# Iver Johnson Info needed



## gtdohn (Sep 5, 2018)

I just purchased an Iver Johnson and would love to get a date and model for it. It appears to be completely original with the exception of the grips. Would love to know more about it, so thank you to anyone who can shed some light on it for me. Looks to have never had a wrench on any of the nuts or bolts. Rims seem to be either aged silver or gold painted wood with a double red and blue stripe. The head tube and fork is nickel plated and the black paint has fine gold pin-striping. The front hub, handle bars, stem, and seat post are all marked "Iver Johnson" I would also like to know what type handle bar grips it would have come with. I know these are not right.
Here are a few pics to help out.
Serial number is what looks like a 3 and then 44617.

Thank you.


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## ZE52414 (Sep 5, 2018)

What a beauty!


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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)

First of all this is a beautiful bike. Other guys can tell you more but I believe this to be a 26 or 27 trussbar model 90 road race bike. Very nice original!


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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)

I’m sorry I didn’t see the 3 at beginning of the serial number. I’m thinking about 1919-21.


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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)




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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)

This is one of the likely options for this bike


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## gtdohn (Sep 5, 2018)

Could be 1919 because the badge says that it is pre-1921. That's all I do know for sure.


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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)

Here is a later 1927 same model belongs to @Handyman . He can tell you much more than I can about the bike!


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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)

Yes I wanted to say 19 but left a little room for miscalculation.


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## anders1 (Sep 5, 2018)

And your wright the badge changed in 21 I believe


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

I believe the saddle is a Troxel Thirty. If so, then it and the bars were both optional on this bike and could be original if I’m not mistaken.


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)




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## Handyman (Sep 6, 2018)

That is one gorgeous looking early Model 90 Road Racer ! Do you know what I'd do if I owned this bike??  Nothing, absolutely nothing !  Pete in Fitchburg


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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

Handyman said:


> That is one gorgeous looking early Model 90 Road Racer ! Do you know what I'd do if I owned this bike??  Nothing, absolutely nothing !  Pete in Fitchburg





Pete, can you narrow down the year model? Would you have a guess at what grips it should have?
And you're so right, I am not going to do a thing to it. Maybe lube what needs to be and a coat of carnauba wax on the near pristine paint.


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## locomotion (Sep 6, 2018)

OMG this is nice.
Incredible the amount of amazing bikes being shown lately. Can you share a side picture of the bike? Would like to see the frame and fork  angles
Congrats.


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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

locomotion said:


> OMG this is nice.
> Incredible the amount of amazing bikes being shown lately. Can you share a side picture of the bike? Would like to see the frame and fork  angles
> Congrats.



Thanks for the compliment.
Here is a decent side view:


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## Handyman (Sep 6, 2018)

Notice the dust covers on the BB assembly, I have only seen this


gtdohn said:


> Pete, can you narrow down the year model? Would you have a guess at what grips it should have?
> And you're so right, I am not going to do a thing to it. Maybe lube what needs to be and a coat of carnauba wax on the near pristine paint.




My best guess on the year of your Iver would be about 1920ish.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

Handyman said:


> Notice the dust covers on the BB assembly, I have only seen this
> 
> 
> My best guess on the year of your Iver would be about 1920ish.  Pete in Fitchburg



Pete, with a serial number of 344617, wouldn't it be a late 1916 or a 1917?


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

gtdohn said:


> Pete, with a serial number of 344617, wouldn't it be a late 1916 or a 1917?



Serial number 300,000 was built in 1916 or 17


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

344xxx is wright about 19 or 20


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)




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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

anders1 said:


> 344xxx is wright about 19 or 20



Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Any idea about what grips would be correct?


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

I just received a set of these beautiful walnut Grips for my 1912. Also the cork grips are correct as well I believe


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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

I am going to see if I can find an original set to complete the original look of the bike. I hope they aren't that hard to find.
Thanks for the info


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## locomotion (Sep 6, 2018)

gtdohn said:


> Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Any idea about what grips would be correct?




IMO any of these types of grips would work.


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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

I think the short bulldogs would look the best. Thanks for the photos!


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

gtdohn said:


> I think the short bulldogs would look the best. Thanks for the photos!



I really like those at top left


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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

I do too, but try and find them


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

If you look at the catalog it appears to me it had something similar to the walnut Grips I posted or yours bottom right


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)




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## gtdohn (Sep 6, 2018)

They have metal ferrules at the front edge and they are much harder to find, but I agree that they do look like the catalog photo at least from what is tell-able from the lack of detail in the drawings.


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## anders1 (Sep 6, 2018)

To me I would say a very good match. You can’t get much closer I don’t think, they would look very nice as well. Anthony


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## Duchess (Sep 7, 2018)

There's a guy on Rat Rod Bikes that remakes the ball end style as shown in the catalog. They're a little thicker than later ones put on kid's bikes. Comfortable and cheap, but not as cool looking as the rarer styles that weren't used for decades.


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## locomotion (Sep 7, 2018)

locomotion said:


> IMO any of these types of grips would work.
> 
> View attachment 864855
> 
> View attachment 864856




top pictures, those grips are reproductions
listed in sale section


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## gtdohn (Sep 7, 2018)

Does anyone think the Painted wood rims with the blue and red pinstripe are original?


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## anders1 (Sep 7, 2018)

The rims would have been round not V shape like the 90a. It would have likely came with Fisk 1 1/4 or 1 3/8 tires. Also the new departure coaster break was an option. So with this said and judging by the pics I believe all is correct. You can check some of these things but from my view and my knowledge I would say yes to your question.


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## anders1 (Sep 7, 2018)

The catalog on previous page states that the 90a would have had clear wood finish but says nothing about the model 90 which leads me to believe they would have been painted...


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## anders1 (Sep 7, 2018)

Other than the grips and some grease, I wouldn’t touch a thing. Other than the pavement of course!


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## gtdohn (Sep 8, 2018)

anders1 said:


> Other than the grips and some grease, I wouldn’t touch a thing. Other than the pavement of course!



My thoughts exactly


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## Handyman (Sep 8, 2018)

I just noticed forgot to finish a post I started above (#17)............One unique thing about Iver Johnson racers is that the model 90's had dust covers on the BB, both Left and Right.  On the 90A's there was a dust cover on the Left (non-chainring) side.  The model 90B's had no dust covers.  The pic below shows the dust covers on one of my Model 90 racers.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## gtdohn (Sep 8, 2018)

Yes, mine has them on both sides.


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