Where are the Fox Campus Bikes???

#1
Ever since OldMiniBikes first came on-line I have been logging in three to five time a day looking for someone restoring, refinishing, or just plain working on a Fox Campus Bike. I'm not talking about; yeah, I got one in the shed, or I got one I'm gonna start working on when I get time, or I know a guy who knew a guy who had one once. I'm talking about someone who is currently in the process of and actively working on a Fox Campus Bike restoration. Everyday I log onto OldMiniBikes and see all kinds of names, questions, and pictures of minibikes that many of have never even heard of. But never the Fox Campus! I know that they are out there because every once in a while one will come up on e-bay or Craig's List. But you never hear of anyone working on or restoring one. This has me completely puzzled. Do any of you guys have thoughts on this? And more importantly; Is there anyone out there currently working on restoring a Fox Campus Bike? I would really like to exchange ideas, thoughts, progress reports, restoration tips, parts sources, and the like.....I hate to admit it but I'm beginning to understand how the Maytag repairman feels....Ogy.
 
#3
You might be on to something there Gote....Maybe most of them have had cosmetic surgery and are now passing themselves off as Bonanzas or Rupps....Ogy.
 
#4
Hahaha. I thought there was a thread on these bikes 4 -6 months ago but no one was restoring,,, that is odd. My boy really likes the style but we never see any locally and I mean ZERO!
 

delray

Well-Known Member
#5
yes ogygopsis,can't believe there is no one here that is restoring or working on one or even riding a fox campus.
i have been slowly getting the correct parts for my bike. for example 3.5hp tecumseh with a front mount steel tank and the correct louver oval covered air cleaner:thumbsup: i want to keep it correct looking:thumbsup:


here is the first campus bike

i have one,but you could say i mini-rat rod it:hack::grind::weld:
 

delray

Well-Known Member
#7
here's one more older(first style frame)campus minbike with fenders
notes this bike has a briggs on it and the brochure picture has a 2cycle. when fox bought out a gocart company the first campus bikes had 2cycle engines. when they use them up they went to a briggs and later they swicth over to tecumseh when the blue models where being built. or i should say early blue model had briggs and then tecumseh's:eek:ut::thumbsup:
right side middle(poor picture)also the bike was red?and built around 60 to 62???
 
#9
here's one more older(first style frame)campus minbike with fenders
notes this bike has a briggs on it and the brochure picture has a 2cycle. when fox bought out a gocart company the first campus bikes had 2cycle engines. when they use them up they went to a briggs and later they swicth over to tecumseh when the blue models where being built. or i should say early blue model had briggs and then tecumseh's:eek:ut::thumbsup:
right side middle(poor picture)also the bike was red?and built around 60 to 62???
Delray, I have an original copy of the magazine that this page was taken from. It's the April, 1962 issue of "car craft and kart". I have never seen any Fox minibikes made prior to 1962. I'm not saying that they don't exist; it's just that I've never seen one in person or in magazines, etc. Sometime between this 1962 model and 1964 model (blue with a Briggs) they made a red campus that was identical to the later blue ones except that the handlebars did not have the dog leg bend in them. They were straight. See attached pic. Do you have any idea what year these straight handlebar models were?....Ogy.
 
#10
Stay the course Ogy. We have communicated in the past and you know I think the Fox Campus is the best mini ever made. Have not been on this site much lately as I have purchased another project car that I will be working on for the next 3 or so years.
 
#11
Stay the course Ogy. We have communicated in the past and you know I think the Fox Campus is the best mini ever made. Have not been on this site much lately as I have purchased another project car that I will be working on for the next 3 or so years.
Right on Bronc!!....I'm going to keep it up until everybody agrees with you and me that when you say "Fox Campus", There's nothing left to say!....Ogy.
 

delray

Well-Known Member
#12
ogygopsis,if thats the correct motor(briggs) on that bike. it has to be around 64 or so. fox change over to a tecumseh in the late 60's and never went back to a briggs. somebody else in the past here posted a red fox with straight handle bars. my guest is that fox wanted to get away from the straight handle bar design. so much hard to ride a bike with straight bars then a set bended forward making it easyer to control?
note ogy, brochure with the 2cycle engine on it was built before they use a briggs and you say the magazine was date 1962. must of have built there first minibike in 61 or 60 when they bought out that gocart company and use up the 2cycle engines before they went to a briggs.
i wonder if anyboby can make the same style seat? it kind of looks like it's molded little in the front,so it has a clean rounded edge(smooth)
 
#13
i currently have one that i am working on using the parts fom two others that my grand father had, i am restoring the one that is in the best condition of the three:scooter:
 
#14
I am not sure where they all are, but I do know that there is a guy parting out his Fox campus project and listing the parts with buy it now prices on ebay right now. Fenders included, the front fender looks real nice. Get them quick. Also, I agree that they are quite possibly the coolest minis made, just wish I could get my hands on one, and I live in Janesville, WI! Home of Fox minibikes, don't see many around here either though.
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#16
Right on Bronc!!....I'm going to keep it up until everybody agrees with you and me that when you say "Fox Campus", There's nothing left to say!....Ogy.
Do they have serial numbers and, if so, where are they at? I'd like to pin down the year of manufacture on my Campus.
 
#17
Salt, The 63,64,65 Campus bikes had a metal tray that sat between the top rails of the frame and about 6 inches forward of where the riders crotch would be when sitting on the bike. This tray held a six volt battery. Both tray and battery were covered by a polyethylene shroud which looked like a gas tank and was actually a part of the seat pan. The serial numbers for these early models consisted of a metallic tape type sticker on which the serial number was printed and stuck to the underside of this battery tray. After 50 years of painting, scraping, spraying, and abuse it's little wonder that virtually none of the serial number stickers remain attached to what few frames still survive. After 65 the serial numbers were printed on a sticky sticker and attached to the steering head of the bikes. Likewise, few of these survive. As far as serial numbers and records of them.....I am unaware of any. Good luck and let me know if you find out any information. Ogy
 
#18
Dear Loner, I have attached three pics for you to look at. Pic #1 shows an honest to goodness 1963 Fox Campus bike. Everything on it is original except the chain guard cover. The color was called HiFi blue. No longer available. Pic #2 shows a 1964 model. Notice that they lightened up ever so slightly on the blue color. This will give you an idea of the color scheme however. The fenders had two blue racing running along the centerline of each. Pic #3 will give you an accurate representation of what the color of these campus bikes actually looked like. If you want an exact match you will have to use House of Kolor paint for which you will have to go to the bank and arrange financing. EXPENSIVE!!! If you want a close match I believe I have a partial can of Dupont that I can give you the numbers for. If you are looking to spray your bike with a spray can paint then you will have to see if you can find one that closely matches pic #3. Let me know which way you're thinking of going and I'll see what I can do for you. Pictures Loner! I want to see some pictures. Promise me you'll do that. Ogy
 
#19
I am not sure where they all are, but I do know that there is a guy parting out his Fox campus project and listing the parts with buy it now prices on ebay right now. Fenders included, the front fender looks real nice. Get them quick. Also, I agree that they are quite possibly the coolest minis made, just wish I could get my hands on one, and I live in Janesville, WI! Home of Fox minibikes, don't see many around here either though.
Dear Spike, They were in Central Pennsylvania about 18 miles from my home. Now most of them, along with a complete frame, are in my basement. Ogy
 

pomfish

Well-Known Member
#20
Ogy,

I had no idea these were that rare.
I have one in my barn that I bought over near Hanover PA last summer.

It has been repainted orange and has different rear shocks but appears to maybe have the factory headlight. Not sure.
Anyway, it is nowhere near as stock or complete as yours are. Missing fenders, chain guard, etc.
I know of the plate in front of the seat as mine does not have the plastic shroud.
Mine has a very old B&S 3 or 3.5 engine on it.
Will try to get pics up sometime soon.

Thanks for the detailed info on this bike.
Keith
 
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