cruhr1 2016 build off entry*vintage class *1969 Rupp Chopper*

cruhr1

cruhr1

#1
#1
Here is my entry in the build off. The 1969 Rupp Chopper I picked up last week. This is my first time entering the build off in what looks to be a crowded "vintage class" with some really cool other bikes so I'll have my work cut out. With a couple weeks off the clock already there's no time to waste. Thanks for looking!

Chad

 
capguncowboy

capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
It's your bike, so you can do what you want, but i think a lot of avid collectors would rather see a survivor bike than a completely restored bike. Especially when the OG paint and chrome look as good as what is on your bike
 
cruhr1

cruhr1

#11
#11
capguncowboy said:
I'm with Ray and Bill. I'd clean it, polish the chrome and tune the engine! The paint and chrome look like they're in really great shape
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Well I figured this would become a controversial bike to put in the build off. I realize it's a "survivor" and I've heard many of you say "its only original once" and I get all that but I think in this case you guys are giving this bike way too much love for the reality of its condition. Maybe the pics don't show it well but the paint is not nice. Almost every inch of that frame is pitted with rust. Some areas are obviously worse than others but it's pretty crusty. The chrome is beyond polishing. The top edge of the chain guard does not have a speck of chrome left and its cracked. I want to fix that chain guard a before it becomes a two piece model and have it rechromed. I have not cleaned any dirt off the wheels yet to see their true condition. The single down tube on the frame has a giant glob of stick weld from a previous "repair" and its ugly. The last reason I want to restore it is those Tecumseh side tank engines are so pretty when done right. Bottom line: One way or another the bike is not staying like it is. I will be restoring it and if there are too many guys that don't want to see it touched then I guess I'll do it on my own and not post any pics. Remember guys this is a Minnesota bike. Everything rusts here even if it just sits in a shed for 25yrs and I don't see any justice being done to this bike leaving it as is. Just my opinion.
 
capguncowboy

capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#13
#13
OND said:
It's your bike..:thumbsup:.good luck and I will be watching this build.
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Like I said, it's your bike to do with what you please. Those 60s Rupps were built from really high-quality steel. You'd be surprised how well they clean up.







It was painstaking, and took 20-30 hours to clean it up, and it certainly didn't look new when I was done, but it changed my opinion about the dividing line between restoration project and refurb project.

Either way, I look forward to seeing your project progress :thumbsup:
 
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cruhr1

cruhr1

#14
#14
capguncowboy said:
Like I said, it's your bike to do with what you please. Those 60s Rupps were built from really high-quality steel. You'd be surprised how well they clean up.







It was painstaking, and took 20-30 hours to clean it up, and it certainly didn't look new when I was done, but it changed my opinion about the dividing line between restoration project and refurb project.

Either way, I look forward to seeing your project progress :thumbsup:
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Alright. I'll work on cleaning it up first and I'll take close up pictures. If it turns out it's better than I thought I'll leave it alone. But the with the crack in the chain guard and deep rust pitting on the top side it's on the fast track to becoming scrap metal. I will have to do something with it.
 
markus

markus

Well-Known Member
#19
#19
If your plans are to keep it and you really love it, I would redo it. No better way to start a project than actually having all the correct parts in front of you instead of trying to hunt everything down or settling on the incorrect parts because you cant find them. I lean toward redo becuase of the frame "repair" needing repaired and the chainguard crack more than anything. Just looking to make some scratch off it, then just clean it up but the frame issue will kill it for alot of people anyway and bring the overall value down.

One thing I will point out from my experience with the cubs and 220's, if you start messing with the tank and take it off the shroud or anything like that, no matter how clean it is inside, reline/reseal it. Whoever had done the "restoration" on the engine that came with one of the 220 cubs I had did not, even thought it was an NOS tank it started to seep from the riv-nuts, thankfully they did use quality paint and didnt ruin the finish of the shroud. But I did have to "break the seal" on the shroud bolts and bugger up a better than average "resto" to get the shroud off so I could seal the tank-it was that or I had try and roll sealer all around inside the tank and hold it upside down still attached to the engine! It may not leak now but when taking the bolts out or re installing its possible for the rivnut to move and they are not sealed.

Good luck with it!
 
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gammatg

gammatg

#20
#20
Here was my 69 Roadster as found condition. After about 6 hours of cleaning it looked like this. I removed the tank and only painted the recoil white because it was red. Coke and aluminum foil works great on cleaning the chrome.
IMG_20150607_120035_347 (1).jpg
 

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