I Just Bought This For My Kid(s). Seller Claims It Is...

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#1
#1
Hi,

I just bought this for my kids, and one more I'll post next. Seller claims it is a 1969 Rupp Sprint and I think I read that the Sprint shared frames with two or three other Rupp minis. Am in So Cal and paid $300 BTW if anyone finds that useful. Seller was a very nice guy. Seller said the seat came off an old Little Indian I think.

Appears to have very little damage. One peg is bent at the mount. No real problems on the underside of the frame.

I can't get it to start but I reckon that problem goes in another section.

If possible, what I'd like to learn is what exactly is this and what parts do I need to eventually return it to stock. I'll probably buy a little Honda engine for it because I like those engines a lot and then pick up the rest of the parts as I find them. Front bearings have that beautiful noise you hear from a good rock tumbler.

So the plan is to get it running and completely reliable, train and educate my youngest on it, then teach her to restore it when she's ready to move up, then most likely store it for her...

I'm struggling to get all the photos I pushed into gallery here to be linked here or have thumbnails. Not sure what I am doing wrong yet.

Raining here so the kitchen is the studio! Did I mention my wife is away for the weekend?

Many Thanks,
 
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cheezy1

cheezy1

#4
#4
1968 ish Rupp Continental...the wheels/tires and added engine mounts are from a 1968-69 Rupp though. I have seen seats like that on Certain versions of the Continentals.
 
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cheezy1

cheezy1

#6
#6
manchester1 said:
That's a Rupp. If you hurry and go to ebay, there is a top gas tank for sale. Only cost about 450.00:laugh: Nice project.
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Good eye...I was too bust trying to figure out what was going on with the mix to notice the tank mounts.:doah:
So a Rupp C-350????
 
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manchester1

manchester1

#8
#8
cheezy1 said:
Good eye...I was too bust trying to figure out what was going on with the mix to notice the tank mounts.:doah:
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:thumbsup: I'm just not sure what model that is.:eek:ut: Top mount gas tank and also looks like it had lights on the back. Think I see a bracket for the tail light.:detective:
 
markus

markus

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#13
#13
seller was correct, it is the remains of a 1969 Frame, The sprint and Digger were 2 that used that suspension setup that year. There is not enough left on the bike to figure out which one it originally was anymore, If your not restoring it doesn't matter anyway though (pick which name you like better :wink:)



They cut the engine mounts off the frame than then modded them onto that big flat plate....that may cause an issue the spricket and brake is modified and not original so check that to make sure its safe and workable, They also cut the left side jackshaft mount off the frame, The digger and sprints did not use J/S in thier setup stock but but the mount was still there (the mainframe was used on all the full suspension models in 1969).

The serial number on those is stamped on the top plate headtube reinforcement, It does not tell you anything about the bike though.
 
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massacre said:
Please don't put a Honda engine on a '69 Rupp? lol
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Well, I certainly understand that. But I want to get my kids riding as soon as possible on as reliable as possible a machine. I've looked on eBay and all the Craigslists in California and I'm not seeing any period correct engines. So my thinking is to get an engine that will have zero issues and when I run across the correct engine I'll buy it. I'm sure long term my girls will want these to be neat and restored. But I don't want that process to take two years when I can have them riding in two months by spending a bit more. Honestly, I felt I was being a good guy by going for a Honda and not some POS from ShipWreck, errr, Harbor Freight. But I am open to your advice for sure. I have a 1955 Briggs & Stratton with a horizontal shaft but not many parts are available for it. Everyone is selling their lawn care stuff here in So Cal at the moment so it's a good time to find an old engine if I knew what to look for and whatnot. So gimme something to work with here Massacre! LOL
 
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#17
Awesome reply! Thanks for that. I don't mind investing in it to return the frame to stock as it should be. Pretty sure I can fix the plate / engine mount problem by getting the exact dimensions from someone on here. My main concern about returning them to stock is I don't want that to significantly interfere with my kids riding them soon.

So as I understand you:
Remove plate under engine mounts
Re-attach original mounts to frame - actually, in reality I just checked and the original mounts have been shortened by a few inches so they don't reach across the twin frame spars. So more need for a crusted out frame that can donate a few parts. Or, are these engine mount strips some generic product that was repurposed for Rupp's engine mounts? All the rest of this stuff on this mini bike seems super agricultural so I don't think it's a stretch for Rupp to find an existing product to repurpose.
Find and weld on missing left-side jackshaft mount, perhaps by finding an unusable frame that still has these mounts? The jackshaft mount looks like something I can fabricate (by copying the other mount) and replicate the stock one perfectly but not the engine mount strips.
Look for original sprocket and brake setup
Find the kick stand

The color closest to metal as I scraped through the layers of paint was a green candy looking color so does that suggest it started as a Sprint?

Finally, from the ad you so kindly shared I am reading the only difference between the Sprint and the Digger is paint and 1.5hp. Is that correct?


markus said:
seller was correct, it is the remains of a 1969 Frame, The sprint and Digger were 2 that used that suspension setup that year. There is not enough left on the bike to figure out which one it originally was anymore, If your not restoring it doesn't matter anyway though (pick which name you like better :wink:)



They cut the engine mounts off the frame than then modded them onto that big flat plate....that may cause an issue the spricket and brake is modified and not original so check that to make sure its safe and workable, They also cut the left side jackshaft mount off the frame, The digger and sprints did not use J/S in thier setup stock but but the mount was still there (the mainframe was used on all the full suspension models in 1969).

The serial number on those is stamped on the top plate headtube reinforcement, It does not tell you anything about the bike though.
Click to expand...
 
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