63 Huffy Sportsman

[Spacecowboy]

Got this 63 Huffy sportsman cleaned up the other day. A couple years back someone with a guest account posted about needing a look at decals, so here's what I got. Including pictures of before/current, the frame number on bottom bracket, not on left seat post and Miller generator 53R, Miller rear lamp 598. Hub is a TCW III dated 63 2, coaster brake. This seems to be the basic sportsman version, and am guessing that based on brakes, fenders and fender struts as listed in catalog pages posted on the cabe. (Thanks btw) It appears to be on par with hercules/triumph/robin hood bikes of the same timeframe. Came with the Dunlop endrick style rims, galvanized spokes, non soldered brake cable end, two piece screw brake handle, Raleigh logo marked crank arm/front hub, but no logo on the stem top. Pat'd applied for on SA plastic gear pulley, compared to one pulled from a 68 Robin hood. Gear shifter still metal, but red and black SA graphics, similar to a speedy switch with the red 3.

 

[Spacecowboy]

Forgot the cleaned up chain guard pic, and coaster brake clamp

 

[Roger Henning]

Pretty standard English made 3 speed probably in Nottingham by one of the Raleigh owned factories. I bought one when I was 15 in 1964 and paid just under $40 for it at the local hardware store. Great riding bikes and had it until it was stolen when I was in college at the U of M Mpls. That one is nicer because of the coaster brake hub. Roger

 

[Oilit]

What kind of seat is on your bike in the first picture? It doesn't look stock, but it may be more comfortable than the stock version.

 

[SirMike1983]

It's a mixed bike. The core product is Nottingham Raleigh, but the brake levers and fenders look to be left overs from when TI/Raleigh took in Phillips and Hercules. There was a period of a few years in the early 60s when TI/Raleigh was using up the parts it had acquired in the merger. Hence you get a Raleigh frame and cranks but Birmingham Phillips/Hercules style brake levers and fenders. TI/Raleigh put the mixed parts on the lower end bikes because it was economical to use up what they had. If you look, you may find more Birmingham leftovers on the bike elsewhere. But overall, it's totally fair to call it a "Raleigh" product because the core of it is such.

 

[jimbo53]

I'm currently working on one of these. Paint and decals are toast but inside fork tube looks to originally be a cherry red. It has chrome fenders and a Sturmey Archer notorious TCW 3 speed coaster hub (think it's marked 66 but it's been a while since I've seen it) . I know decals are not available, and it doesn't make sense to put a lot of money in it, but have a couple of donor Raleigh's laying around so will build it up as a "Bespoke" as they say in the UK. Will upgrade to a proper AW hub and wheelset , and have near mint self adjusting brake set in parts box waiting for a project. Also have a Brooks B66 ready to go. Will probable get a "Raleigh" downtube decal off Ebay and leave it at that. Thanks for posting this. It's really helpful and comes at a good time since I just started tearing it down yesterday.

 

[juvela]

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Nice job; thank you for posting!

In the first (as found) picture am wondering what is the device seen sitting atop the top tube at the rear?

Is the prop stand Raleigh marked? A Shuresta model perhaps?

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