Stories

Kells Choppers 2004

I had always wondered what it would be like to go back in time and find a Toy Shop which had row upon row of Dinky, Matchbox, Acton man and lots more from the 1970's.. with the addition of a Raleigh Chopper or two... fantasy ?
Well such a shop actualy did exist....

We made an offer of €600.00 for each Chopper but unfortunately for us ,some brainless idiot from Clare (In the West of Ireland) had by then offered €2000.00 each for them!! According to Dom anyway!

... Ben Tranmer came over from England with €3500.00 cash
and bought the remaining 4 Choppers.
Dom had hoped he would increase his offer but as he had ferry to catch
and would NOT be back he took the money, €825.00 each!!

Initially they appeared on ebay but failed to sell.. I had at this stage revealed how
when I visited the shop and the unheated store room in the attic where they had lived for 30 years, the sight of broken windows and damp greeted me. Obviously 30 winters, with frosty mornings would take their toll on the bikes. This was in my view the main reason why I placed a realistic value on them.
Saddly most were just stripped down and sold off as parts!
One still survives however and we have been contacted by the owner.
At that time back in 2004 we would have loved to get one for the Club, Irish made..one of the very last to come from Hanover Quay.. a little bit of history!

Dom was a newsagent in Kells Co.Meath for forty years,
he had decided to sell up and retire...
He eventually sold everything in the shop right down to the corrigated boards,
Funny thing was he had several boxes full of origional Dinky & Corgi cars and best of all 1960's tonka race cars.
I bought six with their origional Boxes and 1960's wooden garage for .... €5.00!!
He had a real life Aladin's Cave all right !!

The shop is now a Bookmakers.

Thanks John for posting the pics,there really isn,t any story with this bike,
it was kept in a house though all its life,but other than that little is known,
the bike has everything original,the paintwork,chrome etc is original unrestored,
stickers are all the originals and even the arrow eadge is in lovely condition,
a few chips toughed up,but not many,no repro or rechromed parts fited,
original dutch made in holland tyres,levers have cellophane at ends.


When i bought the bike it had no grips/pedals,a few days later the seller found them and sent them,
the grips as you can see have there cellophane wrapping and the pedals are genuine NOS,
also i got sent the brown crete paper from the bike,the seller told me
that was around the handlebars/seatpost,top of sissy when he collected it,
also the tyres when flat,the little raleigh signs i added,but apart from a clean,
and minor adjustments its as i bought it,now i can,t say its 100% NOS,
but its damm close if not!!hope you like it ..... Dave.