The "Off The Wall" Rupp Dart Cycle

KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#1
#1
As much as I like doing everything myself...or with the help of my son....sometimes you just have to defer to the experts...like when I asked Evil Ed to spray the "Bonanza Blue" on the Spitler bike..:pimp:..sometimes it just has to be.

For a while now I have been watching Scottesy's Rupp Dart Cycle thread with envy...while his bike was getting the royal treatment in his mini bike "salon" ....my poor old Dart Cycle hung on the wall in a dark corner in the back of my garage . A previous owner had tweaked the neck on the bike and messed with the down tube...it was kind of discouraging because even with measurements and photos I knew it would be near impossible to get it perfect again.

Some days I would take it down...mess with it a while...get discouraged and hang it backup again on the wall....:no:

It got so I was driving Scotty crazy with all my questions....what's this distance.? .what's that distance..? .what's the neck angle...?.can you take a picture of this.?..how about this part..?

Then...it happened......

Out of the kindness of his heart (or to make me leave him alone :rolleyes:).... Scott offered to take my Dart into his California shop and straighten it out for me...


All I had to do is get it there!

 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#3
#3
jdogg said:
Thats great Gerry!! I met Scott at Fun Day and was just a really nice guy to talk to!!
Click to expand...
Yep.....:thumbsup:

So my Dart made it out there....and now there are three original Dart Cycles housed under one roof ! Maybe some kind of record .:scooter::scooter::scooter:

On top of that, I found out that behind the scenes the collaboration goes even further. Other members of the Dart Cycle Club...namely JMBmini, Hounddog and Ratfink396 ...have been sharing parts, information, photos, serial numbers, paint codes, etc.....and discussing subtle manufacturing, year, and model differences.

There's a "summit" of Dart Cycle enthusiasts taking place in So-cal and I am thrilled to now be a part of it !
 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#4
#4
Some progress pics from Scottesy:

First order of business was to repair the neck.

The Previous owner had laid the neck back to increase the rake, and added an extension to the lower part of the single downtube.



Unfortuately whoever it was did some job of welding it back on...!!:doah:

This was the next update I got...



:eek:hmy:
 
jdogg

jdogg

#6
#6
KustomKartKid said:
On top of that, I found out that behind the scenes the collaboration goes even further. Other members of the Dart Cycle Club...namely JMBmini, Hounddog and Ratfink396 ...have been sharing parts, information, photos, serial numbers, paint codes, etc.....and discussing subtle manufacturing, year, and model differences.
Click to expand...
Those :censure:"s!!! :laugh:
 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#8
#8
jdogg said:
Oh my!! That was quite the rake they had on there!! Looks factory now!! :thumbsup:
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Cozied up next to the other two, he was able to transfer the measurements and massage the front end back to perfection.!!

He next found a couple short sections of tubing where the frame is "Z-d".....that looked like it had purposely been flattened to allow for chain or jackshaft sprocket clearance:





He spliced in some short sections of new tubing to repair them:





 
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buckeye

buckeye

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
Scott does such great work.:thumbsup:
Then with your attention to detail, this should be a beautiful bike when completed.
Thanks for sharing Gerry.:thumbsup:
 
Mark G

Mark G

#14
#14
KustomKartKid said:
Next up...bent and crushed footpeg:





Presto..




Like new :smile:
Click to expand...
Wow Gerry, looking good:thumbsup:
Scott does some amazing work, I'm lucky enough to have some parts from him on a few of my projects.
Scott, I get how you bent the whole bar back in the vice, but how did you fix the end if the pipe...Did you massage the metal back somehow, or splice a new piece in:confused:
 
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ratfink396

ratfink396

Member
#16
#16
Congratulations, KKK - our newest "club" member! And, yes, Scottessy has amazing skills, and is one of the nicest guys out there! :thumbsup:
 
jmbmini

jmbmini

New Member
#17
#17
Gerry,
Glad to see another Dart Cycle being brought back to life. Think about after over fifty years of rough service! It will enjoy it's retirement in the "Garage of Fame" with other mini bikes!
 
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Scottessey

Scottessey

Active Member
#18
#18
Gerry, there is no doubt that we would not have got this far on restoring Dart Cycles without the help of JMBmini, Ratfink, Hounddog, Karterman, and BAB. These guys have been amazing with all their knowledge, brochures, specs, and sharing. It's been a great team effort. :thumbsup:

Mark- I just tapped it back in shape. First with a smaller rod from a side angle, then I brought it back to round with a larger rod that I sanded a taper on the end and tapped it straight in.

More pics coming soon from Scottessey's Mini Bike Salon! :laugh::laugh::thumbsup:
 
ratfink396

ratfink396

Member
#19
#19
Scottessy is correct: there ARE some really great people on this forum! :wink:

KKK: PLEASE keep the pics coming on your progress! :thumbsup:
 
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