Chrome Ruttman Washer 5hp??

tyleryamaha

tyleryamaha

Active Member
#23
#23
Mean Dean said:
Ok Bill, will include yours and Now I found another one so far it is the latest build in the middle 300's. That makes 6 total. Lowest so far is my yellow one. The others are in the middle to high #200's.
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Hey Dean......About what year do you think the bikes with the single front bar were ? I just bought a washer bike with narrow front forks and no serial # Thanks Kevin.....
 
Mean Dean

Mean Dean

Active Member
#24
#24
Kevin, I didn't understand completely but I think you are saying you found a Single post washer frame with skinny forks? He started making these in late 65' and 66" Then after problems with single post bars snapping at the fork he went to current design. If you have no number on the engine plate you have a kit bike no warranty or it was just sold as a over the counter sold frame.

Dean
 
PatrickCraik

PatrickCraik

Well-Known Member
#25
#25
Mean Dean said:
Time now to solve the Chrome frame saga. First of all there is no such thing as a 5 H.P. frame they were all the same. Ruttman designed his bike exclusively for Tecumseh front tank engines.The only difference in the early years were when Jim Ruttman was upset with Tecumseh's zone rep. He never bought from Tecumseh direct anymore after that. He bought all his engines from Small Engine Warehouse in Kansas City. That is why some bikes were built briefly with Briggs and Stratton. Those had the engine plate a little more forward to clear the rear tank Briggs. This is a quick reference as it is too long to get into the whole history of Ruttman and Lil Indian. The first Ruttman's were a single Post I call them. They had one single 7/8ths tube welded to the bottom of the Fork Neck to the Footbar going across the bottom of the frame. They had small forks also. I only know of 4 of those in existence. I have one. That is the one with the Engray-MAICO SPITFIRE engine on it. The others are in the #200's. Jim started out with 001. If it was bought as a do it your self kit it had no numbers therefore no warranty. There was no warranty if you built it yourself or it was shipped as a kit. The single posts were a hazard when on private property and if you hit a pot hole or ditch the pressure on the fork resulted in the bottom single bar snapping off at the fork collapsing the front end. He then went changed the design as we know it. Both bars coming up cut and welded to the bottom fork. In
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Great info but you never got to the chrome frame story. Thanks
 
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