Yeah, that seat bracket deal is an add-on, which I'm sure you could prolly tell by looking at it.... Here's a shot of an original Taco we have, check out the wheels...
The other thing that I have learned from this deal is that the previously unidentified forks on my current Bird Wren project are indeed Taco as well. Think O might just sell those off and build some more in line with that bike, probably the rear wheel too as the Lil' Indian will be more custom and in my opinion needs a five spoke mag type wheel.
No pictures to show. But I have 4 Rupp Roadsters. 2- 1971 Roadster 2's, 1-1972 Roadster 2 and 1-1970 Roadster. 3 of them run and the last one I am making into a show bike.(It will be the exact duplicate of the mini bike I had as a kid.) I had one as a kid. Brings back so good old memories with some of my old friends.
The little guys in post 1435....I will give them to anyone who can pick them up in Laurel, Mississippi if they already have a post in this thread. I believe them to be a Rupp Roadster and a Fox Street Scamp EDIT............gone to a new home
Dang Guffey, You find the neatest stuff !!! I wish I could tell you something about it, but all I can say is geez, that thing is cool (really like the fringe on the seat!)
This is super nice, too bad I live so far away, or I would surely scoop them up> This is what the spirit of the HAMB is all about !! Good on you, pure good karma.
It is 14 inches to the top of the seat and 22inches to handle bars. I think Troy brought his home and he showed it to the Michrina bros.and that started Lil Indian mini bikes?? I kinda suspect the size was dictated so it would fit in Ruttman's baggage door on his airplane?? It will be better after I scrap those fenders.
I picked this up from a buddy today. From what I can find on the web, it appears to be a Fantic Broncco TX2 made in Italy in the late 1960's. It should clean up decent and be a fun "pit bike". Anybody know anything about them? Jim
I had a mini-bike when I was a kid. One day my Dad brought home a basket case from a swap meet. He and I took it apart and cleaned it up. We repainted it and installed an engine he had on the shelf in the garage. He had a friend of his weld up a new chain guard and some other odds and ends that were missing. My Mom re-upholstered the seat. We put it all together and it was one cool piece. I was the only kid in our neighborhood with a mini-bike. I rode the hell out of that thing. A couple years later we were moving. We had some stuff in a storage locker, including my mini-bike. Would you believe some SOB stole my mini-bike out of the storage locker? It absolutely broke my heart. Here was something that my Mom, Dad, & I all worked on together, and some prick stole it. Still bothers me to this day and it was stolen roughly 25 years ago. I'd really love to find the bastard that took it. If anybody happens to run across a mini-bike with a Kohler Engine and a foot brake, you may have found my baby.
I currently have a Bird Wren project. Changed the color from red to black, new front wheel and tire (5"), rebuilt carb on the 5 hp Briggs flathead. Getting ready to put it back together.
1974 Honda Z50 I hauled out of a customer's basement. Worked on the guy for years and he finally said ok when he moved last year. Did about 2 hours of work for it, he was fine with the deal and so was I! Usually starts on the 1st kick. Keeping it for a pit bike, the handlebars fold down so it should fit in the Chevy's trunk.
Awesome, looks like the one I had as a little kid, just mine was blue with green wheels lol, my choice. I loved that bike, and I want another sometime. The Hot Rod Grille: Check out oldminibikes.com I learned a bit about my brothers bronnco there. Not to much info on em..
I have a couple old frames, I saw one on horse power tv a couple years ago,one that had an ice chest side car.
Three of my Lil Indians. Not sure what year the gold one is. The chrome framed one is a 1968 or 69. Blue one with suspension is a '69.
Neat North East metal! On your gold framed bike, are those 4" Manco wheels or 5"? i'm trying to decide which I want on mine. What did ya do for a brake on that one?
Manco they are. On the gold mini it's a 5" rear and 4" front. I'm using a band brake on the clutch for the gold mini. The chromed frame model has it's original spot disc on the rear sprocket.
Thank you sir! I just found Lil' Indian recently and it has a Taco rear wheel on it now, and I think I've decided to sell it and run a pair of Van K aluminum 5" wheels. I just started cleaning it up this morning. I have seen your bikes over at the Lil' Indian facebook page, but it's sure much nicer to see them here where I can blow them up to a size I can see. Now if I could just blow my Lil' Indian up to a size I could ride!
I have a couple ill Indians and a trailhorse chopper Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Thanks! It's a goofy one. I picked up an engine from a guy today. He had it since he was a kid and decided I should have it for something. After some research, it looks like I now have a period correct, SMOKER for the mini bike build! It's going to take a while to polish all the aluminum! It's a Power Products Model 1000
I've been watching kijiji for an older one with no real luck, this newer little turd showed up, so I bought it. Put's a smile on my face
They are good for putting a smile on your face. I built a side car on one of my later model Lil Indians. Ideal pit bike while at the races.
Minis with sidecars are a great idea. FYI, we finally got dates for the White Knuckle Scramble - June 29 and Sept 14
So, I had a little get together down town today, and Bodi, landseaadair,Crafts customs,Hot Rod Ron, Nick Flores, and myself all went out for a ride to lunch a couple of miles away from my place. First rule about urban mini bike fight club is never TALK about urban mini bike fight club... Well, blew that one! Second rule, shut it down when you see a cop!!! All survived well, lunch was eaten, mini bikes were fixed, pictures were taken and Corvettes were menaced... It's a good day! Damn, I can't make the photos and videos work. Bodi will post soon I'm sure.
The Jalopy Journal
