Jerry Moos wrote:
There are several other Ted Williams's, including a CR list member who is a nephew of "the" Ted Williams. But the bicycles were indeed endorsed by the BoSox slugger for Sears just as you say. And there was a 531 version made in Austria by a company somehow connected with the makers of Puch. This has been discussed here before. I think the consensus was that these frames were a bit rough for a top 531 model, and that they aren't extremely valuable, but there is something neat about a Sears Free Spirit with 531 and top components.
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"A bit rough" is an elegant understatement, probably somewhere between the boom-era Raleigh "Record" (lowest end model) and the Peugeot UO-8.
Both my 65 Ted Williams and the 74 Reynolds 531 are Austrian-made. The '74's owner's manual has a small reference to "Sears Sports Center, Home of the Ted Williams brand" on the cover. More interesting, both of these and my Austro-Daimler Vent Noir have a rather unusual trapezoidal punch about 1 cm tall, near the top front of the seat tube, as an air pressure and drain port to the top tube. I think the Sears were Austro-Daimler. This would be further supported by the model number, 503.474480, since Sam Lingo's note says that "Sears had a code for each supplier--the Austrian bicycle company's Sears code is 503.
I hope that we've done enough on these for now, and I return to my laconic "grieving" for my short wheelbase (buckled) '74.
harvey sachs mcLean va
Jerry, with all due respect, I think there is something more than "neat" about "Sears Free Spirit with 531 and top components." I think it is close to the essence of funk. Particularly since only the tubing and rear derailleur were top stuff.
harvey sachs
mcLean va