1987 Alva Skates - Jim Murphy Pro - "Wings" model - Vintage Autographed Complete

Description

1987
Alva Skates -
Jim Murphy Pro "Wings" model - Vintage Autographed Complete
A solid example of
Jim Murphy
's first pro deck with
Alva Skates
.  Decades of shredding took a toll on the underside graphic, but this deck was well cared for and never left in the elements.
There are no
veneer de-laminations of the deck and no structural cracks; only 1 lamination thick cracking around front truck mount [pic
#11
].
The original seller says that's
Murf
's signature on it [pic
#12
] - I never verified it, but this might be one of his first autographs on his first pro deck.
The era of wild shape design was at its zenith in 1987, and board shapers were going ape shit.  While the hippy-era-of-skateboarding design (1983-1989) gave us dreamy curvilinear bliss, it was also on the verge of a functionality bad trip.  Countercultural backlash against decks that prevented progression & innovation was inevitable.  The evolution into the Fascist Skate Era (1989-2003) would bring interminable popsicle sticks to the masses and the flashy aerial maneuvering that would obliterate the last of the historic stylistic connections to surfing.
Alva Skates
chose a viably tested evolutionary design build to navigate the pre-popsicle heyday:  a fish.  The piscine progression of their deck shapes during the late 80's, manifesting in different sub-species as each
Alva
team pro made tweaks to their signature style, largely avoided anything that got in the way of the skater or the line.  Murf's signature deck shape falls somewhere between bluefin tuna and grouper.   This is Jim 'Outlaw' Murphy's first pro deck with
Alva, and he would go on to be recognized as one of the more aggressive skaters on a team that defined the term.  Murf now spends time advocating for First Nations issues, and is active in the Lenni-Lenape community.  Even the Outlaw can evolve.
Deck:
• width:
10"; length: 29", 7-ply maple veneer,
Alva
Aggression Fish series - "Wings" model
• new black
Jessup
griptape, original white 3-hole nose guard
Trucks:
•
front/rear:
Independent
Stage 5
146mm/8.5"
axle
• black
Santa Cruz Cell Block III
rear riser
[pic
#8
]
Wheels:
• black 63mm 85a
Variflex
"Street Rage" wheels with original refurbished NMB bearings
[pic
#8
]
NorCal Legacy Skateboards
֍
that sweet spot between clay wheels and popsicle sticks
֎