Reproduction Middleweight Tanklight Parts May Soon Become Reality - YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED

[partsguy]

You read right! I've been working on prototypes for various battery tray components for tanklight-equipped bicycles. I have the Delta tail light bucket/battery tray for the Spaceliners and Silver Jets (both used the same Delta light tray) in development right now. I'm doing some tweaks to get the shape right then I can start routing the tray for switches and terminals (lots of time involved with this). I've almost perfected the battery tray for '64-'67 Huffman-built middleweights, and I'm about half finished working on '61-'64 Huffy/Firestone trays. My question to you all is this:

This is something I'm doing for here and on the CABE, so I will survey them too. I'm not sure if I want to produce these to sell to other members or simply make a couple for myself alone. How many of you would order any of these trays?

Also, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY FOR A GOOD REPRODUCTION?

I would love to see more of these 50s and 60s bikes in fully functioning condition, but I can't take a loss to do it. YOUR RESPONSES ARE CRUCIAL!!

For an example, here is the battery tray for a '64-'67 Huffy/Monark. It fits both men's and women's bicycles. I still need to shape this a little more and drill the mounting holes. Est. price would be $30 when finished, and it will get an anti-rust clear coat. Is this a fair value to you? What would you pay if you needed this part? I plan to do parts for Monarks, Spaceliners, Flightliners, Astro Flites, Silver Jets, f-85's, Firestones, Cosmic Flyers, perhaps AMF models as well. But I need to know how other enthusiasts will accept these, if they will at all.

 

[partsguy]

Well you bring up a good point, one can convert these old bikes to LED's and a lot of what we do on this site is custom anyway. So in that case, originality wouldn't matter as much but there are plenty of us who own very nice original bikes and the tanklights are beyond repair. In that case, I personally put a huge priority on originality.

Here are the other two I'm working on: the one on the right is a rear battery tray for Murray-built "Flite" and "Liner" bikes, such as the Astro Flite and Spaceliner. It also fits the Huffy Silver Jet / Silver King with minor modifications. The tray on the left is for '61-'64 Huffman-built bikes and is almost done. Prices have yet to be determined for either of these.


If all goes well and I go ahead with making these, we won't have to deal with these rust buckets much longer!

 

[partsguy]

Of coarse, I'm working on the proper terminals and such, these will be COMPLETE parts.

 

[partsguy]

I appreciate you playing Devil's advocate, it makes me think! LOL!

I would love to do other bikes, but I need at least one decent original to disect. I have three Delta tail lights in my possession; the rusty one above used for reference, a second, much better one I dismantled and used for templates, and a third functioning model for comparisons.

In the case of the other two trays, only one example of each was necessary.

The prices would go down over time, as I expect to get these done faster the more I build them.

 

[partsguy]

I think I can get the price of the 64-67 Huffy trays down to $15. C'mon and VOTE people, only four vote so far and we're tied here! The CABE is also tied! Let your voices be heard on this!

 

[partsguy]

While I won't buy much stock in this poll, I have decided to go ahead with building these parts. The first parts to be sold will be the 1964-1967 Huffy tanklight trays. I'll produce between 5 - 10 of them and see how they sell.

ALSO, I can (and have) reproduced the red fender ornament inserts for Huffy bicycles as well.

 

[clamdigger]

re; middleweight tank light parts. I,like many others need a chrome plastic headlight shroud for a mens Spaceliner. So I voted yes.I would replace the Radio Shack 2D holder (headlight) with a good steel repro for the added structural support.