[CR]Blind pig

(Example: Framebuilding)

Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 08:57:33 -0800
From: "Steve Maas" <stevem@nonlintec.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Blind pig

There's a saying that even a blind pig occasionally finds some corn. I think this one just did.

A week ago I was contacted by someone who had seen my web site. He told me that he had a Hetchins that he wanted to sell, and asked if I had any suggestions. I gave him the predictable ones: eBay, CR list, and so on.

"By the way," I said, "if you have any pictures, I'd love to see them."

An expensive remark.

He sent me a set of pictures, and when I saw them, my jaw hit the floor. It was a chrome Hetchins MO, in nearly original condition. It's even my size. He told me that he bought it in 1972 from someone in the import/export business, and replaced only the brakes. The bike had been in storage, in nice, dry Arizona, for most of the ensuing 30 years; just no real interest in riding it. I then made a suggestion that completely solved his problem of figuring out how to sell it.

Len Ingram, of the Historic Hetchins website, has the original frame card, and confirmed its manufacturing date of 1967. "Flash," his webmaster, has already put some of the pictures on the site. I've also been in contact with Peter Naiman, who is courageously restraining his disappointment that he didn't get to it first.

So, I fired off a check yesterday, and the transaction is underway. I should have the bike in a week or so. Meanwhile you can see pictures at http://www.nonlintec.com/chrome_mo.

The bike obviously still needs a little work. I'll post more pictures on my web site at http://www.nonlintec.com/bikepages/ as it continues.

Steve Maas
Long Beach California