1974 JC Penney duster chopper (cat)!

markus

Well-Known Member
#1
Just got home from picking this up. I believe the bike to be 100% original and unmolested. Its got patina, and unfortunately the sissy bar did not survive, but this paint scheme is one I haven't seen pop up yet. Everything is functioning even the cables, motor does turn over with compression but it feels like it needs to be torn down. I even got the cool captian america helmet thats next to it and a sissy bar off a full size bike I can maybe make use of in the deal:thumbsup:



Motor is interesting to me, its an early style shroud motor but they did not use an aluminum tag on it. They stamped to top of the shroud like the later fatter shrouds. Might not be odd, I thought they went to different shroud around '74 though??? spark plug is still the painted original even.
 

delray

Well-Known Member
#7
markus if i am correct? 1974 would of been the square style top covers and also the stamping would of been on top. looks like tecumseh my have had some left over old style covers and stamp the numbers on top.
i see the numbers after the serial and the first number is a 4=1974.....:thumbsup: i would say you have a very rare motor. i have never seen a old style cover stamp on top....:shrug: also looks like it was built for a minibike or gokart application with the crossflags decal. one question for you markus. does it also have the first design minibike throttle cable hookup?


very nice find....:thumbsup: take that bike any day over a rupp.....:scooter:
 

TomH

New Member
#12
That wood table with all the bikes on top needs bracing on those legs. Bikes and people could get hurt real easy with that setup. Nice bike BTW.
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#13
Nice find Markus...can I get the dimensions of that seat base? Id appreciate it. Thanks
Kenny I sent a reply about it in the seat dimension thread in General section.

markus if i am correct? 1974 would of been the square style top covers and also the stamping would of been on top. looks like tecumseh my have had some left over old style covers and stamp the numbers on top.
i see the numbers after the serial and the first number is a 4=1974..... i would say you have a very rare motor. i have never seen a old style cover stamp on top.... also looks like it was built for a minibike or gokart application with the crossflags decal. one question for you markus. does it also have the first design minibike throttle cable hookup?
Delray, thats what I was thinking too, that '74 was the changeover. It has the later style linkage setup on it.


The first thing I went for when I picked up the bike was the tag, It was getting dark out, so I didn't notice the remains of the info decal I just though someone popped the plate off (which I was bummed about). I did not notice the stamping on the shroud till I got home.

The serial # is 4287b, so it was built pretty late in the year. something I never thought of but Rupp was still in the game with the 12" wheeled bikes at that point. Maybe the few that were still making bikes at that point didn't want to tec to change the design too much in order to keep parts supplies simpler etc..? Whatever the reason, I definitely think its an interesting find!


Oh and thanks for all the Props on the bike guys! I don't expect to get around to doing much more than a bath on it for awhile, I still haven't finished the 350ss thats about 80% done that I started and then shelf-ed at the first of the year:doah:
 

pomfish

Well-Known Member
#15
I just bought a H35 recently that also had the numbers stamped on top with no plate and it is also an old curved flywheel cover. Thought it strange, glad to see there are others.
 

delray

Well-Known Member
#16
that is kind of weird it has the second design throttle linkage on a older style cover, but thats the type of linkage they would of use in 74.
cool thing is you got it and you will know what to do with it. restore it just like it is........:scooter:
 
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