New Member with a Rupp Field Find

O

OriginalWhitey

New Member
#1
#1
Hey everyone I just picked up an old Rupp that was just laying in a field at the in-law's house:













I know its an old Rupp Roadster but I have no idea the year. I'm guessing early 70's. Its been laying in a field rotting away for a long time so everything on its locked up. I do have another motor in case this one is shot but I think I can salvage it.

I'm going to try and get it running than I think I'll restore it. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the original colors or do something different. I'm not looking to put alot of money in it but I do have a home powdercoating setup so I think I can do a nice job for little money.

That is all. :scooter: Comments welcome
 
smallbikes88

smallbikes88

Active Member
#2
#2
Cool find, Its a 1970 that year was the only year the exhaust went out the side of the frame. After alot of kids were burned the pipe was moved under the frame. It looks pretty good for being in a field on its side. Do you know whos it was or anyothwer thing about it?
 
delray

delray

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
i believe you have 70?, nice find :thumbsup: well worth restoring and it looks like it came with lights too:thumbsup: there are some rupp guys here that can tell you more about it. just give them a day or so to reply:smile:.................:scooter:
 
markus

markus

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
maybe you shoud have looked for a body!!!!!!:smile:


Nice 1970, all I see out of the ordinary is the chainguard, which oddly enough seems to be the same fade/color of the frame. Really does not look too bad for sitting and rotting on its side out in the woods, what area of the US are you in?

Definitly try and salvage the motor, as its gothe charging system for the lights, or send it to me :wink: good luck getting it going:thumbsup:
 
D

dobber

New Member
#7
#7
You are one of the lucky ones to find a complete 70 Roadster. I just have to think that it must have been stolen or somthing, but I have seen people throw away good stuff like that in the past. Looks more complete then ether of my Rupp's. Does the engine have the Lighting Coil? If you Decide to sell, you will have no problem finding a buyer here on the site. But I sure hope you keep it and become a Mini Lover for Life.
 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#10
#10
It is a toe stubber that lost it's home. It had a good life in the garage untill it got 86ed from it's home and rolled out side and left to rot. There is a law against it I am sure just the common since anti litter law should suffice.
Steve :scooter:
 
O

OriginalWhitey

New Member
#11
#11
dobber said:
You are one of the lucky ones to find a complete 70 Roadster. I just have to think that it must have been stolen or somthing, but I have seen people throw away good stuff like that in the past. Looks more complete then ether of my Rupp's. Does the engine have the Lighting Coil? If you Decide to sell, you will have no problem finding a buyer here on the site. But I sure hope you keep it and become a Mini Lover for Life.
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I really don't think it was stolen, just forgotten about. Its been sitting next to a shed for years and years. I brought it up to my girlfriend to find out if I could take this thing (she said it was worthless and was just going to get thrown away) she asked her family and they said I could have it if I wanted. I watched enough Judge Judy to know that if you leave something on someone's property for 10 years, it belongs to the property owner so they can rightfully give it away... I hope :scooter:


markus said:
maybe you shoud have looked for a body!!!!!!:smile:


Nice 1970, all I see out of the ordinary is the chainguard, which oddly enough seems to be the same fade/color of the frame. Really does not look too bad for sitting and rotting on its side out in the woods, what area of the US are you in?

Definitly try and salvage the motor, as its gothe charging system for the lights, or send it to me :wink: good luck getting it going:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I'm in the Northeast Philadelphia region. The chainguard looks factory unless someone did a good job of making one.

I'm going to try my best to salvage the motor. I'm going to clean the carb and dump some mystery oil down the cylinder and let it sit for a while. If not I do have another motor.


Here's more pics, this site is a world of information so maybe I'll learn something else. :thumbsup:

















From the back it looks like the rear wheel is offset, is this normal? :


 
D

dobber

New Member
#12
#12
Don't Junk the motor, it is worth way to much to do that, and the chain gaurd is not original but you can get them cheep off of Ebay.
 
smallbikes88

smallbikes88

Active Member
#14
#14
OriginalWhitey said:
What makes it worth more than your average 5hp tecumseh?
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Not all tecumseh motors have a lighting coil behind the flywheel, and if this one does its worth money. Lots of bikes use them for headlights and tail lights. So treat it good, dont scrap anything off the bike someone will want or need parts from it.
 
markus

markus

Well-Known Member
#15
#15
dobber said:
Don't Junk the motor, it is worth way to much to do that, and the chain gaurd is not original but you can get them cheep off of Ebay.
Click to expand...
actually the chainguard to fit a '70 it s bit tougher to find, while they look the same as a later model they mount up differently. There is a ghetto spraypainted one on ebay and thats it (I've been on the hunt for one in tip top condition for ahwile)

Whitey it faired very well for being discarded behind the woodshed. My guess is maybe it had not been on its side to as long as it has been out there. Trying to remember on mine but I think the back wheels sits a little off on mine too, not that far though. Someone may have miss matched spacers or something when they took the back wheel off at one time, or something funky has been done to the jackshaft and it brought the sprocket out further on the shaft, so they slid the wheel over to keep it straight or something (could be why there is a modded chainguard???)
 
minibikedude

minibikedude

Active Member
#17
#17
I have my 1970 Rupp Apart to restore but I think the rear wheel has the Rupp lean to it the swing arms get tweak and make the wheel tilted. but i think the spacer is correct for that year. The engine should be restored Rupps are worth a lot more with the correct motor in them and you have a engine with the lighting coil in it.
 
minibikin'

minibikin'

Sho-nuff
#18
#18
Very nice find indeed. Good luck with it. I am in PA as well right near Quakertown. There are many more member's from this area since I joined the site.
 
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dobber

New Member
#19
#19
minibikedude said:
I have my 1970 Rupp Apart to restore but I think the rear wheel has the Rupp lean to it the swing arms get tweak and make the wheel tilted. but i think the spacer is correct for that year. The engine should be restored Rupps are worth a lot more with the correct motor in them and you have a engine with the lighting coil in it.
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My 70 was like that too, but my 72 was not.So I took mine apart and found my frame was bent, so I had it fixed.



 
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minibikedude

minibikedude

Active Member
#20
#20
Hey dobber did that frame get bent like that from jumping it. One thing I have notice on all my rupp frames is the down tube that goes under the motor pan is always welded on crocked. I have 9 frames all the same. They did not line them up straight from the factory to the rear down tube. I was talking to Brandt this summer because my wifes 71 Rupp 12inched wheeled bike started to get the Rupp lean to the rear wheel and he told my that it is a common promblem with them. I should check my frame though after see yours.
 
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