# Rebuild and restoration of a1970 Fred Deeley Deelite  (kuwahara apollo)



## Valhalla121

Hey folks,

So this is something I thought might be fun to share and get advice on as I turn this old 1970’s 10 speed Apollo into a great summer fixie. something to get me around besides my carbon stallion. 

A little bit about the bike:
I found this bike a few years back at a garage sale (as does every other Vancouverite who now owns an Apollo). The bike I had bought was an old road bike that had been turned into a sleeper bike, and no care whatsoever for the components. It was so cheap i couldn’t resist. After that I stored it in my Mom’s storage and forgot about it for about 3 years until recently when I was craving a hands on project. So i decided to try and restore this disheveled bike into a beautiful working piece of history with a modern age flare. 

This was the bike when I pulled it out of storage after a few things had been removed:






When I first pulled it out of storage I wanted to identify what kind of bike it was before it had been coated in paint. It took me a little while but I eventually noticed the nice embossed shape of a headbage in the paint. It said Fred Deeley Cycles Vancouver BC. At that point I started to do some research into this company and learned they are a Harley Davidson dealership in Vancouver that used to also sell bicycles. They imported a ton of Apollo’s and other Japanese bike during the 1970’s bike boom and then just placed a few decals and a headbadge with their name on it and the title DEELITE. So apparently I owned a small piece of history from Vancouver. That was pretty cool. I still wasn’t sure about what was underneath all that paint. 

A few days later I took it home and started to scrape away the parts of paint that would flake off and it started to show signs of having decals of black gold and white with some words on them, this is what i found:














Absolutely gorgeous pieces of work in my opinion even though they were incredibly common at the time but in the research I had done I didn’t see a single bike with these sorts of decals on them. At this point I was really quite upset about the fact that I would not be able to keep the originals as the bike will need to be dismantled and de rusted and then re-sprayed if it is meant to last another 45 years. 

So my current goal is to find someone that will help me replicate these decals so I can put them on like the original when it’s repainted.

that way once the decals are made I can then strip it and get it powder coated. I have yet to decide the colour of the frame (any suggestions)

*If you folks know anyone in Vancouver or someone that ships that would be willing to help me recreate these decals for a price I would be greatly appreciative!*

Thanks,
Val


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## Jennifer Parker

Valhalla121 said:


> Hey folks,
> 
> So this is something I thought might be fun to share and get advice on as I turn this old 1970’s 10 speed Apollo into a great summer fixie. something to get me around besides my carbon stallion.
> 
> A little bit about the bike:
> I found this bike a few years back at a garage sale (as does every other Vancouverite who now owns an Apollo). The bike I had bought was an old road bike that had been turned into a sleeper bike, and no care whatsoever for the components. It was so cheap i couldn’t resist. After that I stored it in my Mom’s storage and forgot about it for about 3 years until recently when I was craving a hands on project. So i decided to try and restore this disheveled bike into a beautiful working piece of history with a modern age flare.
> 
> This was the bike when I pulled it out of storage after a few things had been removed:
> 
> View attachment 141464
> 
> When I first pulled it out of storage I wanted to identify what kind of bike it was before it had been coated in paint. It took me a little while but I eventually noticed the nice embossed shape of a headbage in the paint. It said Fred Deeley Cycles Vancouver BC. At that point I started to do some research into this company and learned they are a Harley Davidson dealership in Vancouver that used to also sell bicycles. They imported a ton of Apollo’s and other Japanese bike during the 1970’s bike boom and then just placed a few decals and a headbadge with their name on it and the title DEELITE. So apparently I owned a small piece of history from Vancouver. That was pretty cool. I still wasn’t sure about what was underneath all that paint.
> 
> A few days later I took it home and started to scrape away the parts of paint that would flake off and it started to show signs of having decals of black gold and white with some words on them, this is what i found:
> 
> View attachment 141450
> View attachment 141451
> View attachment 141452
> View attachment 141453
> 
> Absolutely gorgeous pieces of work in my opinion even though they were incredibly common at the time but in the research I had done I didn’t see a single bike with these sorts of decals on them. At this point I was really quite upset about the fact that I would not be able to keep the originals as the bike will need to be dismantled and de rusted and then re-sprayed if it is meant to last another 45 years.
> 
> So my current goal is to find someone that will help me replicate these decals so I can put them on like the original when it’s repainted.
> 
> that way once the decals are made I can then strip it and get it powder coated. I have yet to decide the colour of the frame (any suggestions)
> 
> *If you folks know anyone in Vancouver or someone that ships that would be willing to help me recreate these decals for a price I would be greatly appreciative!*
> 
> Thanks,
> Val




Depending on how much effort you want to put in you Can get the top paint off.


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## Valhalla121

My only issue with that process is I still need to get the rust off the frame which will require me taking off the paint. and since its steel I am unable to leave it bare without rust returning so I will need to paint it again. Thanks though!


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## Jennifer Parker

Valhalla121 said:


> My only issue with that process is I still need to get the rust off the frame which will require me taking off the paint. and since its steel I am unable to leave it bare without rust returning so I will need to paint it again. Thanks though!




You can derust it without removing any decals, or paint. I've done it. Derusted the insides of three bikes so far, and going to tackle a fourth soon. Works on the outside too.


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## Valhalla121

Jennifer Parker said:


> You can derust it without removing any decals, or paint. I've done it. Derusted the insides of three bikes so far, and going to tackle a fourth soon. Works on the outside too.




what is the process you use?


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## Jennifer Parker

An oxalic acid dip to remove rust. Up to 6 hours per dip, then wipe off white residue, or spray out interior. Then, apply Fluid Film or a frame saver to the inside. The paint removal is either rubbing compound and 0000 steel wool and clean white rags to assess whether you've hit the base layer of paint, or pro strength good off and rags or the steel wool for heavy deposits. Then you go over the original paint with meguiar's ultimate compound or similar to restore shine. Then you wax the frame to lock the awesomeness in. Time consuming, but worth the effort. I can demonstrate if you want to mail me the fork or I can show you pics of some of my bikes.


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## Valhalla121

*An Update on the Project*

Hey there!

As it goes i have now stripped the paint of the headbadge. I thought I was going to repaint it but when i saw what the headbadge looked like without the paint I decided to lacquer it as is. it took me a total of about 6 hours to get it from where it was on the bike (see above picture) to where it is now! Here are some photos!

so as a reminder the headbadge was completely purple when in its original state. this is what it first looked like after i had scraped a bit of paint off

Before:

 Uncleaned Badge 

During:

 Badge with original paint but in poor shape 

After:

 All shiny and pretty! 

let me know your thoughts. But im happy with the way it was. this is an evolving project and I like the blend of flashy metal with the historical piece


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## Valhalla121

Valhalla121 said:


> Hey there!
> 
> As it goes i have now stripped the paint of the headbadge. I thought I was going to repaint it but when i saw what the headbadge looked like without the paint I decided to lacquer it as is. it took me a total of about 6 hours to get it from where it was on the bike (see above picture) to where it is now! Here are some photos!
> 
> so as a reminder the headbadge was completely purple when in its original state. this is what it first looked like after i had scraped a bit of paint off
> 
> Before:
> 
> Uncleaned Badge
> 
> During:
> 
> Badge with original paint but in poor shape
> 
> After:
> 
> All shiny and pretty!
> 
> let me know your thoughts. But im happy with the way it was. this is an evolving project and I like the blend of flashy metal with the historical piece





oh and all the small spots on the clean badge are new tarnish that developed as i was detailing some of the corners. did my best to get it off but wasn't able to.


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## latelladuboyce

*My 10 speed Deeley Apollo*

I just saw your post and I think this photo of my bike might help for the decals. I bought it in the last few months and it's treated me great except that it needs some new components. It'll be getting a new crank, BB, and shifters soon. When winter hits, I'd also like to remove the decals, sand and then repaint in something close to the original colour. I'm trying to figure out what kind of adhesive would be best for getting the decals back on after all that.


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## latelladuboyce

Let me know if you want more close up of the stickers - I can try to take better ones.


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## marcerickson

"I started to do some research into this company and learned they are a Harley Davidson dealership in Vancouver that used to also sell bicycles. They imported a ton of Apollo’s and other Japanese bike during the 1970’s bike boom and then just placed a few decals and a headbadge with their name on it and the title DEELITE."

http://www.trevdeeley.com/learn-more-about-us--xinfo
http://scoutmagazine.ca/2015/02/23/...-role-in-our-love-affair-with-the-motorcycle/

Not quite correct.  Fred Deeley Sr. started a bicycle shop and then added motorcycles, including Harleys.  Fred Deeley Jr.  built the business bigger and started Fred Deeley Imports, which also imported bicycles during the 70s bicycle boom and afterwards - using the names Deelite and Apollo at first.  Later, they also imported bicycles branded with the manufacturer's name - Kuwahara.

Trev Deeley is/was Fred Jr.'s son and a legend in Canadian motorcycle circles.  The Harley dealership had his name on it and was at 606 East Broadway for almost a half a century (that address is now the location of Anna's Cake House).  In 1996 the dealership moved to 2375 Boundary Road, Vancouver, on the border with Burnaby.

There is often confusion between Fred and Trev and their businesses.  Fred Deeley Imports originally (as best as I can tell from a quick web search) was started to import Harleys - the wholesaler if you will - and imported bicycles also.  Perhaps FDI imported bicycles all along.  FDI no longer distributes Harleys - HD USA took back the business and gave it to their new subsidiary Harley-Davidson Canada Inc. in 2015.
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2015/05/...rley-davidson-open-canadian-subsidiary-aug-4/

When Trev got involved in the family business , his name went onto the Harley dealership and it was the only local Harley dealer for many years.


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## marcerickson

Added text to be able to watch the thread.


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