# Chrome 1924 Iver Johnson Model 90 Road Racer Discovered



## Handyman (Jul 26, 2015)

Hi Cabers,

I recently acquired this tall frame circa 1924 Iver Johnson Model 90 "Road Racer" through a tip from our local “Fitchburg Rides” event.  I purchased this bike from an individual who lives in Springfield, MA who was given the bike by an elderly neighbor who had it hanging in his shed for many years where it sat, untouched and unnoticed.  The frame on this bike appears to have all chrome plating, obviously not correct for the year. The frame is somewhat rusted through the plating in several areas, yet in other areas the plating appears to be in decent shape. I did show this bike to Scott (Ivrjhnsn), and he believes that some owner in the past, possibly someone that had access to a chrome plating facility, decided to have the bike refinished.  In any case, it's a great looking Iver, and a super addition to my collection and a possible restoration candidate for the future.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## robertc (Jul 26, 2015)

Chrome or painted, I would have jumped at the opportunity. Nice fine congratulations.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jul 26, 2015)

Good score!
You're lucky to live in Iverland...


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## Handyman (Jul 26, 2015)

Giovanni, 

I believe you have just coined a new phrase………………….”Iverland” I like that!  I just may change my “Pete from Fitchburg” to “Pete from Iverland”.


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## Iverider (Jul 27, 2015)

Pete, that bike looks like it might be too big for you!


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## Handyman (Jul 27, 2015)

I was thinking the same thing Brian, way too tall for me, I might have to give it to Wally.......................Oh, wait, he already has a tall frame Iver racer !!  Pete in Fitchburg


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## Iverider (Jul 27, 2015)

Yeah, send it to me instead! Really nice bike btw. I would like to put some bars like those on mine.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jul 27, 2015)

Wally has everything...


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## DonChristie (Jul 27, 2015)

Definately a cool Iver from Iverland! I like that! Looks more Brians size for sure! Are we sure it wasnt originally Chrome?


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## Handyman (Jul 27, 2015)

Hi Schwinndoggy,  I'd love it if it were originally chrome but the serial # puts it at about 1924. I don't think Iver was doing chrome until about 1930ish. Pete in Fitchburg


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jul 27, 2015)

Were any platers, in Mass., doing chrome in 1924?
Could it be a show bicycle?
 Chromium was used for electroplating as early as 1848, but this use only became widespread with the development of an improved process in 1924. The largest deposits of chromium are in Baltimore.


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## scrubbinrims (Jul 27, 2015)

Great bike!
I think your bike was originally chrome and from the 20's...there is a difference with availability vs. adaptation from nickel.
Very careful with clean up to minimize further flaking and clouding the chrome.
Chris


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jul 27, 2015)

Semichrome paste polish works well.


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## theyankeedoodler (Jul 27, 2015)

GiovanniLiCalsi said:


> Wally has everything...




Wishing it and it coming true haven’t yet synchronized. I've had a few different and unique Iver goodies in my bicycle stewardship.  Some of it through working it.  Some of it through spending it.  Some of it through luck.  

Most of the time I’ve had Goldilocks syndrome.  Always too small or way to small.  A few tall (24”) Ivers have popped up over the past year, Pete’s find being  the latest.  Being in “Iverland” helps, but there are some out in the 'Badlands'.  One in fact is going back to Indiana this week 

Anyhow, this one  is uber cool and a great find!  Can’t wait to see it firsthand someday.  Plenty of time Pete until next year's show to clean'm up.


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## Handyman (Jul 27, 2015)

Very interesting thoughts Giovanni and Scrubbinrims. I'd love to think this was an original chrome plated  bike and part of me finds it a little unusual that a distant owner would go to the trouble and expense of having an old bike chrome plated??  But, is there any reasonable way to really know?  I would believe that there were chrome plating shops in MA in the 20's. Fitchburg was an industrial hub back then and there may have even been a shop in town.


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## redline1968 (Jul 27, 2015)

Chrome was patented  in 1927. Still in its infancy was not available for commercial use till 1935-5 and was a new and expensive process at the time.  Dating the bike I'd say it was chromed later and not factory. They do look good..


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## Iverider (Jul 27, 2015)

Snippet from the Iver thread: "In the 1930 catalog, they were still talking nickel. I do not have a  1931 catalog but do have 1932 foldout flyer. They are advertising 'Iver  Johnson bicycles with distinctive chromium plating'."


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jul 27, 2015)

The merger of the first two companies as "the first step in the simplification of the patent situation" was announced July 22, 1926.By that time the Chemical Treatment Company was operating an additional plant in Waterbury, CT.The new corporation was called the Chromium Corporation of America, and operated a number of job shops in large cities until recently.
Ford Model A had chrome plated parts....
Antique Automobile Club accepts chrome, on vehicles, after 1929...


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## bikejunk (Jul 29, 2015)

I have that exact fork in chrome - it came of a 1920's iver... Indian motorcycles (if I remember rightly) offed chromes as early as 1907--- so.....could be...


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## redline1968 (Jul 29, 2015)

bikejunk said:


> I have that exact fork in chrome - it came of a 1920's iver... Indian motorcycles (if I remember rightly) offed chromes as early as 1907--- so.....could be...



Nickel would be correct for it. Chrome was in experimental stages in the 20's and did not plate well till they solved the chemical problem to help make it work. This was in the late 20's. All you have to do is google up chrome plating history and you see why it's not.  Also your bike probably was re chromed  somewhere in its previous life.  I should know when I got all this bull shi-- about my bike. I did some heavy research on the subject. Its actually quite interesting.


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## Handyman (Jul 30, 2015)

Just to be clear, I’m not attempting to represent this bike as an “original chrome Iver”, and I fully understand that the serial # of this bike places it well before the time chrome was offered by the factory.  I just think it’s an interesting find and wish I knew more about its history.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## bulldog1935 (Jul 30, 2015)

to me the beauty of old bikes is not that they were put away pristine with little use, but that they lived their lives with their owner, were ridden, and were changed to reflect their owner - and they're still willing to be ridden because they were well-made.


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## Duchess (Jul 30, 2015)

Perhaps the owner opened a chrome plating shop or worked at one and decided to dip the frame either for looks and protection or for rolling advertisement.


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## ivrjhnsn (Jul 30, 2015)

It seems that you Iver guys are forgetting that the factory did plating in house.  In the  20's they could re- nickel your frame and fork for $16........... $20 for a girls frame/fork . I'll scan the price list when I get a chance. The prices for what they did will amaze you. These may or may not have been "dealer prices", but the markup was sad even back then for bike shops.


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