End of Year Finds
Sun, December 31, 2017
One of the exciting and highly satisfying things for and aging ex-framebuilder like me, is never knowing which of my past creations will show up next. This last week of 2017 has been an interesting one to say the least.
This beautiful mint condition (Original paint.) 58 cm. Fuso MAX #2205. (Above, click on pic for larger image.) Built in 1991, and recently purchased from a Los Angeles Bike Store. The bike has its original Campagnolo Record 8-speed Group from the year it was built.
Earlier in the week I got an email from the owner of a Fuso FR1, saying, “Hey, you made a mistake on your Registry, you have a frame number 2117 listed, and I own number 2117 and here’s a picture to prove it.”
It turns out the mistake was not made recently on the Registry, I duplicated a number back in 1991 when I was working on a batch of five Fuso frames. It is a wonder this didn’t happen more often than it did. One can imagine me stamping serial numbers on a brand new batch of frames, when I am distracted. Probably the phone rings, I come back to what I was doing and stamp a second frame with the same number.
One frame was painted as an FR1 model, black, with a blue pearl in the final clear-coat.
Its twin got an upgraded FRX paint job, red and white. The two frames were shipped off separately to parts unknown, and I never expected to see or hear about them again.
Here is where it gets interesting. The black FR1 was bought by Jim Gerpheide living in San Luis Obispo, California. Jim still owns the frame.
The other #2117 went to an unknown destination, however, in 2009 it was for sale used in a San Diego bike store.
It was bought bay Bill Haas who took it home to Pasa Robles, CA, just 30 so miles north of San Luis Obispo where the other 2117 resides. What a strange coincidence. I put the two owners in touch in case they might want to hook up.
Now lets go back to 1990. My business was struggling to survive.
The mountain bike was slowly killing the road bike market. I was looking for ways to maintain a tiny piece of the market. Some little niche.
I decided to revive my custom frame, and so redesigned the decals. I put in a lot of extra fine detail work.
I only built three, possibly four of these frames. One showed up this week in Los Angeles. Here are some pictures.
Finally I would like to end the last post of the year with an appeal for help. This blog and my Registry have certain expenses like monthly hosting fees, etc. We live in an age of cyber-crime, hacking etc. It becomes necessary to switch over to a secure server with a firewall, to protect, not only me but the people who visit here.
This will add to my expenses. In short, I need help.
If I could just get 20 or so people to donate one dollar a month each, it would cover my out of pocket expenses. I figure one dollar each would not be a financial burden on anyone, buy collectively this would amount to a small monthly income that I could rely on. You can set that up on the “Donate” button in the center column of this page. You can use PayPal, credit or debit card. Thank you allways for your continued support.
I wish everyone a great and wonderful New Year. Be safe, stay healthy, live long and prosper.
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Reader Comments (5)
Dave you leaving 2017 behind with a BANG ! What a great post with all the new findings for the registry and the blog which we all love to read,let's all remember to help Dave out in 2018 with a small monthly donation ! Thanks Dave for all that you do for us and I and hope Kathy and yourself a Happy New Year as well !
How do we pay the fee Dave, PayPal or? Would be easier I think to pay a yearly fee?
John,
Scroll back up the page, center column just under the ad for Dropout Screws, there is a yellow "Donate" button. Click on it, enter the amount ($1.00 or so.) and click on the box that says "Monthly."
Thanks,
Dave.
Done Dave, Great cause keep up the good work Cheers John
Done as well Dave. Thanks for continuing and best wishes in the new year. Lee