my buddies who run state of the art were scared to death.
Skate 'em if you got 'em.

Wesley Tucker
1961-2013 (RIP)
1961-2013 (RIP)
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am

Post by Wesley Tucker » Thu May 24, 2007 10:14 pm

Well, while we're going down memory lane . . .

All I remember about Gull Wings is those die-cast hangers cracked easier than an egg shell.

Remember the Rockit Special? The Rockit kicktail with Gullwings and the original lipped Kryptonics? I got one. Cracked the GW after about two weeks. I complained on the phone. They sent me a replacement truck. It cracked after maybe a week.

All I was doing was freestyle stuff (360s, wheelies, space walks.) Nothing vertical. No grinding. This was 1978. Anyway, after a couple of months and two cracked trucks, I asked for $30 so I could buy some trackers. I liked the deck and the wheels (something I lost along the way.)

Never saw a dime.

I think that's how it got "lost." I went off to college and the folks found a skateboard with broken trucks, so naturally they deduced it was trash. Out it went . . . ALL of it.
Image

Marty Agather
Posts: 63
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:20 am
Location: TwinTown, MN

Mamm....er memory lane...

Post by Marty Agather » Thu May 24, 2007 11:43 pm

WT,

Broke your hangers? Damn 'stylin' punks deserved broken trucks! That was the era tho, nose wheelies, spin-o-rama's and all sorts of other goofy stuff trying to emulate the freestyle skiing craze of the day. I remember sawing a perfectly good pair of wooden skiis in half, just to get myself a set of "hotdoggin'" skiis about 30" long. But by the time I got around to skating a couple of years later, it was all downhill and turning, all the time.


Lipped Kryptos? Not sure that I know what you're referring to, but I've got a number of sets of wheels of that era, maybe if we bump into each other some day, I'll let you take 'em for a spin. (except for my NOS one of a kind translucent Krypto slalom wheels sans cores) But just to get you drooling: Original C-68 & 62's, a full set of the original cored Krypto Reds, and a pair of the red Startrack 70s. Are any of them the "lipped" wonders of which you speak? My best man also has a set of the original cored blues that I've been trying to figure out how I can get him to give me. Probably take a trip out to Colorado with a skateboard in tow to either
a) show him what he's been missing,
or
b) guilt him out for the set of downhill race boards I gave him and tell him paybacks are a beyotch.

Whatever. He probably needs them as a touchstone to the good old days just like I do.
Skate 'em if you got 'em.

Dave Gale
Dave Gale
Dave Gale
Posts: 489
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 2:00 am
Location: West Virginny

Post by Dave Gale » Fri May 25, 2007 3:44 am

(except for my NOS one of a kind translucent Krypto slalom wheels sans cores)
You talkin' about the mint green or amber/yellow??? If so, I loved those wheels..but they weren't one of a kind!
ENJOY!! (while you can)

Wesley Tucker
1961-2013 (RIP)
1961-2013 (RIP)
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am

Re: Mamm....er memory lane...

Post by Wesley Tucker » Fri May 25, 2007 3:51 am

Marty Agather wrote:Original C-68 & 62's, a full set of the original cored Krypto Reds, and a pair of the red Startrack 70s.
I've got buckets of those (literally.) Those and Park Rider 5s were all I rode from 1979 to 2002. Still got 'em. Coned out to the max.

As far as those lipped Kryps, all I can say is they almost looked like a Hot Spot only the inner wheel was smooth with very small writing on the face of the lip. The lips were also a lot softer and spongier than a Hot Spot. As best as I can recall they were maybe the size of an Avalon? Like I said, this was maybe 30 years ago in '77 or '78. What I can remember is there was an ad in some magazine for a Rockit complete. Much like the same deal I got on a Santa Cruz kicktail complete with Trackers and Park Rider 4s. The difference is I stil have that board.

As soon as I can later this weekend I'll peruse some of my back issues of different mags and see if I can find that ad and scan it in. I'll also look for an ad to see if I can find that Kryp wheel.

Oh, they were bright red. I do remember that much.,
Image

Erik Basil
Posts: 194
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:58 pm
Contact:

Post by Erik Basil » Fri May 25, 2007 3:38 pm

Those are the Star-Tracs, if they've got a narrow lip with the embossing right on the edge.
I ride fast boards, slowly.

Marty Agather
Posts: 63
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:20 am
Location: TwinTown, MN

Save some time looking thru ads

Post by Marty Agather » Fri May 25, 2007 7:25 pm

Dave: Amber is the one. To be honest, I don't even remember how I ended up with this set of wheels. They might have come on the used Turner I bought to replace the full nose I broke, but too much water and beer are under the bridge for the details to be precise. I don't remember the mint green, were there different duros?

Wes, is the wheel on the lower left that which you seek? If so, to Erik's point that is the StarTrack. but where as on a Hot Spot the inner surface from the bearing seat to the lip is a pretty shallow concave, the StarTrack has a much shorter radius leading to a more pronounced concave, if that makes any sense.





Image[/img]
Skate 'em if you got 'em.

Wesley Tucker
1961-2013 (RIP)
1961-2013 (RIP)
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am

Post by Wesley Tucker » Fri May 25, 2007 10:53 pm

Marty,

YEP! As soon as Erik said, "Star Trak" it all came back to me. I found this pic online at Skateboardzoo.com:

Image

According to the site the dimensions are 70 x 50mm with a 78 duro. Hey, I was right: they are close to an Avalon!

I'm so glad to know I'm losing my mind slower than originally anticipated.

P.S. I'm described it pretty close, right? I mean, from 30 years away?
Image

Dave Gale
Dave Gale
Dave Gale
Posts: 489
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 2:00 am
Location: West Virginny

Post by Dave Gale » Sat May 26, 2007 4:26 am

I've got a set of opaque green(2 came from Gareth) and a set of opaque white! They were good Salom wheels..a bit slow compared to the lathed "mint green translucent) un marked ones tho! Never had,nor seen the amber Slaloms!
ENJOY!! (while you can)

Marty Agather
Posts: 63
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:20 am
Location: TwinTown, MN

Described from 30 years away......

Post by Marty Agather » Sat May 26, 2007 9:38 pm

30 years from what, losing your mind? I hope I've got that long, but sometimes it appears that the day of reckoning is alot closer than that.

And yes, a pretty good description too. Crazy thing is that those wheels are still soft and pliable. Maybe I'll throw 'em on the back of my long board to see how they've held up over the years.

After seeing your Memorial Day post, I'm pretty sure that you've got quite the treasure store of vintage accessories at your house. If a parallel riding phantom is spotted in your neighborhood, and your stash is raided, I've already got my alibi....

Dave, I've never skated any of those first gen slalom wheels. We were just picking up the sport in the late '70s and the cored wheels were just coming on the scene. My guess is that the amber are low 80's at the hardest, probably softer. They feel quite a bit softer than my orange C-62's.
Skate 'em if you got 'em.

Post Reply