Budget Rupp build

cfh

Well-Known Member
#1
My buddy, who is not well financed, wanted a Rupp. money and rupps go hand in hand, as in you need money to get or rebuild one! luckily though most parts are available from blackwidowmotorsports.net

so he bought a roadster thing that needed a lot of love and parts. roadsters are lighted bikes. that was not going to happen on a budget. so i suggested we make it a black widow instead. path of least resistance type thing.

i donated a bunch of parts and made a bunch of parts for his bike too. he couldn't afford to buy stuff. Like an exhaust. So i made that. Swing arm bushing? made that. re-did the motor for him and used a 16mm slide carb. No dellorto here, too much money. on the TC cover used a broken one i had laying around. TC cover bracket, made it for him ($40 from the usual suspects.)

There are some things that make it a non-black widow. Like the tires (wrong type). The exhaust (i made it). The carb (dellort ua19 hard to find/expensive.) Engine has a square housing too. But not too far from being a 'real' black widow....

Before:


After:


 

GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#2
My buddy, who is not well financed, wanted a Rupp. money and rupps go hand in hand, as in you need money to get or rebuild one! luckily though most parts are available from blackwidowmotorsports.net

so he bought a roadster thing that needed a lot of love and parts. roadsters are lighted bikes. that was not going to happen on a budget. so i suggested we make it a black widow instead. path of least resistance type thing.

i donated a bunch of parts and made a bunch of parts for his bike too. he couldn't afford to buy stuff. Like an exhaust. So i made that. Swing arm bushing? made that. re-did the motor for him and used a 16mm slide carb. No dellorto here, too much money. on the TC cover used a broken one i had laying around. TC cover bracket, made it for him ($40 from the usual suspects.)

There are some things that make it a non-black widow. Like the tires (wrong type). The exhaust (i made it). The carb (dellort ua19 hard to find/expensive.) Engine has a square housing too. But not too far from being a 'real' black widow....

Before:


After:


That is so true. Rupps certainly had lots of parts when compared to non-suspension minibikes. Also some parts like rear fenders and chrome look headlamps are no longer available and if you do find a nice one they are very expensive on Ebay. Plus period correct Tecumseh HS40 are not cheap and that is even true of the ones that are are totally worn out. I found a rolling frame no gasoline tank and just the front fender. I will have about $850 or so into my bike when it is done and I am putting in a modern engine. I seen period correct HS40 engines on Ebay selling for $800.00 or even more. I do have a modern HS40 from 1995 with the cyclone recoil cover and I plan on finding a 1980's recoil shroud which looks similar to the 1973+ Rupp HS40 engines and painting it black and putting the Rupp stickers on that engine. I am building mine to ride and I plan on maintaining it well and hanging on to it for years and if I can score a good deal on a period correct HS40 with a lighting coil I will buy it for a back up engine to make it more period correct since Chinese OHV engines while they run great and make tons of power unfortunately hurt the resale value of a vintage Rupp Roadster 2.
 

cfh

Well-Known Member
#4
that particular motor has a steel flywheel, so can not convert to a rounded blower. there was no money in the project for a 32517 flywheel.
 

kayde

Well-Known Member
#8
Good job on the resurrection.

Alot of people just wouldn't be able too see the potential that bike had.

With just a little bit of effort and knowledge too clean it up and throw some parts at it and turn it back into a presentable rider that anyone should be able too see potential in.

Even if it isnt exactly what its supposed to be.

Restorations are cool but not for everybody, resurrections are exactly what im all about.

A pic of that trash bag looking seat needs to be put on the "what were they thinking seat thread".:p

Also please save your buddy from two flat tires and straighten out the valve stems.
 
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