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BMX General => BMX Chat => Topic started by: oldschoolace on August 09, 2015, 09:26 PM
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...... Could I have you thoughts on this oddity :)
(http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/oldschoolace/Mobile%20Uploads/_1.JPG3_zpsikyxk522.jpeg) (http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/oldschoolace/media/Mobile%20Uploads/_1.JPG3_zpsikyxk522.jpeg.html)
(http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/oldschoolace/Mobile%20Uploads/_1.JPG2_zps0e0d3drh.jpeg) (http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/oldschoolace/media/Mobile%20Uploads/_1.JPG2_zps0e0d3drh.jpeg.html)
(http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/oldschoolace/Mobile%20Uploads/_1.JPG_zpsfggiw7vx.jpeg) (http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/oldschoolace/media/Mobile%20Uploads/_1.JPG_zpsfggiw7vx.jpeg.html)
Apparently unearthed in a house clearance and hand made by this cranwar garage place near Birmingham.
Yes i know the gusset is dreadful :-[
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Looks like something out of Dr. Frankenframe's laboratory looking at them seat stays and gusset. :shocked:
Very odd. ???
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I think that's cool
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Odd but interesting!! I can't make out the design/shape cut out of the gusset. & I'm guessing it's not chromoly? On the plus side it's a loopy, and you'd probably never see anyone else riding one! :daumenhoch:
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The gusset has a sitting cat for some reason. Might be a black country thing ???
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The geometry of that is far from 'purr'fect Clint. It must be awful to ride. Not keen on the gusset taking up most of the front triangle either.
But it sure is a 'twerky' old thing, the 'cats whiskers' some might say :D ;D
Coat, Hook, I know :crazy2:
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I saw that (being a cat lover) but looks like it's been added afterwards?
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"nono" :yahoo_silent:
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Might have a lead on the original owners of the garage :)
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Can we get a close up of that gusset, I love a bit of pussy
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Interesting looking frame that. :) It's nice it has the old decal on it. :) So is it possible the garage made it, or modified it? :-\
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Interesting looking frame that. :) It's nice it has the old decal on it. :) So is it possible the garage made it, or modified it? :-\
Garage didn't make it bud, fookin Stevie Wonder did
While very very very pissed :teef:
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Will get some better pics up when it arrives, just to annoy you Rich :LolLolLolLol:
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Will get some better pics up when it arrives, just to annoy you Rich :LolLolLolLol:
Bring it Mk :daumenhoch:
I'll bring the seatpost & we can have a ceremonial sling in the lake :LolLolLolLol:
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Thought the only think they made in Tipton was pork scratchings....?
Pity
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Thought the only think they made in Tipton was pork scratchings....?
Pity
No good pork scratchings Griff cos ................
8 out of 10 frames that expressed a preference chose whiskers :bellend:
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The last pack of scratchings I bought actually had a great big curly bastard in the pack that still had whiskers attached to it
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The last pack of scratchings I bought actually had a great big curly bastard in the pack that still had whiskers attached to it
Ass or snout scratching ???
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:( ;D
Interesting looking frame that. :) It's nice it has the old decal on it. :) So is it possible the garage made it, or modified it? :-\
Garage didn't make it bud, fookin Stevie Wonder did
While very very very pissed :teef:
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Just received an intersting bit of info on this frame :)
"Hi! clint the bike frame you have was made by gerry johnson who had one of the garages at the rear of cranwar and built and looked after grass track bikes for many stars of the 70s and 80s including steve smith who won I think 5 british championships. The bike frame was made for my son Gary who was involved with the bmx scene"
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Just got this from Gary :daumenhoch:
"Hi Clint,
What can I say - I must be getting sentimental in my old age but I'm so made up that the bike is still around. I have such good memories of it in my youth. Couldn't stop smiling or telling people about it when dad told me.
So. The first bit. I have only managed to find one photo of it so far. Christmas day 1980? (could be 1981). Find that attached. Me and Cranwar on the left and my brother with Torker 280x on the right. We had rubbish cameras back then so its not the best but you can see the distinctive sweeping shape of the bracing (with the cat that isn't really shown on my photo).
It was made by Gerry (Jonty) Johnson in the shop behind the main wooden garage on Tividale Street. It was (and amazingly now still is) the only one ever made. It was made as a Christmas present to me to replace the Team Murray I had been riding for a year or two. Gerry made it quite short at the back in an attempt to get more traction on loose tracks.
Gerry himself was one the best pipe benders and welders I have ever seen. He also knew pretty much everything you could know about building race bikes and was responsible for designing and building grass track sidecar frames for multiple British champions. Steve Smith, Craig Cheetham, Alan Artus, my cousin Mark Nelson to name but a few.
I spent many happy times with Gerry in my teens, traveling the country to race meetings and helping prepare the bikes. He sadly died many years ago now.
The cat itself was actually cut out by Len Crane - another important person in my life who we sadly lost in February this year. I remember him telling me how he had cut out the cat in both plates in the workshop at the back of the transport yard a little further along Tividale Street. Of course Len was the person who was responsible for getting me into steam engines.
Was I any good? Not really. Although the older I get the better I was! We were keen and raced locally. There was a group of us that all raced together. I'm still friends with most of them. One or two went onto motocross and I had a flirtation with grasstrack but then grew up and got all sensible. I spend my time now restoring steam traction engines as a hobby. Still ride mountain bikes for fun though.
The significance of the cat - everything that was built or prepared by Gerry (Jonty) Johnson had it. Quite why he decided on a cat I'm afraid he took with him to the grave. I've always guessed that he did it as a nod towards Robin Rhind Tutt who was behind the Wasp racing bike name. A cat being better than a wasp.
Parts on the bike - I can remember it had gold Araya 7x rims. As you'll see from the photo it also had a gold 3 piece crank and gold brakes and levers. Red grips, seat and front plate.
It was all Gerry's work - apart from the cutting of the cat which was Len. It was of course sent for chroming by a company near by which my dad will remember the name.
Yes it was raced - by me anyway. I have no idea if anyone after me raced it. We raced out of the Brierley Hill club that had its track on ground close the Buckpool School, Brierley Hill Road, Wordsley. I think its all houses now but I haven't been that way for years as we now live down in Cornwall."
(http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/oldschoolace/cranwar%20christmas_zpsr1ppbhlv.jpg) (http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/oldschoolace/media/cranwar%20christmas_zpsr1ppbhlv.jpg.html)
Does anyone remember Gary, Brierley hill track or the frame being ridden?
Shout out if you can name any parts too :daumenhoch:
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brilliant story!!! thanks Clint for the update
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Yep, Wordsley track was the home of the Wordsley warriors BMX club. Half decent track if I remember rightly - one of my old stomping grounds......
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Cool vid Bert :daumenhoch:
Couldnt see any cat gussets though :D
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cool history
and a one off frame
nice :daumenhoch:
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You remember when you rode it Bert? The lad seems to reckon there was no pa system when he rode it so it could be before 85?
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Came back for another look
Love stuff like this :)
Did Gary ask for it back?
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Can't believe you managed to find the poor fella, sounds like he loved that bike too :crazy2:
Noticed he live in Cornwall now, whatever you do don't let him have it back cos i might end up seeing it in the flesh :bondage:
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Small world. Such a cool story. 8) :)
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Hi didn't ask for it back or at least hasn't yet. Think he is busy with his steam engines.
Still can't quite believe I found him, and without the aid of wankbook too ;D
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You remember when you rode it Bert? The lad seems to reckon there was no pa system when he rode it so it could be before 85?
Definitely pre 85 - i'm guessing possibly late 83' early 84 when i used to ride it....... Was but a wee nipper and the table top used to scare me......