My quest for my personal holy BMX grail is over. Check out what my post says at the bottom about a Cheetah frame.
That day has come today. I have my frame, and even cooler is it may turn out to be my frame.
My first BMX bike ever was in 1977. I was 12, and my parent took me to PRE BMX in Issaquah, Washington to get me a new bike. There was not a lot of money to spend, so I was presented an orange Cheetah, which kinda looks like a torker with the twin top tubes. I loved it, and my parent wrote a check for $95.00.
Happy happy me!
This bike was so cool. The frame was low and light. It was orange, which stood out amongst all the other bikes in my neighborhood. It had orange Araya 7b rims, coaster brake, thick gauge spokes, black hubs, Ashtabula cranks, forks, and stem, yellow pads and yellow grips.
I rode it like a madman.
Within a year, I upgraded to Tuff Wheels, aluminum bars and a Tuff Neck. When the frame was completely chipped up, I stripped it down and painted it a hideous shade of bluish-purple.
The magic was over. I was ready for a new ride.
When I returned to the hobby five years ago, I began searching for a Cheetah. I watched Ebay daily. I asked around. I posted want ads, and I added this wish to the bottom of all my obnoxious posts. I really started to believe I'd never find this footnote of a frame.
But, here I am with this news.
Why do I think the one I found was mine? It's just a hunch, but the photo of it looks to be purple-ish blue. It needs a couple repairs, and with any luck Rod will take it on.
It will be painted orange, and it will be taken to the configuration of my first bike (although I may opt for black pads over yellow).
I was building a Stroker for my next resto, but it looks like the Stroker and I will have to part company. Happilly, I've collected parts for the Stroker which will be used on the Cheetah - Ashtabula cranks and forks, quilted seat, etc etc.
I still need those darn 7b rims. I also will need some other items, so if any of you wanna help me complete this dream come true, please let me know.
I will be documenting the rise of this phoenix on VBMX with lots of photos.
This is awesome!

Damn..I knew I should have Bid on it....

Hey, I also need to make a sticker set for this bike. If any of you have a shot of the logo, ads, or other artwork, please let me know!

I'm glad you got the frame, I too saw that frame on ebay and had thoughts of bidding on it. Sounds like it went to the right person for it, it's cool when things work out like that.

Way cool Alfa. I know how you feel- I was stoked when I found my DG... nothing but happy thoughts about rebuilding my first bike.
All I need now are DG aluminum box bars...
I don't have any spare 7B's, but let me know what else you need.

Too Cool! Hopefully my Team Jag will find me too one day!

Jeremy

I was gonna jump on it, but saw it was you bidding....I know how it feels to have a grail snatched!!

CONGRATS!!!!!

SWEET hope it turns out the way it was BITD . What do 7b's look like(Iknow dumb ?).

Hey you need to change your location now to found a Cheetah frame. I know how you feel, great ain't it

Thanks you guys. This is such a great site. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the restraint from bidding. I will always return that courtesy to those I can, well, identify on the bay!
BMXerpete - the big thing on my list are rims. My bike had those crazy orange arayas - I'm pretty sure they were 7bs because they had the raised center "hump." A set of black era-correct pads wouldn't hurt either. This frame is like a Torker with the twin top tubes and all, and uses the same triangular shaped frame pad.
Once the frame shows up, I will post pictures.
Man I am excited about this one!

[ September 12, 2007, 12:33 AM: Message edited by: 66alfa_gtv ]

Great story - it's excellent you have tracked that frame down.

This ad and pic is from the June '77 BMXA. The pic is the Super-Cheetah though. Scans courtesy of Johnny Ringo. There's a whole test of the Super-Cheetah in that mag - bit hard to see but it may give you some help with the stickers. LMK if you need me to post the full test.

[ September 12, 2007, 05:02 AM: Message edited by: Kurt. ]

Keep us posted Alfa (damn your name SOUNNNDS so good ;)
Looks like a cool story, thanks for sharing !

Happy for ya, buddy.

That would be too cool if it does turn out to be your exact frame.

Kurt - I'll take any info I can get. If possible, email me a file of those images you have.

`~ CONGRATS ~`


Way to go Steve. I glad you found it so I don't have to see that on the bottom of your screen anymore. I know a good powdercoater if you need it.. Call you later this week.

Thanks, Paul.

congrads alfa.

i sold a set of NOS orange arayas about a year ago. i sold a set of green ones at the same time. very rare stuff.

i will try to dig up the item info and see who has them. maybe he-she would be willing to let them go. cant make promises of course.

Thanks Tone!
One VBMX member here offered me a set for 1k.
Not sure if they were serious or just testing my threshold of pain. There are no money trees growing in my yard...yet.
Actually, any set of 7bs would do.

yeah, to be honest i would look for a nice used set (any color) then powder them. i know the exact orange they where. i can help you with that for sure.

the rims i sold i believe went for 200 bucks. of course the prices are up now.

i will still try to find that info for ya

True true,, I have seen rims powdered and they look just fine

Regular orange or flourescent?---I had Day-Glo orange Arayas on my Trick Star BITD and I think they were MP-22's, they had the kind of raised part in the middle. They got painted or coated I'm sure during the boom of freestyle colors, like so many other parts did. As they wore down and got nicks in the finish, you could see underneath that one was red ano and the other gold! Just grabbed oddies and made sets from them! There was also a set of blue and I think neon green ones at the same shop, back then.

For those, I think Lou's got a pretty close match with the GT orange, now if I ever get to trying to recreate that silly thing...

Alfa...thats awesome news! Now just for conversation...Was it you that painted it the bluish/purple color? If so, that would be cool to leave it also as YOU did the paintjob. I'm sure you'll remember it when you see it. Either way its an awesome find...congrats!

Agent - they were a regular orange - kinda pumpkin orange. They were made in the mid to later 70s. I got my Cheetah in 1977 with those rims on it. Cheetah never made a complete bike, so the bike shop where mine was purchases assembled it.

Kerry - the frame was orange from the factory, and I was the one who painted it. As it sits right now, there is not enough of the bluish color on it to save. And, I will not know if it is my frame until it arrives here in Portland. The frame needs a little of Rod's magic. The seat mast is broken off, and one of the rear tubes is tweaked and will need straightening.

I remember Randy had some orange arayas on a retro NOMOREA at one of my BBQ's a few years ago. May have been 7x though....my memory is going these days.

worth a email???