Ruttman Toad

Addicted 2 Minis

Well-Known Member
#1
It may not be a bucket list bike to most but I have been wanting a "Real" Toad for some time. About two weeks ago, I picked up a Vulture roller from Market Place that had been repainted orange. I was almost satisfied due to not being purple and the lack of fenders, it was pretty much a Toad. Finding a 4" wheel bike that hasn't been molested is a pretty tough task and I had been pondering shortening the kickstand on one of my 6" wheel frames. I just couldn't bring myself to alter a nice frame, to me, I would be no better than those whom I gripe about chopping up vintage iron. Most have seen a Vulture in it's factory purple and I have always known the Toad to offered in "Wart Green" but never seen an original paint bike to know what "Wart Green" looked like. It doesn't help that all the advertisements for the Toad were in black and white!. I've always assumed that "Wart Green" was the sublime that is still popular to this day, turns out it is. One thing I didn't know for a fact was they also offered them in an OSHA safety yellow color too. I saw one in the media section here a few years back that had been posted in 2010 and assumed it was repainted, although they said it was original.

The yellow wasn't your standard "Canary" yellow and until yesterday I thought it must have been repainted. Attached is the picture of the yellow one from 2010 and the one I picked up today. At first glance, it looks like the same bike as both have paint scratches in the same areas except the 2010 bike has a little less paint near the rear axle strap than mine. I believe it to be a 71 as the 70 models were the ones advertised as "Wart Green" and most of the 72 and up bikes have the stick on serial number tag whereas 69, 70, 71 had a riveted tag. My bike looks like a lighter shade of yellow in the picture but once out of direct sunlight it looks darker like the first bike. I've already started mocking up my 71 Tecumseh H30 that will be going on it once freshened up. For now I'll probably throw a clone on it so I can have some fun while the engine is getting refreshed.

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Addicted 2 Minis

Well-Known Member
#4
A2M... I'm jealous..

That's all just jealous!

Happy for you Sir nice bike! :scooter:
Although I didn't really have the cash for it after buying the orange bike, I couldn't stand the thought of it going to someone else. What people don't seem to understand is, "nicer" stuff comes with a "nicer" price too. The days of finding those $50 barn fresh yard sale deals is pretty much a thing of the past. What gets me is, people will pay $700 for a "Lil Rascal" roller that still requires $300-$500 to finish but they scoff at a 50 year old vintage American built bike that has endured the test of time for the same price. What I really hate is the lack of appreciation people have when it comes to selling this stuff. People need to get it through their heads that this stuff isn't being made anymore, just finding one that is complete, straight and not beat-up, cut-up or a bunch of unnecessary crap welded to it is a task in itself. I get it all the time when I decide to sell one of my frames "You can get them on Market Place or Craigslist all the time for $300", that may be true but those usually need $300 in repairs if you want it nice again. Take for instance this $300 roller on Market Place, the forks were broken and re-welded, the engine slots are blown out, the fork and axle bolts are waaaaaay too long, the wheels aren't original, even the grips don't match. I'm sure there's more wrong with it that we can't see in the pictures too, this is what you get for $300. Now would you rather have it or the one I just picked up for $600?, mine has nothing bent, broken or re-welded, the original wheels and tires, original triangle head bolts, original throttle/grips and a new seat that is correct for the bike.

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Lizardking

Well-Known Member
#7
Not everyone appreciates old school style and originality to stuff like you and I .

Those people you speak of are the same ones that will dump an original 68 Briggs and bend the frame to put a Predator.

I saw a kol Mickey bike with the top of the frame cut. It had flat iron welded on to fit the Predator with the gas tank on. Funny that the owner said it was MODIFIED not damaged. o_O
 

Addicted 2 Minis

Well-Known Member
#8
Not everyone appreciates old school style and originality to stuff like you and I .

Those people you speak of are the same ones that will dump an original 68 Briggs and bend the frame to put a Predator.

I saw a kol Mickey bike with the top of the frame cut. It had flat iron welded on to fit the Predator with the gas tank on. Funny that the owner said it was MODIFIED not damaged. o_O
I just sold a chopped 67 Lil Indian frame on eBay. One side of me hates seeing what would have been a nice frame get trashed and the other side would like to think that it makes my others worth more if there’s less of them out there.
 

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