F-1 Illustrator

[StygShore]

I am on a hunt for F-1 Illustrator guns/parts/etc.

A friend of mine had a late 80's Sniper II and F-1 Illustrator. At the end of last year, his sear pin in the F-1 sheared, locked the assembly, and parts went flying out everywhere. He had to rig a few parts to get it running last weekend.

Now it has a small leak through the pinhole that runs from front to back in the main reciever of the gun.

Years ago I had the same problem with an F-1, but can not remember what I did to fix it.

Anyhow, I am searching for replacement parts to keep this thing alive for him. Anyone got anything? Any ideas on how to fix that leak?

Thanks

Styg

[elpimpo]

wow ive never heard of an f1 i had an f4 but f1 thats just a mind bogaler

[LoveMyMag]

Contact Rockford Paintball. They used to run F1's or 2's at the field. They reciently switched to Tippmanns, I believe, and probably have the old ones laying around. If nothing else they can help you fix what you have.

http://www.rockfordpaintball.com

[Rope a Dope]

Before the 68 Automag the F-1 was THE best marker money could by. Those were the days...

[skife]

I thought the F1 was used for military training waaay back in the day?

[StygShore]

F-1 Illustrators took the VM-68 over under stacked tube blowback configuration and greatly improved on it. The gun itself weighed in around 1.5 lbs, one of the lightest markers ever made ( still )

For the longest time the best upgrade you could do to a spyder was to find a set of F-1 internal springs for it!!

F-1's stopped being produced in 1991, and the last factory F-1 was sold in about 1999 to me direct from Fastech, pieced together from parts laying around just before they closed their doors for good. They sold the design idea to Taso who advertised it as the Lightning, but I dont think a single Taso Lightning ever saw the light of day.

Basically all the spyder clones are really F-1 Illustrator clones and still never work as well as any of the F-1's I owned.

Styg

[StygShore]

I'll check Rockford out. When did they stop using F-1's? Looks like they rent Infernos with N2 now.


Thanks

Styg

[Dryden]

I've got two friends that still own their F-1's. I'll check around for you.

I seriously doubt they'll sell or part their F-1s out, so don't get your hopes up. They should have plenty of spare parts between them after 15 years though, so I'll see what I can do.

[wyn1370]

I can get ahold of my brothers F-2. Not sure if anything would be swappable, but may be worth a shot.

[C_22]

The F1 was an awesome toy! A friend of mine still has his from back in the day, let me see what we can do

[hostage]

I own a F1 and I lost the bolt pin, I waited for some parts and never got them, finally like 6 years later I went to lowes got a nail that fit into the bolt cut it down to hold the bolt to the that cocking part, worked great and shot very strait for some reason.
-Doron

[StygShore]

Hey guys, keep me posted, heck see if any of these old timers with F-1's just want to sell their whole gun even, my friend or I may be interested.

Styg

[StygShore]

Wyn,


F-2 had a few similar parts, but not enough to matter. In my opinion it seemed like the F-2 was a downgrade compared to how well all the F-1's worked



Styg

[hostage]

So the searpin came out, what was left? I hope/assume you have the sear, from what I recall the searwas pushed up with a spring towards the front of the marker.
-Doron

[StygShore]

sear hammer and bolt are still in tact, cocking knob and sear pin are history, and a small leak has developed between the body and rear CA that we can not seem to itentify without possibly breaking the part off.

Styg

[LoveMyMag]

Yep you're right, Infernos...Since I'm in school, I havn't played there in awhile. Anyways, they should be able to help you out.

[WARPED1]

Originally posted by StygShore
Wyn,


F-2 had a few similar parts, but not enough to matter. In my opinion it seemed like the F-2 was a downgrade compared to how well all the F-1's worked



Styg

The F2 was also made by a differen't company when the F1 maker sold off the design.

[StygShore]

Actually the F-2 was still a FASTech design, they sold off everythign after that design to ACI I believe, and a few years later ACI came out with the F-4 Illustrator.


My old F-2 still belongs to a friend of mine, and has the Fastech sticker/stamp on it.

No response back from anyone at Rockford Paintball yet, hopefully they will at least give me a yes or no as to having any parts available.


KPCustoms is possibly going to look into it for me as well, so maybe if I cant find parts, Ken can fabricate parts.

Styg

[darknight]

I'll try and check tonight when I go home and see if I have any spare parts from my old F-1 left lying around. It was stolen back in '92 and got replaced with a Minimag. I doubt I have much, but I'll be glad to look. If I do find something you can have it. Not like I'll need it now.

You are right that this was one of the best semi's ever made. Our team used them in the late 80's and ruled the field. I really miss how light they were especially compared to the first Tippman semi (whick was a cast iron brick that didn't work).

Bill

[logamus]

best of luck in your search. i still cuss the day i sold my old F-1. i wish i still had it.

[banzaimf]

I loved my f-2. Still have a couple they stopped getting used when I got my minimag

[StygShore]

Yeah... Bought and sold 5 F-1's over the years, and miss them. Best one I had a friend owns, he plays 1 or 2 times a year, and still wont sell it back to me!!!!

Appreciate the help and searchng of the tool boxes, anything you come up with could help, considerring nobody makes equivalent aftermarket parts now.

Thought about getting KP to just produce some sets of internals for them and sell them as a kit to people that still pull the F-1's out and blow the dust off every once in a while.

ACI actually does have a box of F-1 parts lying around, but they trashed all the bodies they had, they lost the box-o-parts in thier warehouse years ago according to their support guys. They are hoping they will find it when they move buildings soon.

Styg

[Ter-Me-Nate]

i own 2 f-1's have had them for years, just last summer some one was using one of them and the part#17 connecting pin broke in the bolt...my god i actually founf the manual???

im not sure but i think i remember a raptor parts kit had that pin in it because it was a clone of the f1 the kit may also have what you need

[space_weazel_45]

just bragging i got to f2's
hahahhahaha

[StygShore]

anyone got a raptor parts kit?

Styg

[skife]

Originally posted by space_weazel_45
just bragging i got to f2's
hahahhahaha

Ick, Euro Frames

I used to own an F4
I idn't like it much some screws stripped out of the body like the front grip frame screw, and it held the valve in, so i had lots of problems

[StygShore]

They used to have a grip for the F-1 that had a hollow handle with a hinged door on it, it was perfect size for field strip tool, o-rings, and smaller tools. I remember shearing a ball and having problems, and disassembling my marker on the run through the woods on a few occasions.

Styg

[wyn1370]

I think my F2 (that's now my brothers) came with the same grip. It was one of the M16 style ones. I used to keep extra paintballs in there for emergency situations (wow that was a long time ago).

[ShadowWalker]

I have 2 f1's in my home. They are my dads from back in the day when he was on a team. The owner of a store near here (used to own challenge park) is real big on f1's and I believe he has some parts laying around. I'll see what I can do.

[StygShore]

Hey cool, appreciate any help I can get on this one. I bid on a Raptor parts kit on Ebay, when/if I get it, I'll see fi it does the trick. I think the parts may be a little too big.

Styg