Incredible - I found a 2nd Broncco TX4 "Colt"

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mbhero

Member
#1
#1
This past week I went to a local auction just north of Port Hope, ON, Canada which is very near where I live. I had seen it advertised in the paper and they has listed mini-bikes amoung the items being auctioned. I decided to go to it but I promised I would bid only if they had something really interesting and vintage. To my complete astonishment of the two mini-bikes being auctioned one of them was a Broncco TX4 "Colt"! When I got my first one in 2013 to restore I was amazed at my good fortune then and thought for sure I would never find another one. But here it is just 17 months later and I have found a second one! Incredible, just goes to show you what you will find when just keep looking. This second one that I acquired the frame has the original red stock paint so it is in much better shape. I have also found out the name of the other color the Broncco TX 4 came in. It is called "Lively Lime Gold". Anyone every heard of this color in a powder coating? Now with two Broncco TX4s I am sure to get one great restored bike out of them.
 
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jeffdubb8

jeffdubb8

#2
#2
Nice fine...I have one of those...and the color you're referring to is called, Metallic Lively Lime Gold...and you can get "close" to it with powder coat...I attached a picture of my TX-4, as well as my lively lime gold TX-6....Good luck with the resto...

 
M

mbhero

Member
#3
#3
Thanks for the tip on the Metallic Lively Lime Gold color in powder coat. I am sourcing out companies right now that might have this color. The final touch that I am pretty sure I am not going to find are those mesh squishy green grips. Do you know a source for these type of grips and in the green?
 
jeffdubb8

jeffdubb8

#7
#7
mbhero said:
Thanks for the tip on the Metallic Lively Lime Gold color in powder coat. I am sourcing out companies right now that might have this color. The final touch that I am pretty sure I am not going to find are those mesh squishy green grips. Do you know a source for these type of grips and in the green?
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I believe the color you are looking for is called "psycho yellow" and I think it's made by Prismatic.

As for the grips, green ones in nice condition are super hard to find. I have a set, but it's my only set. I might have a set of black ones though...
 
M

mbhero

Member
#8
#8
Yes the TX4 Colt came in this flat orange red you see pictured, but it also came in this Lively Lime Gold which I am having a hard time sourcing out with Canadian powder coat companies. There was a guy on ebay in PA a couple of months back who had restored one in this color and it looked pretty great and pretty accurate. So some supplier somewhere has this colour.
 
M

mbhero

Member
#9
#9
Yes that's pretty much the right color. Do you know the name of a US company that has this colour? Having a hard time finding it with Canadian powder coat companies. Any reason you did your TX4 in the green pictured? Don't ever remember seeing it in that color. Also haven't been able to find an exact year vintage Tecumseh.
 
M

mbhero

Member
#10
#10
jeffdubb8 said:
I believe the color you are looking for is called "psycho yellow" and I think it's made by Prismatic.

As for the grips, green ones in nice condition are super hard to find. I have a set, but it's my only set. I might have a set of black ones though...
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The psycho yellow looks pretty close too, but the Lively Lime Gold examples I have seen look even closer.

As to the grips do you know the name of this type of grip? I may be interested in the black ones if unable to find green.thx.
 
M

mbhero

Member
#11
#11
OND said:
Thats a really nice find !!:thumbsup: One cool little bike.
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Thanks as I said I couldn't believe my luck in finding a second TX4. With this second one the large knob that holds the forks to the frame will undo easily. With the first TX4 I got this knob is stuck, which is a problem when it comes to powder coating since this knob is made out of plastic.
 
jeffdubb8

jeffdubb8

#13
#13
mbhero - they simply don't make 'Metallic Lively Lime Gold', Other than going to a paint shop and having them match it. The powder coat color I suggested for you was one that I have used that is very similar to the original color, but not the exact color.

As for the engine...it was not a Tecumseh...it was originally an "Aspera'...which is very very similar to a Tecumseh...but it has curved fins on it on the head, a cast iron sleeve, hardened valves and a del'orto carb. The Aspera's are much harder to find...but not impossible. Yours came with an HT25 Aspera.

That plastic piece you are referring to is the triple tree screw that holds the forks in place...it has a little metal tab that needs to be pushed back, then it simply unscrews....

Hope that helps...
 
M

mbhero

Member
#14
#14
jeffdubb8 said:
mbhero - they simply don't make 'Metallic Lively Lime Gold', Other than going to a paint shop and having them match it. The powder coat color I suggested for you was one that I have used that is very similar to the original color, but not the exact color.

As for the engine...it was not a Tecumseh...it was originally an "Aspera'...which is very very similar to a Tecumseh...but it has curved fins on it on the head, a cast iron sleeve, hardened valves and a del'orto carb. The Aspera's are much harder to find...but not impossible. Yours came with an HT25 Aspera.

That plastic piece you are referring to is the triple tree screw that holds the forks in place...it has a little metal tab that needs to be pushed back, then it simply unscrews....

Hope that helps...
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Thanks jeffdub8

You sure know your Bronccos. Not hung up on absolute perfect match to the color especially if it means lots of extra $ to mix a custom color. Right now I have a circa '78 Tecumseh which is close but no cigar. Now at least I have a name and model of an engine to search for. Thanks again for your help!
 
M

mbhero

Member
#15
#15
Broncco TX4 frame powder coated "Psycho Yellow"

jeffdubb8 said:
mbhero - they simply don't make 'Metallic Lively Lime Gold', Other than going to a paint shop and having them match it. The powder coat color I suggested for you was one that I have used that is very similar to the original color, but not the exact color.

...
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After much searching I was able to find a local powdercoat company that not only found the elusive "Psycho Yellow" color but was able to do it for 30% cheaper than the others. I think the result is even better than the original!

Because the 2nd Broncco TX4 had a much better surface to work from (being original paint) I used the frame from this one.

Here is the original red:

And here it is powdercoated in "Psycho Yellow"

Note the restored seat which I had done when I started the restore of my first Broncco TX4.
 
jeffdubb8

jeffdubb8

#16
#16
Nice job, looks great...That looks like the same color I used...It's a little brighter than the factory original, but that's also because it's new and the powder coat technology with today's clear coating makes them really shine...Well done...Now you need to stick with the theme and put an Aspera on it, original grips/controls, decals, seat etc...Good Luck!
 
M

mbhero

Member
#17
#17
The quest for the holy grail: The Aspera HT 38/BC111

jeffdubb8 said:
Nice job, looks great...That looks like the same color I used...It's a little brighter than the factory original, but that's also because it's new and the powder coat technology with today's clear coating makes them really shine...Well done...Now you need to stick with the theme and put an Aspera on it, original grips/controls, decals, seat etc...Good Luck!
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Thx jeffdub8,

Even though I have a vintage Tecumseh 3.5 hp (circa 1978) it sits too far to the right on the frame and it just doesn't look accurate to the original. However finding an Aspera HT 38/BC111 engine would be just short of a quest for the holy grail. If I am simply unable to find one do you know of a close American Tecumseh cousin to the Aspera HT 38/BC111?

I don't know the model number of the Tecumseh I have now but I was told it was circa 1978. Here it is sitting in my first Broncco TX4 Colt:
 
jeffdubb8

jeffdubb8

#18
#18
The correct engine for that bike is an Aspera HT 25. It's a 2.5hp engine, but with the del'orto carb they rate it at 2.8Hp...but there is really not much difference in performance...

The Aspera's had a cast iron sleeve, hardened valves, del'orto carb etc...They aren't impossible to find, but they can be expensive...You are looking for a late 60's early 1970's engine.
 
markus

markus

Well-Known Member
#19
#19
The aspera will sit exactly in the same spot and look just the same as the engine you show on the bike. Shroud shape/size are the same from tec to aspera and they engine shown is more like 69-70 with the riveted on pullstart, curved shroud, and metal tank so its at least period correct to the bike, it may even be a cast iron sleeve as they were very common pre '70

I would sweet talk member Wrenchdad into selling you at least the head off an engine he just bought in a deal, can at least fake the aspera that way :thumbsup:

 
Stevef

Stevef

New Member
#20
#20
mbhero said:
Broncco TX4 frame powder coated "Psycho Yellow"



After much searching I was able to find a local powdercoat company that not only found the elusive "Psycho Yellow" color but was able to do it for 30% cheaper than the others. I think the result is even better than the original!

Because the 2nd Broncco TX4 had a much better surface to work from (being original paint) I used the frame from this one.

Here is the original red:


And here it is powdercoated in "Psycho Yellow"


Note the restored seat which I had done when I started the restore of my first Broncco TX4.
Click to expand...
Hi, I’m restoring a similar tx4 and I wonder whether you could tell me where you got that powder coat. I’m in Montreal, Canada.
 
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