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The "Hunt" Part 1, 2 and 3
- Thread starter Jim Barnard
- Start date
#eBayPartner Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
Jim Barnard
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Part 4
I had some hours available last night and wanted to get the Chopper back together, at least as far as my parts would take me. I had the opportunity to spray the chain guard (I did 2 of them as the old lacquer candy paint varies with the thickness of the coats) Oddly, one matched the bike before I cleaned the paint and the other matched the color better after a good cleaning. I ran out of white frame decals, but I have plenty of the chain guard ones still here. 30 years ago I had a few hundred of these chain guards welded up. The order my company placed with Matheson Metal Lab (somewhere in Michigan) said "Printer side covers" to throw the taxman off. Still got 50 or so left.
So far the project has:
4 wrong fasteners
repro guard and grips
NOS cable, dome nut, kick stand, 2 "R" nuts, pull chain and S/A positioning washers
Used but correct: hook pads, TCW console, knobs, lever cover, rear RL knobby (actually a 71 or 72 Holland), spray line front tyre
This old girl needs some touch up. There are lots of scrapes and dinks that have corroded. I may hit the Hobby place to try to get a single stage match. I will try not to make things worse.
At this point in the project I am happy. It has been fun and some good progress was made. If I did not already have the parts, things may have been less fun. It is kind of funny, I laid down all the bits that would go into the bike and then wanted to put them back on the shelves. Its like I don't want all the old stock to disappear... but what, if not this, am I holding them for? Perhaps I doubted I would end up keeping this one, since I have another same year, same color and same model in nicer condition. That did not stop me from putting my last set of R nuts, front fender and hook pads on this bike or from using the last of my candy lacquer (can we even buy lacquer anymore?).
I suspect I will try to trade this for a color and model I don't already have. I never have any luck making that kind of a deal, but I am willing to try.
I had some hours available last night and wanted to get the Chopper back together, at least as far as my parts would take me. I had the opportunity to spray the chain guard (I did 2 of them as the old lacquer candy paint varies with the thickness of the coats) Oddly, one matched the bike before I cleaned the paint and the other matched the color better after a good cleaning. I ran out of white frame decals, but I have plenty of the chain guard ones still here. 30 years ago I had a few hundred of these chain guards welded up. The order my company placed with Matheson Metal Lab (somewhere in Michigan) said "Printer side covers" to throw the taxman off. Still got 50 or so left.
So far the project has:
4 wrong fasteners
repro guard and grips
NOS cable, dome nut, kick stand, 2 "R" nuts, pull chain and S/A positioning washers
Used but correct: hook pads, TCW console, knobs, lever cover, rear RL knobby (actually a 71 or 72 Holland), spray line front tyre
This old girl needs some touch up. There are lots of scrapes and dinks that have corroded. I may hit the Hobby place to try to get a single stage match. I will try not to make things worse.
At this point in the project I am happy. It has been fun and some good progress was made. If I did not already have the parts, things may have been less fun. It is kind of funny, I laid down all the bits that would go into the bike and then wanted to put them back on the shelves. Its like I don't want all the old stock to disappear... but what, if not this, am I holding them for? Perhaps I doubted I would end up keeping this one, since I have another same year, same color and same model in nicer condition. That did not stop me from putting my last set of R nuts, front fender and hook pads on this bike or from using the last of my candy lacquer (can we even buy lacquer anymore?).
I suspect I will try to trade this for a color and model I don't already have. I never have any luck making that kind of a deal, but I am willing to try.
Last edited:
Frank and Pam Skid Kings
I live for the CABE
You really nailed all the emotions and thoughts that go into a "find". The before, during and after purchase feelings are exactly what I think most of us go through. Keep us posted on the further adventures of this find. I think I know the short term outcome, I'll see if I am right ! I know if it was me, I'd "step back" from it for a while and let things settle. Thanks again for the great story !
Jim Barnard
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Part 5
Pretty happy with the stickers. They are slightly smaller than the stock screen... or what ever Raleigh did back in 1969 - 1972 for the MK 1 bikes. The simple "Extended Eurostyle Bold" font is Sooooo important to the CHOPPER look that it was hard to sleep with the bike missing the name. I remember spring 1970, being 9 years old and walking down the stairs to the basement bike shop in our town. I always walked down slowly as the first thing you saw was a redline "Vinylon" CHOPPER tire. As you descended you would see another behind it... and another. There was about 15 Choppers that appeared in a perfect row when you cleared the doorway and stood in the room. These were all on the left and the counter was on the right. The shop went back about 60 feet but somehow I don't remember what the other bikes in there. I would guess there were DL-1, Sports, RSW, Rodeo, Fireball, Mountie, Records, Gran Prix (?) and all the Raleigh bikes but I only had eyes for the Choppers.
With all the front tires lined up perfectly, it was easy to notice the different models in 1970. Some had no front brakes and were the Single Speed coasters. Some had tall sissy bars (HBR) and these were the the new 10 speeds with french derailleur and front changers mounted on welded brackets on a unique frame or 3+2 twin sticks with an S5 hub on a normal 3 speed frame or the derailleur 5 speed with the front facing drop out. There were the odd ball girlie model that came in 3 speed or single speed. You got hosed pretty good with the single speed bike. It cost a little less, but you did not get a front brake, shifter (just a blank console saying "Coaster"), no springs (new for 1970! the left over 69 bike in the line up had none), no spoke protector (Came on the three speed bike for purely aesthetical reasons) and what was usually old school pedals. Some of the bikes had the Slik tire. To me and my pals that made you a "Cool Cat". In that year there was Chopper Yellow, Space Blue, Brilliant Orange, Emerald Green, Carmine Red and Black with orange letters.
All my neighborhood pals had Choppers. It was a very big thing. I can't remember how the word was passed or what ad we all saw or if one kid got one and we all saw it in person, but it was the thing that year. The bikes cost about $100 when the average Dad made $800 a month. Some where there is a pic of me and my sister sitting on Blue Raleighs by the Christmas tree. Me on my Chopper and her on her Space Rider. She never did recover from not having a Chopper.
If there is someone with an Brilliant Orange any model (NO Pumpkin) or perhaps a S3C, 10 speed or coaster boys bike looking to trade... let me know.
Thanks
Jim
Pretty happy with the stickers. They are slightly smaller than the stock screen... or what ever Raleigh did back in 1969 - 1972 for the MK 1 bikes. The simple "Extended Eurostyle Bold" font is Sooooo important to the CHOPPER look that it was hard to sleep with the bike missing the name. I remember spring 1970, being 9 years old and walking down the stairs to the basement bike shop in our town. I always walked down slowly as the first thing you saw was a redline "Vinylon" CHOPPER tire. As you descended you would see another behind it... and another. There was about 15 Choppers that appeared in a perfect row when you cleared the doorway and stood in the room. These were all on the left and the counter was on the right. The shop went back about 60 feet but somehow I don't remember what the other bikes in there. I would guess there were DL-1, Sports, RSW, Rodeo, Fireball, Mountie, Records, Gran Prix (?) and all the Raleigh bikes but I only had eyes for the Choppers.
With all the front tires lined up perfectly, it was easy to notice the different models in 1970. Some had no front brakes and were the Single Speed coasters. Some had tall sissy bars (HBR) and these were the the new 10 speeds with french derailleur and front changers mounted on welded brackets on a unique frame or 3+2 twin sticks with an S5 hub on a normal 3 speed frame or the derailleur 5 speed with the front facing drop out. There were the odd ball girlie model that came in 3 speed or single speed. You got hosed pretty good with the single speed bike. It cost a little less, but you did not get a front brake, shifter (just a blank console saying "Coaster"), no springs (new for 1970! the left over 69 bike in the line up had none), no spoke protector (Came on the three speed bike for purely aesthetical reasons) and what was usually old school pedals. Some of the bikes had the Slik tire. To me and my pals that made you a "Cool Cat". In that year there was Chopper Yellow, Space Blue, Brilliant Orange, Emerald Green, Carmine Red and Black with orange letters.
All my neighborhood pals had Choppers. It was a very big thing. I can't remember how the word was passed or what ad we all saw or if one kid got one and we all saw it in person, but it was the thing that year. The bikes cost about $100 when the average Dad made $800 a month. Some where there is a pic of me and my sister sitting on Blue Raleighs by the Christmas tree. Me on my Chopper and her on her Space Rider. She never did recover from not having a Chopper.
If there is someone with an Brilliant Orange any model (NO Pumpkin) or perhaps a S3C, 10 speed or coaster boys bike looking to trade... let me know.
Thanks
Jim
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