# 1939 28 inch iver original nickel plated special racer project



## redline1968 (Oct 30, 2019)

Been awhile ...so I thought I’d post my original iver Johnson special racer in it original fully nickel plated form project. It’s a 28 inch rim bike... this bike was painted completely in blue. I discovered something different when I cleaned it  fully nickel frame preserved by the paint!   . I had the crank setup and decided to put it in place for the moment then I’ll clean it up later.  The parts on it are iver parts...I still don’t know why it’s fully nickeled ....I’m guessing it’s a worlds fair or a Olympic thing   Just don’t know but it looks hot... anyway here are some pics for those who care...


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## dnc1 (Nov 2, 2019)

Beautiful!!!!!


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## gkeep (Nov 2, 2019)

Wowsaa! That was very nice of someone to throw that blue paint on and protect the nickle all those years. Great save!


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## redline1968 (Nov 2, 2019)

Thanks ...Who’d have known it was there ....hidden gold!


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## DonChristie (Nov 3, 2019)

Oh, we care! She is beautiful! I wonder if someone along the way, just didnt like nickel? Was the blue the iver pharoah blue over top of it?


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## dfa242 (Nov 3, 2019)

Wow, that's beautiful - good for you.


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## Handyman (Nov 3, 2019)

redline1968,
Is there any evidence of pinstriping, trust the truss decal, or the Iver Johnson script on the nickel plating?  Could these features be seen on the blue paint that you removed?  Pete in Fitchburg


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## redline1968 (Nov 3, 2019)

Handyman said:


> redline1968,
> Is there any evidence of pinstriping, trust the truss decal, or the Iver Johnson script on the nickel plating?  Could these features be seen on the blue paint that you removed?  Pete in Fitchburg



None. When I cleaned it there was nothing to indicate pins on it nor a decal.id say  pin stripes would be cool but nope never seen them.


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## sam (Nov 4, 2019)

Nickel Plating must have been an eye catching kind of thing. I've seen a lot of nickel or chrome bikes in many different brands. I have a pierce nickel racer of about 1936.


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## redline1968 (Nov 4, 2019)

After thinking about it....I’m wondering if I put the wrong type of rims on.. would they be 1930’s steel 28’s in clincher type with inner tubes instead of wood glue on tires?


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## Handyman (Nov 4, 2019)

I picked up this Model 90 Iver tall frame truss racer some years back and it has always puzzled me.  This bike, like redline68's, shows no sign of any pinstriping, trust the truss decal, or Iver Johnson script on the downtube.  My best guess is that some previous owner had the bike plated at some point in time, but I really don't know the answer.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## bulldog1935 (Dec 11, 2019)

Rivendell has brought back the truss frame in their new touring flagship Atlantis



and a similar variation on their lighter AHH


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## fat tire trader (Dec 11, 2019)

The rims do not appear to be correct for a 1930s racer. It should have narrower rims, like the ones on my Velox http://www.fattiretrading.com/drysedale-velox.html


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## dnc1 (Dec 16, 2019)

It may have been part paint over nickel in places perhaps. Popular over here around that time period, don't know on your side of the pond.
I recently stripped the very poor paint off my 70's Romani track bike to discover it is full chrome-plated underneath. 
Prior to that, the only chromium visible was on the rear dropouts. 
One other thing, would nickel plating not be outdated by 1939 (chrome came in around 10 years prior to that) other than its use as an under layer to the finished chrome?
Perhaps your machine is a little earlier than you think?


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## redline1968 (Dec 17, 2019)

Nope it dates to 39 by the serial numbers I thought earlier too... You would think it would be Crome but dealing with polishing nickel in the past I know the difference. I had a 46 schwinns rims where the base for Crome was present no Crome ...it doesn’t polish like nickel plate.... or look the same ...it is strange bike. Also I notice the rake of the fork seems lower but that could be me..


dnc1 said:


> It may have been part paint over nickel in places perhaps. Popular over here around that time period, don't know on your side of the pond.
> I recently stripped the very poor paint off my 70's Romani track bike to discover it is full chrome-plated underneath.
> Prior to that, the only chromium visible was on the rear dropouts.
> One other thing, would nickel plating not be outdated by 1939 (chrome came in around 10 years prior to that) other than its use as an under layer to the finished chrome?
> Perhaps your machine is a little earlier than you think?


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