# 1960 Huffy Eldorado; What's correct? What's not?



## krateman

Hey, guys/gals, I just bought my first tank bike a few weeks ago. I think I over-paid for it, considering I don't know anything about Huffy's, so I didn't know what to look for. The seller claimed he didn't know which model it was. I now know I bought, what I feel is a frankenbike. I know it has many incorrect parts on it. Your alls job, is to pick this bike apart and tell me what I need to return it to factory-correct. I know it needs the correct red color. Does anyone have a line on the exact color to spray this bike with? I'll post pics of it very soon, so you can help me out. Thanks to anyone who can point me in the right direction. Also, tell me how much I SHOULD'VE paid for this bike; the price a real collector would've paid for this. I've since found out that it is a 1960 Eldorado. What was the first and last years of this models production? Thanks.

Can someone post my pics of this bike for me? My computer just wont let me do it.


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## Duck

Maybe this will be of help to you- http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?14163-How-to-post-pictures-part-2-!


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## rustjunkie

Pm sent, happy to help


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## krateman

Duck, rustjunkie, I appreciate your alls help. A big thanks to you two.


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## rustjunkie

Neat bike, a little damage here and there, but one to overhaul and enjoy as it is.


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## krateman

So, guys, I need to know what's on this bike that is not correct. I know the seat and at least one of the wheels and both tires are not correct. Pick it apart, please. I'd like help putting it back together sometime down the road, to the correct condition. Also, does anyone know how I can get the original paint for this bike? I know if I have a paint sample, I can take it to an automotive body store and get it mixed-up for me. Does anyone have a picture of what the correct, unfaded red looks like? Hell, I'm not sure much of anything is correct on this bike except the tank and chainguard!
I want to give a big thanks to rustjunkie for helping me get these pics posted on this website. Duck also turned me on to a place where I can post my pics and then post the link here.
What is this bike worth? 
I have taken most of this bike apart, except for the headset/gooseneck section, which I will do in the near future. What kind of metal was the original spokes made out of? Stainless steel? Cadmium? I should replace them. Should I just use some Evaporust on them instead? 
I need all these questions answered from you guys, who know a hell of a lot more than I do. Thanks to all who offer help and/or suggestions. Go C.A.B.E.!


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## rustjunkie

Enjoy that one as it is after practicing on the mechanicals (if you need it), then "cast out" again. It's a neat old bike but not one to sink time and bux into.


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## bike

*why not?*

paint and plating only about $1500?


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## Freqman1

I'm by no means an expert on these but I've had trouble trying to sell nice originals of these for more than $100. Looks like a lot wrong and personally I think it would be throwing good money after bad to do much more to this. On the last two bikes I restored I had a little over $2k into them not including the cost of the bike itself. So, unless it is high end or has real sentimental value a true restoration is not for the faint of heart (or wallet!). V/r Shawn


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## Duck

Freqman1 said:


> I'm by no means an expert on these but I've had trouble trying to sell nice originals of these for more than $100. Looks like a lot wrong and personally I think it would be throwing good money after bad to do much more to this. On the last two bikes I restored I had a little over $2k into them not including the cost of the bike itself. So, unless it is high end or has real sentimental value a true restoration is not for the faint of heart (or wallet!). V/r Shawn



I echo the above; I purchased a matching pair (boys/girls) in hardly ever ridden, stored indoors since new, condition 2 years ago for $160. After cleaning, new tubes/grease, I just sold them locally (finally) for what I paid for them. I lost money on the deal, when you figure fuel to go purchase them and all new tubes.The couple that bought them were on a tight budget though, and thrilled to have them, so that made it worthwhile, to me. Clean it, ride it, enjoy it until something else comes along. That's what makes this hobby fun (and expensive, but rewarding)...


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## partsguy

Freqman1 said:


> I'm by no means an expert on these but I've had trouble trying to sell nice originals of these for more than $100. Looks like a lot wrong and personally I think it would be throwing good money after bad to do much more to this. On the last two bikes I restored I had a little over $2k into them not including the cost of the bike itself. So, unless it is high end or has real sentimental value a true restoration is not for the faint of heart (or wallet!). V/r Shawn




Aren't you the one with the Huffy F-85 on eBay?


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## partsguy

Now that I finally have pics...

I will give you my opinion, since it is what you asked for. My opinion is to rebuild the hubs, repack the headset and bottom bracket, get the wheels trued, fix the headlight, and ride it.

It has good chrome, which saves a ton of time and money in restoration costs but this looks like a mid-level bike to me and not worth the effort to dismantle, strip, sand, fill pits and pull dents, then repaint. 

It is a cool classic bike of good quality, for that I would be thankful.

If you want to restore it, you'll have my blessing but consider yourself warned. You will lose money! Only do it if you really want to and see yourself enjoying the bike that much more.

I have a 1963 Silver Jet that will (hopefully) be restored this winter. It's chrome with a gold, black, and white chaingaurd, tank, and rack. It will need a total restoration, chrome, paint, wiring, upholstry, tires, etc. but 1963 was a unique year for the Silver Jet; this was the only time it was available in gold, it had a special chaingaurd, and a couple other parts too. It's rarity and connection with local history (Huffman had their facorty and headquarters here up until the 1990s) make it worth restoring in my eyes because I see it as historically important. Not sure what it's worth though, I don't really care either.


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## Freqman1

classicfan1 said:


> Aren't you the one with the Huffy F-85 on eBay?




Nope--my Ebay user name is the same as mine here on the CABE. I finally got rid of my last middle weight earlier this year--white 1959 Corvette. I sold it to a car guy, who despite my advice, seemed hell bent on restoring it. V/r Shawn


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## krateman

Thanks for all the advice guys. The original paint is toast, as you may be able to see. What red I have uncovered was greatly faded before someone sprayed it with dark blue. I'd like to respray it in the original red and get a correct wheel for the front. I'd like the correct kickstand, handlebar/gooseneck(if the gooseneck is not the original), seat and grips. Other than doing those things or maybe little to none of those things, I will leave the rest alone. I took the rear hub apart, re-greased it, re-greased the bearings on the front hub and the crank bearings as well. I still have yet to take the headset apart. I need to know what parts on this bike are not original. I wont sink much more money into this bike. I should've talked this guy down. I don't know why I didn't counter offer. He said his first offer was as low as he could go. I guess I should've walked away. 
   Should I part this bike out? I don't want to do it, unless this bike is just a super-frankenbike. The wheels are mismatched. It is missing the kickstand. He told me the handlebar was not original. I know the seat is not original. The seat post is pretty bent inside the tube, which made it hard to pull out when I first began to take it apart. The sprocket is in decent shape.


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## krateman

bike said:


> paint and plating only about $1500?




Wow! I can do the painting myself. I think I'll skip the plating. I know that is a pretty pricey venture. How much for matching headlight in much better condition? What are the correct reflectors I'm missing off of the back of the rack and rear fender? Thanks.


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## rustjunkie

Try this: put a Greenfield kickstand on it, go for a ride. Stop for a refreshing beverage of your choice. As you're enjoying the cold one, _imagine _having the bike "done" the way you want it. The feeling will be nearly the same w/o all the time, effort, money, and let-down once you get the first scratch. Pedal home knowing the ride wouldn't be any better if the bike was shiny and "original".


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## krateman

Rustjunkie, you got a point there. Maybe it would be better to just part it out? 
Did anyone see the bottom of the rear fender in picture #4? It had a tab at the bottom for a bolt to go through and someone cut it off a little higher than halfway. Everyone, let me know what parts on this bike are not correct. I'd like the education so I know what to look for in the future. Thanks.


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## rustjunkie

krateman said:


> Rustjunkie, you got a point there. Maybe it would be better to just part it out?




Did I say part it? What is there to "part"? 
I'm pretty sure we all saw the damage and figured that into the opinions.
Can't help with what's orig and what's not, sorry.


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## partsguy

Freqman1 said:


> Nope--my Ebay user name is the same as mine here on the CABE. I finally got rid of my last middle weight earlier this year--white 1959 Corvette. I sold it to a car guy, who despite my advice, seemed hell bent on restoring it. V/r Shawn




Probably sold to a Corvette guy. I've dealt with those people and many, while not all, are stuck up guys who want it their way or the highway. They don't care how original it is, all the cars (or bikes) restored exactly they way they were from the factory. Nothing frong with that, but they often over restore the cars and castrate anyone who builds their classic Corvette anyway they don't like.


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## partsguy

Parting an original, driveable classic, with so much potential makes me SICK!!

It's one thing if a guy can't sell a rusty heap for a reasonable price and parts it, it's one thing if the bike is missing so many parts it isn't even rideable and not worth the money to dump into it. YOU bought this bike to enjoy it, is that right? You saw potential in it at first sight, right? Isn't that why you bought the bike off eBay being totally uninformed about the hobby?

Now you find out how much restorations cost and instead of thinking of enjoying a piece American history you want to think about money. You look at this bike now as an investment and that is EXACTLY what has ruined the classic car hobby. The "classic car hobby" has become the "collector car hobby". Young people in their 20s and 30s (such as myself) can't afford a $70,000 '67 Camaro or $50,000 1970 Chevelle. We buy 4-door sedans from the 40s-70s, restore 80's turbocharged 4 bangers and are spat on on by the old folks in their lawn chairs with their '57 Chevy they NEVER drive except to a cruise in. People my age build our cars and enjoy them, which is what that hobby used to be and is no longer. A friend of mine is 27 and owns a 1965 Impala sedan and he loves it, takes his wife and baby girl around in it. That sedan has a more fullfilling life than the 55yr old and his '64 Impala SS convertible that never sees the light of day.

Many of us here have invested time and money into bikes the general public would have crushed for scrap without batting an eye lid. you should look at the cool hot rods over on www.ratrodbikes.com

The guys there have done some amazing work for cheap. A friend of mine is only 23 (damn time flies) pulled a 1962 Flightliner out of a barn for $10 and after having me examine it, is excited to have it restored, despite the estimate I gave him. Have some enthusiasm and enjoy life. Don't let money determine your every move in life. I lost a friend of mine this summer to a jet ski accident, he was only 19. He lived a fuller life than many others who are older than he is.


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## krateman

I'll enjoy riding it, but it is too  much of a frankenbike to put any money into it, unless you have deeper pockets than me. I take it you do, since you restore these bikes. I don't sink 2,000 into a bike that will only be worth 350 when i'm done with it. I've got a family and a mortagage to take care of along with many other bills. I may repaint it in the original red, but no one will tell me what that is and how to go about getting it and no one has told me what is incorrect with this bike. I thought I had some knowledgable guys posting on my thread. Is this bike worth keeping together? I am sure there are other Eldorados that may need the parts, but I'll keep it together, since someone has jumped my ass about it. I was going to keep it together, anyways. 
Classicfan, you said this bike was original. According to you all, there isn't much about this bike that isn't damaged OR original, right? This bike, according to you all, isn't worth dumping money into, which is one of your criterion for parting it out! I didn't buy this bike off of feebay, either. I'm not totally unimformed about the hobby. I just made a hasty purchase. I've totally taken apart several collector bikes, down to the pedals and refurbished them. I know most folks don't get a return on their investment when it comes to classic items, like cars and bikes and I don't care that I may have over-paid a little too much. 
Bottom line is, I need to know what is missing and what is not correct about this bike and how to get a half-pint of the original red so I can respray this bike. The chain guard has bumps that need to be flattened and the back of the rack has deep dents like someone hit it repeatedly with another metal object, for what reason I have no idea. I've made comments that no one has read and talked to me about. I'd like this help if someone is qualified to do so. Thanks for any help you all can give me.


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## partsguy

As far as I can tell, the only thing that isn't original here might be the handlebars. Other than that, it looks to be all there. If you MUST repaint it the original 1960's metallic red, then you must do it in two stages. The first is a silver under coat, the second is a thin layer of red. They gives the paint that metallic luster that you see on nice originals. Many of the muscle bike guys have to paint their bikes like this.

As far as me having money to dump into bike; I don't. I likely make far less than you do. I work 30 hours per week, go to college full time, pay my own way, and run a business part time. I've brought worse bikes back for far less than $2,000. You just have to know how to shop around. Instead of rebuilding and rechroming junk wheels, replace them with nice ones. Chain, handlebars, fenders, are generic parts (in the vintage bike world) so if they are bent, smashed, full of rust, etc. I replace them. I built my rat rod for less than $200. When I got my bike, it looked lightyears worse than your bike does right now! You couldn't even sit on mine with the wheels slouching to one side and the crank was almost locked up.

Again, I stick to middleweights because they are the best dollar-for-dollar classic ride money can buy and you restore them for cheap, if you know how to do a lot of the work yourself.


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## krateman

So, only the handlebars look incorrect? What about the mis-matched wheels and the seat? How do I get my hands on the correct silver/red paint for my bike? Are the peaked fenders on my bike correct? I read on feebay that some peaked fenders that were for sale were pre-war. Was there an image of some kind on the rack or was it just painted red? Does anyone have good pictures of a correct 1960 Huffy Eldorado? Thanks everyone for the replies.


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## partsguy

I don't see how the wheels don't match, they look like the ones on all my original 60's Huffmans.

That seat may not be incorrect, I have seen those seats on bikes from that time period in the dealer catalogs! I have also seen two-tone seats as well. It wasn't until 1965 that Huffman had specific seats for specific bikes. By then you only had a couple of different seats.

But people forget that a 1960 Huffy Eldorado, 1957 Chevy, or the like were NOT always collectible. They were driven hard, put away wet, used up, and crushed for scrap like we do now to stuff from the 90s. Because these things weren't collectible, the assembly line had a "that'll do" attitude. If they had a shipment of stray seats, so what? They used them up. The same went for grips, chaingaurds, and to an extent, pedals and wheels. As long as the bike was close enough to the catalog pictures, it was sold.

As far as the paint, I honestly don't know where to get it. Like I said, talking with the Muscle Bike collectors would be your best bet. There aren't many of those guys here for some odd reason, but you can try www.ratrodbikes.com or the Muscle Bike Forums, those sites have a higher concentration of muscle bike collectors than the CABE. I've been here since 2008, never was that many.


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## krateman

Classicfan, the wheels on my Eldo are two different ones. I think the seat is a replacement because it is supple and not well-worn, I think. The front wheel has a plastic bearing inside the hub. The back wheel may be original, I think. The fenders are peaked. The gooseneck is original, I believe. The handlebars are not. I believe the guy who sold it to me for a friend, who was absent, said they were off of another bile. So, most of my bike is original. I would like to make it look great again. I can spray it myself. I just need to find someone who has restored one of these, so I can find the correct paints. I need the correct tires, fenders, handlebars and grips. I need a stencil for the chain guard script and I am guessing the book rack on the back had a light on it and it had some design on it? Thanks.


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