Possible Huffman tribute bike…

[Mercian]

Thanks @Guinness

An excellent, reasoned post.

We are of a similar age, and I'm a (semi retired) reenactor. I remember the days of only being able to use original equipment, and then the first reproduction equipment coming along (actually surplus props from Saving Private Ryan)... At the time I was a bit sceptical about it, but now I see how it protects the original equipment from damage.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Guinness]

And to think the young guys now would probably immediately point to those “Saving Private Ryan” props as being completely inaccurate by comparison to more-recent reproductions for today’s authentically-minded reenactors.

I have a number of friends who started-out reenacting the American Civil War in the early 1960s. At that time, it was not at all uncommon to see someone sporting original leathers, weapons, or even assorted bits of uniform. Flash forward 60 years and people would be absolute aghast if you were to bring original anything out on to the field. I would imagine, in the not too distant future, the same might be said of anything that survives from WWII. Frankly, I’m kind of surprised no one has come along and marketed an accurate reproduction of the more popular bicycle types from that era made of newly manufactured parts.

-Guinness

 

[Pvtryanww2]

Well al Berger makes repro ww2 bicycle parts

 

[sykerocker]

Frankly, I’m kind of surprised no one has come along and marketed an accurate reproduction of the more popular bicycle types from that era made of newly manufactured parts.

-Guinness

Probably because nobody thinks that bicycles had anything to do with WWII - credit that to the American "bicycles are children's toys" attitude.

 

[Mercian]

And to think the young guys now would probably immediately point to those “Saving Private Ryan” props as being completely inaccurate by comparison to more-recent reproductions for today’s authentically-minded reenactors.

I have a number of friends who started-out reenacting the American Civil War in the early 1960s. At that time, it was not at all uncommon to see someone sporting original leathers, weapons, or even assorted bits of uniform. Flash forward 60 years and people would be absolute aghast if you were to bring original anything out on to the field. I would imagine, in the not too distant future, the same might be said of anything that survives from WWII. Frankly, I’m kind of surprised no one has come along and marketed an accurate reproduction of the more popular bicycle types from that era made of newly manufactured parts.

-Guinness

I still have an M41 jacket and buckle boots from 'Saving Private Ryan'. One of the fun things about the boots is that they were made with smooth soles, so that in scenes where people are lying on Omaha Beach, there wouldn't be problems with modern, incorrect or unworn treads showing.

When I did the 70th Anniversary of DDay in Normandy, I wore my original M3 D bale helmet, because I didn't have a reproduction, and it had only cost me £5 originally anyway. I had someone lecture me on the treatment of these relics, which I found highly amusing.

Al Berger is a friend, and has done a good job on reproducing some items. He used to do complete bicycles, and they were a mixture of real, reproduction and and modified parts. I understand (but am willling to be corrected) he stopped offering this once the NOS saddle bases and Columbia rear mudguards dried up, and the wheel rims became rarer. There are still handlebars out there, but even those will go.

That is not to say that all the remaining NoS spares have been found yet. Let's hope there's some more goodies out there. (-:

About 25 years ago, in Europe there was a sudden glut of NOS size 3 US Gaiters. They'd been difficult to get until this point, but apparently someone located a huge number 'in a basement in New York'. Soon, they were cheap enough that if the laces snapped, you bought a new pair of gaiters, and I saw them in surplus shops from Greece to Norway. Now all gone, and have been for a long time.

Sorry, that was a bit random. (-:

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Pvtryanww2]

I still have an M41 jacket and buckle boots from 'Saving Private Ryan'. One of the fun things about the boots is that they were made with smooth soles, so that in scenes where people are lying on Omaha Beach, there wouldn't be problems with modern, incorrect or unworn treads showing.

When I did the 70th Anniversary of DDay in Normandy, I wore my original M3 D bale helmet, because I didn't have a reproduction, and it had only cost me £5 originally anyway. I had someone lecture me on the treatment of these relics, which I found highly amusing.

Al Berger is a friend, and has done a good job on reproducing some items. He used to do complete bicycles, and they were a mixture of real, reproduction and and modified parts. I understand (but am willling to be corrected) he stopped offering this once the NOS saddle bases and Columbia rear mudguards dried up, and the wheel rims became rarer. There are still handlebars out there, but even those will go.

That is not to say that all the remaining NoS spares have been found yet. Let's hope there's some more goodies out there. (-:

About 25 years ago, in Europe there was a sudden glut of NOS size 3 US Gaiters. They'd been difficult to get until this point, but apparently someone located a huge number 'in a basement in New York'. Soon, they were cheap enough that if the laces snapped, you bought a new pair of gaiters, and I saw them in surplus shops from Greece to Norway. Now all gone, and have been for a long time.

Sorry, that was a bit random. (-:

Best Regards,

Adrian

Well somebody needs step up and make repro stuff like al Berger does ..

 

[Mercian]

Hi @Pvtryanww2

It's a question of there being a market for it, and someone having the vision to see the market, and the money to invest to get the returns. Capitalism 101.

Until the 1990's there were nearly no reproduction parts for WW2 jeeps. This was partly because there were still original parts if you could find them, and parts for French made M201 jeeps fit if you weren't bothered about originality (Incidentally, the jeep coming off the beach in SPR is a Hotchkiss M201, not a Willys MB).

Body parts started to be made in the Philippines, because of the traditional Jeepneys there, and various companies in Europe, and I guess the US started to import them. The early bodies were poor copies, and thin steel, but when it was realised that people would pay for good copies, the quality improved. As the other original spares dried up, then it became worthwhile making reproductions.

About the year 2000 I visted a dealer called Reomie BV in Holland. They had built a Willys MB out of 80% reproduction parts, and at that point told me the following year they expected to build a Ford GPW, and within a couple of years the first 100% reproduction vehicle.

There will never be a market the size of WW2 jeeps. For a start they only made a tenth of the number of bicycles. However that would not necessarily stop someone producing parts and cornering a small market.

You're a young guy who is interested in WW2 and bicycles, you have contacts in the reenacting world, you have the information WW2 bikes we provide gratis here. Perhaps this is your opportunity to "step up"? It would be tough and risky, but you'd be attempting to achieve somehing different, something you enjoy.

I wish you the best of luck if you do decide to.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Pvtryanww2]

Hi @Pvtryanww2

It's a question of there being a market for it, and someone having the vision to see the market, and the money to invest to get the returns. Capitalism 101.

Until the 1990's there were nearly no reproduction parts for WW2 jeeps. This was partly because there were still original parts if you could find them, and parts for French made M201 jeeps fit if you weren't bothered about originality (Incidentally, the jeep coming off the beach in SPR is a Hotchkiss M201, not a Willys MB).

Body parts started to be made in the Philippines, because of the traditional Jeepneys there, and various companies in Europe, and I guess the US started to import them. The early bodies were poor copies, and thin steel, but when it was realised that people would pay for good copies, the quality improved. As the other original spares dried up, then it became worthwhile making reproductions.

About the year 2000 I visted a dealer called Reomie BV in Holland. They had built a Willys MB out of 80% reproduction parts, and at that point told me the following year they expected to build a Ford GPW, and within a couple of years the first 100% reproduction vehicle.

There will never be a market the size of WW2 jeeps. For a start they only made a tenth of the number of bicycles. However that would not necessarily stop someone producing parts and cornering a small market.

You're a young guy who is interested in WW2 and bicycles, you have contacts in the reenacting world, you have the information WW2 bikes we provide gratis here. Perhaps this is your opportunity to "step up"? It would be tough and risky, but you'd be attempting to achieve somehing different, something you enjoy.

I wish you the best of luck if you do decide to.

Best Regards,

Adrian

I do reenact and I’m a military historian the bicycle stuff is still new to me

 

[Guinness]

Given the realities of the world we live in, an investment in this sort of venture would be a pretty hard sell to would-be investors. Yes, it would be grand if you could simply order a reproduction bike, accurate in all the details. But how long, or more to the point, how many reproduction bicycles would get bought before the market was exhausted? It seems that with each passing year, there are fewer events and fewer participants. I'm not suggesting WWII reenacting is going to disappear, but it's certainly in a "down cycle" at present (as are most 'eras' in reenacting).

Thus, as the cost of 'original' bikes seems to be continually going up, it seems reasonable to think that owners will be less inclined to put undo wear & tear on their original examples. You might be better-off trying to assemble a bike that looks the part, but in truth is made of post war bits and pieces and save the original and genuinely authentic examples for display only.

Just my opinion and other folk's mileage will likely vary considerably,

-Guinness

 

[Freqman1]

Hi @Pvtryanww2

It's a question of there being a market for it, and someone having the vision to see the market, and the money to invest to get the returns. Capitalism 101.

Until the 1990's there were nearly no reproduction parts for WW2 jeeps. This was partly because there were still original parts if you could find them, and parts for French made M201 jeeps fit if you weren't bothered about originality (Incidentally, the jeep coming off the beach in SPR is a Hotchkiss M201, not a Willys MB).

Body parts started to be made in the Philippines, because of the traditional Jeepneys there, and various companies in Europe, and I guess the US started to import them. The early bodies were poor copies, and thin steel, but when it was realised that people would pay for good copies, the quality improved. As the other original spares dried up, then it became worthwhile making reproductions.

About the year 2000 I visted a dealer called Reomie BV in Holland. They had built a Willys MB out of 80% reproduction parts, and at that point told me the following year they expected to build a Ford GPW, and within a couple of years the first 100% reproduction vehicle.

There will never be a market the size of WW2 jeeps. For a start they only made a tenth of the number of bicycles. However that would not necessarily stop someone producing parts and cornering a small market.

You're a young guy who is interested in WW2 and bicycles, you have contacts in the reenacting world, you have the information WW2 bikes we provide gratis here. Perhaps this is your opportunity to "step up"? It would be tough and risky, but you'd be attempting to achieve somehing different, something you enjoy.

I wish you the best of luck if you do decide to.

Best Regards,

Adrian

x2 accurately reproducing a part let alone an entire bike isn't a cheap venture. There have been people here who have reproduced rare parts and have not come out ahead. This happens for two reasons: First, if you are going to reproduce a part it needs to have broad appeal. Reproducing a part for something that only a couple dozen exist is a sure money loser unless you customers have deep pockets and are willing to step up. Secondly, speaking of stepping up, I see people hunting rare stuff but don't want to pay market price. Genuine wartime bikes and parts are not cheap. Quality reproduction parts are not cheap either. I understand not everyone has unlimited disposable income, I sure don't, but if you need a part and its offered up it may be your only chance for quite a while before another pops up.

As far as riding these, or any other classic machine, I really don't have a problem. If you have an original bike and are concerned about the wear items then just get a rider seat, pedals, tires, and grips. This way you can put these things on and take the bike out and when you want to just display swap them back. I ride just about everything I have and most of it is none the worse for wear. Jus my 2c. V/r Shawn