# Fake? Iver Johnson Racer on Ebay



## fat tire trader (Mar 25, 2013)

Hello,
I saw this Iver Johnson Racer on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251250568676&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

Item # 251250568676

 It looked to me like it might be a lightweight model which someone put racing bars and saddle onto.

So I sent him this question

Dear peelout_always,

Is this bike a real Iver racer frame, or an Iver light weight that someone put racing bars and saddle onto? The top of the line racer would have had Chater Lea cranks and hubs.
Thanks,
Chris

- fttp

He responded 

Dear fttp,

'
- peelout_always

So I asked him a valid question and he responded with a comma.

He says that it is a 41. I have a 41 Iver fold out catalog/poster.

This is the lightweight






and this is the racer





So from the limited information in the catalog, the lightweight came with the lightweight diamond frame and the racer came with a diamond frame. Neither mentions the tubing. One thing that you can see in the catalog is the racer has chrome lugs and head tube. 

In my 37 Iver catalog there are three models of racers. 





The least expensive model was not made out of chrome moly and it had the normal Iver cranks, while the more expensive models had chrome moly frames and Chater Lea cranks. The picture shows a chrome head tube with painted lugs. 

So my research leads me to believe that in 41, which was the last year that Iver made bicycles, they had stopped making the higher end racers with chrome moly frames. Is there a difference between a 41 racer and a 41 light weight? The only thing I have found is the racer would have had chrome lugs.

I have a 41 lightweight, you can see it here

http://www.fattiretrading.com/iver3s.html

Another Iver lightweight sold on Ebay recently for $199

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=310609181940

Item # 310609181940

I would like to have a real Iver racer or another interesting prewar racer. Does anyone out there have one? Or know any other way to tell a racer frame from a lightweight frame? Were they essentially the same in 41 except for the chrome lugs?

 I have a Velox.

http://www.fattiretrading.com/velox.html

Thanks,
Chris


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## Iverider (Apr 1, 2013)

Really cool to see such a late Iver Lightweight with gears and 1/2" Pitch chainring. 


The eBay bike I would guess is a roadster more than a racer.  It has a dogleg crank for use with a chain guard and if it is original paint it should have a Chrome head tube and fork to be a racer. The racers I've seen say "Special Racer" where Iver Johnson normally appears on the downtube.


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## Andrew Gorman (Apr 1, 2013)

I wouldn't call it a fake, but it's definitely not a racing bike.  But anything with dropped bars is a genuine six day racer on eBay.  The "original" box striping looks  like something I would do.  If that was done at the factory the striper would have been pounding the pavement in Fitchburg looking for another job...


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## Iverider (Apr 1, 2013)

The listing leads me to believe they're claiming original box pin stripes, but it could be taken either way. They do look way to bright to be original compared to the decal, and they are a little rough looking.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 3, 2013)

I believe this same bike was at MLC last year. It was a fairly good looking bike but is obviously a mix of new and old. I thought it was a littel over the money for what it is but I'm certainly no Iver expert. V/r Shawn


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## catfish (Apr 6, 2013)

I'm not trying to put anyone down, but it seams like every Iver that shows up on ebay (especially from sellers that don't know anything about bikes) is usually called a "racing bicycle"... Or a "racer". or has some connection to Major Taylor...... I've had a lot of people try to tell me the have a shaft drive Columbia, and it's a racing bike too.... a little info can be dangerous....


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## pelletman (Apr 6, 2013)

It's very rare and probably the only remaining shaft drive too AND Major Taylor raced it, even though he raced an Orient shaft..


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## catfish (Apr 9, 2013)

pelletman said:


> It's very rare and probably the only remaining shaft drive too AND Major Taylor raced it, even though he raced an Orient shaft..




Thanks for the info! Now it's worth two million.....


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## 66TigerCat (Apr 10, 2013)

*Iver Johnson*

Just saw this post, been away for awhile. 

I sold that bike to the current owner who has been trying to sell it for some time. He changed the stem/h-bar. I bought it as a frame/fork/headset/crank/bb. I assembled the rest of the parts over the course of a couple of years. Most of the parts are period correct or close and the rest (powder-coated rims,spokes, tires and handlebars) are current production. 

The model is a mystery, the serial number is late -1940 or 41. Some Iver's had nickeled forks, some were painted. The paint is original as is the box lining. My guess is the bike hung in a shop for a long time and since IJ didn't produce bikes after the war, parts were limited. Maybe someone swapped the fork at some point. It definitely was never ridden so I think it was probably a parts donor bike for the shop. 

In any case it was the best build I could do with my limited funds and IJ parts that are available. If I could have sold it for what he is asking I would have. He's claiming it's a "racer" but it's more of a creative restoration than anything.


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## 66TigerCat (Apr 17, 2013)

*Iver johnson on Ebay*

The seller listed it again this week. It was up to $900. with the reserve not met and he ended the auction early. Probably got an offer and decided to sell it outside of Ebay.


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