'69 BONANZA CHOPPER
Below is a really nice restored chopper sent to me from Everett Thiels from LA. Anyway heres the story about this chopper. Read on below of a cool restoration project.
I have had the bike since the mid 70's. It did not have a motor when I got it. Soon after I got it I bought a Honda SL70 and kinda forgot about the mini bike. I had several people offer to buy it but I didn't want to get rid of it because I had never seen another Mini Chopper before. About a year ago, a buddy wanted to buy it but I still did not want to sell it. He asked to use it for a pattern to make a pit bike for the drag strip. I took it out of storage but instead of using it for a pattern, we ended up restoring it. Now he just borrows it occasionally. I put a 3hp Tecumseh motor from a sears edger on it. We got the edger form the scrap man who comes by work for $25. I spent $125 to chrome the sissy bar & kick stand.They are the only pieces that are chromed. The seat was recovered, but not to original because I could not find someone who could do it. I still have the original though. The tires and wheels, brakes and sprocket are all original form when I received the bike. The jack shaft assembly was not on the bike when I got it. I work in a Sheet Metal shop. We hand made all the stainless steel pieces. We had to make special dies to flatten the tubing where the axle goes to match the original, we extended the forks 2 inches longer and raked it out 3 inches. It doesn't steer as well but looks nicer. After riding it a while I have gotten used to the way it handles. Since we restored it, my buddy took it to the drag strip.
