My Completed Project - Grey Ghost

[Krateness]

Hey everyone,

I thought I had posted this here but I guess I never got around to it. Anyways, awhile back I purchased an original paint Grey Ghost and chain guard along with various other parts to the bike: fenders, springer fork, front wheel, handlebars, gooseneck, crank and seat post. The bike was painted red by someone over the course of the bike's life. After some help through eBay and various people on Facebook and forums I have met, the bike is back to being together. I wanted to make it look like the bike was never taken apart. I just didn't have the heart to let an original Grey Ghost join the ranks of all the other "restored" Grey Ghosts out there. I'd rather have one roached out over one that all pretty.

Here's how it looked by the pictures I received from the seller I purchased it from...

Once I got comfortable with getting the red spray paint off the best I could, I started piecing it back together with the help of others...

Till finally I had a complete bike.

It may not be beautiful or in the greatest of shape but at least it is an original, surviving Grey Ghost. I was able to piece it back together just as I wanted with correctly dated, original, condition matched parts. Just happy to finally say that I have an original Grey Ghost.

Thanks for looking!
Andy

 

[Freqman1]

Great job Andy! I'm glad you didn't restore it. To me a restored Krate has the same appeal as a restored Phantom which is to say I really don't care for them. V/r Shawn

 

[GTs58]

Now that's the way to restore a Krate. Glad to see that you got it finished!

 

[vincev]

Always liked the Grey's

 

[GenuineRides]

Way to keep it alive as an original. BTW good job on the pedals too, hard to find clear reflectors!

 

[vastingray]

That's awesome man!! Great job

 

[Nickinator]

you sir are a hero! most would have restored that but, if someone did restore it that would completely destroy all proof it came from factory as a grey ghost and wreck its value extremely hard. thank you for keeping it original and taking the time to save it!

Nick.

 

[Dale Alan]

Great job,that is something to be proud of . Good to see your patience and hard work paid off. She is a beauty.

 

[Krateness]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I was really happy with the way it all turned out. Most probably would have restored it but I just didn't have the heart to restore it. Too many bikes have lost their story and this one was close to being another victim. It was a bit of a pain getting all original hardware for it but any reproduction part would have just stuck out like a sore thumb to me. All my bikes are original and that's the only way to have a krate in my opinion lol. Now if only a 5 speed Cotton would make itself apparent lol

 

[Major Taylor Archive]

Nice job !