Huffy Dragster One Owner, Christmas present Full Rustoration 

My dad is gone now,but a memory that lives on with me is he took me uptown to Economy Auto Supply and it was before Christmas. I had several Western Auto bikes. Always purple in color. My dad asked me if I saw anything I liked. I was admiring the Swinne Stingray that was moss green. He looked at the price tag and said that it cost to much. I was disappointed for sure. We always opened our gifts Christmas Eve night. When we were let in the room after Santa and his helper had left, there standing in front of the tree was the exact bike that i had been drooling over weeks before. There were many many Christmas Eves that I received really great gifts,but that bike remains my very favorite. It reminds me of what my dad always worked so hard for. We didn't have everything,but my dad never forgot what made the holidays really special for us. I believe that this was his favorite holiday. I miss you so much daddy. Thanks for a happy tearful memory Musti. Wishing your family the best.

That set stud on your spokes was for an aftermarket odometer. The odometer mounted on the forks and had a star wheel on it. As the bike made a rotation it intersected the star wheel for a "click"

The gear cable should run on the inside of the chain guard not the outside as it is at the moment. The green Raleigh Chopper you found when looking for parts is, in the UK at least, very sought after with mint examples of a mk1 selling for in excess of £2000

I received one of these for my birthday when I reached age five (1973). Mine was 100% chrome covered and the handlebars were curled under like the ten speed road bike’s. The coolest features were the giant sissy bar on the back and its back tire, as like yours, it was a slick and the front was really skinny which made it look even cooler. My brother, who was six years older than me, ruined my slick because he thought it was great fun to slide it on the concrete street and leave fat, black marks. He also broke the sissy bar because his friends would lean hard against it to make him wheelie. After he blew the tire, I had no money to replace it because my parents divorced that year. So it was shoved under our trailer until I revived it in ‘78. Sweet bike!

Can you picture a high school senior all of 6'3" tall riding a 20" bike like this around the streets of Bellingham Washington in 1969? That was me!

Mustie1 you sir are a national treasure. Thanks for the countless hours of entertainment and knowledge!

My parents gave me a shiny new bike like that one Christmas (I was born in 1963). I was such a klutz, I couldn’t learn how to ride it. My grandpa was a truck mechanic, and he made a custom set of training wheels to use on it until I learned. One of my best memories of my grandpa and me ❤

My late brother had that bike while I had a Raleigh "English Racer" with the Sturmey-Archer three-speed hub. Every kid in our neighborhood on base had one or the other since that was all that was offered at the PX. In a fit of curiosity I took that hub apart one day and realized I had no. idea how to put it back together. So Dad just said "Keep at it" and about a week later I finally got it to work. That was in the late 60s and I can remember it like yesterday.

I never had a muscle bike. I got my brother's hand me down 21" Murry with sunburst paint job. It was the time when BMX was just becoming the rage in our area, probably around 1977. I clearly remember going down to our local Coast to Coast store and picking out a set of flat black BMX handlebars, grips, and a set of knobby tires for my birthday. We lived in the country and I rode my bike to school 4 miles in to town every day, often even in the winter time. Most parents wouldn't allow their kids to have that much freedom today. No computers, no cell phones. We entertained ourselves and enjoyed each other's company. Simpler times.....

I will never forget the old 20" bike I put together from parts I found in a vacant lot. Living in Brooklyn, NY in the 60s, my overprotective mom wouldn't let me have a bike, so I made one from parts I found in the vacant lots nearby. I only had to buy tires and a seat. It was my way to freedom those days.

A 2 hour Mustie video, it doesn’t get any better than that, first thing on a Sunday morning. Don’t forget the ‘3’ insert on the gear shifter. Great episode. Loved it. I was a kid that wanted one of these, but never had. Cardboard in the spokes, my first lesson in the law of diminishing returns. Ah, I was waiting for it. The ‘3’ insert was placed!!!!!

I have such fond memories of the neighborhood bike gang. Jumping ramps, skidding contests, wheelie contests. Bikes were freedom!!

I find it amazing how we remember things like dissapointing christmas presents from our childhoods and how it can impact us so many years later.

Man ,the rich kids in the neighborhood had that bike 😂😂😂 . I grew up in Detroit. Poor as all get out We had trash picked bikes that we put together and painted. But boy I love those bikes 😂😂😂 thanks brother 🙏 for sharing. I think putting those bikes together like that started my mechanics career in some way 😊

Yep had the exact same bike in 1968. If I recall it cost $65.00 CND. One evening I rode hard and fast into a chain crossing the road. I went forward as the bike stopped. The speed shifter caught me where a guy does not want to be hit. I ended up laying on the ‘Road Closed’ sign which had fallen off and limped my bike the rest of the way home. Ahh memories. Cheers from 🇨🇦

Mustie. Your story about your Dad giving you the wrench set brought back fond memories. My father gave me my first set of tools as a Christmas gift when I was just a child. He was a mechanic all his life and I followed in his footsteps. I still have that set and cherish it deeply.

My brother and I has newspaper delivery routes. We both won a contest with these Mustang bikes as prizes. My father absolutely refused to have these bikes at home and made us take the regular 26 inch 3 speed bikes. Boy, were we pissed. He said they were too dangerous just like the Beatles were dangerous ! LOL...Ah yes, those were the days!!! I'm 70 now and still questioned my dad's reasons.

Nothing better than a beautiful crisp morning, a beautiful cup of coffee, a tasty cigar, and watching Mustie 1 ❤

Brings back memories of hours doing the same sort of maintenance/repairs on my bike when I was 10-12. Good times. It is a shame that we don't see more kids working on their bikes.

My dad left his bike in the driveway and it got run over. He had to ride his sisters bike after that. Because of that i had any bike i ever wanted. Dad would make sure every kid in the neighborhood had one. He ran an airline outside of the garage so all the kids could air up their bikes. He found out about 10 years ago that his older brother was the one that ran his over.

My father was shocked to find my bike in pieces within a week or two after he bought it for me for Christmas. I wanted to see how it worked. The fenders and other parts never made it back on because we had races around the block, and any excessive weight slowed you down. Memories.

Dear Mustie...When I was ten or so (ten years older than you, young man...) my Mom took me to an actual bike shop in Danbury, CT. There was nothing like a bike shop in our small town in NY. We looked at an "English Racer" and I was over the moon. Thin tires, cable brakes, it was beautiful. Then on Christmas morning, a brand-new bike was under the tree. But instead of the bike I dreamed of, it was a big-tired, coaster-brake model from Caldor. No doubt my Dad, ever the pragmatist (and father of 9) put the kibosh on an English racer. I tried to be excited but I was monumentally disappointed. BTW, Thank you for all the years of videos. I ran into you when you were at the old garage behind your house, resurrected "Crusty." As an old, air-cooled guy, I was fascinated. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza and here's to a great new year for all!

Was born in 79 behind the iron curtain. We had some of these in the late 80's, early 90's. Made me burst out of tears. Thank you Mustie.

Born in 1964. We had a wonderful neighborhood with tons of kids, on a road that had very little traffic with backyards leading to trails in the woods. Evil Kneivel definitely influenced us to do stunts like you mentioned. Jumping over kids. No helmet or gloves in sight. Just your shirt, toughskin pants and Converse "Chuckies". What wonderful days.

I sold one of those on ebay about 15 years ago for a friend. I've never seen so many grown men emotional over a bike. It was a schwinn apple crate 5 speed. sold for over $1000.

Born in 65, and so many of my stories are the same. Pretty much lived on my bike , and learned to fix it the same way, even that same goofy bike wrench ! Great start to my Sunday as usual, thanks !!

What nostalgia!! I was born in '63. Like you I really wanted a muscle bike. Muscle bikes were way outside of my level of affordability. I used to go to the town dump and scrounge bicycle parts. Over time I built many muscle bikes. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Hey Darren,that hand painted green ' Chopper ' was made by Raleigh in the UK. I grew up with those bikes ( born in '66 ) They made a smaller version too ,named the ' Tomahawk ' . So,a native American theme going on there . ' Chopper's ' sell for thousands of £s nowadays. I sold mine for £35 in 1977 😩

Watching you work on these brings back so many memories of my young days working on my bicycle, motorcycles and cars had to work on everything I ever owned!

That 'acorn' wrench you were talking about is called a bone spanner on this side of the pond. Perfect tool for a bike as it covered just about everything on a Raleigh bike.

I had one of those. Dug it out of a dump pile in the woods in the mid 70's my dad fixed it. It was my first bike.

Remember those bikes like it was yesterday, we rode them everywhere. This is what the cool kids rode! We would walk the tracks to the landfill and ride a “used” bike home to customize. Thanks for the memories!

the litle pin on the front spoke was for a little miles counter that mounted on a bracket fastened to the front hub. the pin would touch a small toothed wheel on the counter and rotate it slightly every time the wheel went around. you bought the correct mileage counter for your sized wheel. i had one on proper road bike back in the 1970's, it was a 10 speed peugeot. the miles counter was either french or english made, probably english

You’re a year younger than my father was I wish you a healthy rest of your life watching him go through health issues ruined me you remind me of him in ways thank you so much for everything you do for everyone here on RU-vid

I don't go a Sunday without seeing one of your FANTASTIC Videos.. Thanks always

I’ve always wanted to know how things work… 1958… I’m 6… mom & dad got me a brand new Mickey Mouse watch for Christmas. 20 minutes later I was down the basement taking it apart. Pieces flew everywhere. Parents were sooo angry. Never did get it back together. Since then I’ve learned to be VERY careful taking things apart… and documenting all of it. I’ve learned so much more from Mustie!

Talk about a flashback moment! I can't wait to watch this again with my grandson to spark his interest in bike repair/rebuild. Back in the 60's I discovered all of the bikes had interchangeable parts EXCEPT SCHWINN BIKES! So I stayed clear of them and at the police auction I could buy the leftovers for $1! 😎😎 HUGE SCORE!

Great find Mustie1!!! I clearly remember Christmas 1963' when another kid on my block received a Schwinn, which was the very first version of these bikes, and they called their version the "Sting Ray." It had the same type of banana seat with the high-rise handlebars that gave it the look of a chopper! Also had the 3-speed shifter handle like this one. He clearly had the coolest bike on the block! And I had a Schwinn as well that I'd received for Christmas 1962'. But mine was huge, 26-inches huge, as big as a Tank. And super hard to petal. It was red. Had saddlebags on it. I was a little bigger than the average 9 year old kid, but it was almost too big even for me to handle at that age. My Dad said, "You'll grow into it! Santa knows what he's doing!" I still have that old bike, under my house! PS: I just remembered that the 'rear tire' that came on the "Sting Ray" originally was a slick.

Boy....This video is really telling my age. I had a bike like that in the 70's. Thank you Mustie for the trip down memory lane 👍

I was more an 80's BMX kid but we had the same kind of fun working and tinkering with our bikes. I miss those days.

I had a Schwinn Sting-Ray from the early seventies, which came in several flavors - I had the Orange Krate. It came with a fully suspended seat on both ends, a very cool Springer front end, a 5-speed derailleur with a very long shift lever, very tall monkey bars, and a drum brake on the front wheel. There was no cooler bike to have. These Huffys were essentially the very cheap versions of the Schwinns. A fully restored Sting-Ray goes for thousands now.

Way back in the mid-70s. I had that same bike. WOW! If I remember right. It was badged by Western Auto. I'm 62 years old now. What a blast from the past.

I got emotional seeing this bike. Definitely my generation. So good to see Mustie1 doing it to it in the right way. As always sparks, fuel, smoke, and safety 3rd and good as used. Sunday and Mustie1, it is the only way.

I remember being influenced by Evil Kneivel and we all would make ramps and jump our bikes, good thing my best friends dad would weld them back together as we would regularly crack the frames and handlebars, what a great time to be a kid

I had one of these as a kid. This one is a great example of a true survivor, looks very origin down to the red line slick back tire, the peddles

I really appreciate hearing the stories Darren tells of what life was like when he was a boy learning to take stuff apart and put it back together. Like him, I got my start at learning about wrenching by working on bicycles. One of my earliest memories is taking apart a coaster brake hub on my one-speed Monark (correct spelling) bike I had, back in about '55 when I was 11. After I had the hub back together with the wheel mounted on the bike, turning the pedals in the normal direction caused the brake to lock up the wheel. I must have put all the disks in the hub in the wrong order. Darren was right on the money when he opined that kids these days are really missing out by not getting the experience of learning how things work by taking bicycles apart.

Here in UK the 3 speed hub gears were called Sturmey Archer. Enjoyed the bike talk and tinkering. Remember one of my rich mates had a Moulton. Unstylish at the time but a great ride tbh! That Raleigh Chopper (had one that my Grandfather resto'd for me) are iconic now!

Mustie, I was born in the 50's and a bicycle was a grade schoolers passport the beyond. I really like when you do a vid with storytelling. It brings back memories of the past we come here Sunday mornings to hear. You have a gift of storytelling, have you ever considered a memoir like book.

This is basically the bike I had (without the shifter and hand brakes) in '69--'70. Coaster brake only. Slick on the back. Wheelies so easy! I modded it with a way tall sissy bar and took off the fenders. Wish I had a pic of it. It got stolen after I rode it to school one day. 😥

I never had a "Stingray" bike, but I built my 26" bike from parts of other kids that I traded for. I had a banana seat, 3 speed stick-shifter, mounted on the ball-crusher bar & the classic handle bars! I would regularly lube all bearings & friction points. I learned how to take things apart, see how they worked, then treat them well!

Man brought back memory's being 10yrs òld working on bikes leaving my old man's tools ĺayiñg on the ground and him ģetting pissed òff what a great time.

I had an orange krate 5 speed. I learned all my original wrench skills from loving on that bike. So many ramps jumped, even did an unsuccessful front flip on it! Somehow my manberries survived, awesome! Nice work Mustie.

😇😇😇 In 1968 I was 13 🎄 So many memories ❤ I totally remember the straws we use to put on the spokes to slide back and forth ! And the cards we use to put in the spokes with the clothes pin to make that cool noise !!! Use to have so much fun !!! 🎄🎄🎄😮

I like when you make bikes, especially with motor because it's my hobby. But always just as fun with a new episode of mustie1 and hearing old stories. Merry Christmas from smaland Sweden

I had the exact bike. Got it for Christmas in 68 or 69. I hit that shifter several times. I wore it completely out. It went to the scrap yard decades ago! What a flashback!

That green “chopper” is a UK bike made by the Raleigh company of Nottingham. In good condition there now worth thousands of pounds. I remember having an orange MK1 as a kid 👍

Most of those were built in my hometown, Celina pronounced (Suh-lie-nuh) Ohio. Lots of kids in town had variations of those bikes, and when a new model came out, the kids who had parents working at the factory had the newest rides. The wide rear tire in white or red walls, big banana seats, TALL sissy bars ape hanger handlebars and up to 5 speed shifter on the cross bar. Huffy even built a bike with a steering wheel instead of handlebars, with all the muscle car accessories, including Mag wheel covers over the spoked wheels that resembled Crager Mags or similar hot rod wheel. An older guy in town who worked for Huffy, had a sideline business fixing up bikes, would have parts bikes around and would upgrade or repair your bike with spare/used parts. He converted twist handle shift multi speed bikes to the console shift or add sissy bars, a different seat, handlebars, pedals etc. Great times for sure. Thanks for the trip down memory road.

Musatie1, Well you did it again! Took me down memory lane. I was in Florida 13 years old when the first sting rays came out. I was’nt “privileged” enough to get one but since I worked on bikes for the other kids making frankenstein ones, I was able to wheel and deal myself into getting several wrecked sting ray parts to build “and PAINT” my own. Yes it was wheelie heaven and jumped everything that we could. Thanks for the memories of my early wrenching. (as I remember it) the original Sting Rays were not geared nor have hand brakes. so skidding was a lot more fun but we went through a lot of rear tires.. BTW, for some reason the Dad’s had trouble playing poker… and mom’s were missing lots of clothes pins….haha Oh, and I remember you building that electric front wheel bike…sooooo cool!

Your ability to calmly asses and fix problems is amazing. Also, your childhood bike stories bring back fond memories. Thank you.

When we were kids my older cousin had a similar bike. We put pegs on the front and back and used to cruise around town with 4 little monsters on it. (My mom's nickname for our little friends group) It was amazing. We all took turns peddling it around so nobody got tired. Many cool old memories. Thanks for fixing up this old beauty.

Great trip down memory lane Mustie! Always wondered how that transmission worked. Some of the kids put on modified forks to make theirs into choppers. I wanted to do that too until I saw them crashing all the time. Speaking of the brands, Sears' house brand was "Free Spirit" and I always thought those were above average.

This brings back fond memories of my 1968 Huffy “Rail.” It was green with a five speed shifter mounted on a wood grained console, a very tall sissy bar, and a banana seat. My mother bought it with S&H Green Stamps. I loved that bike! I’m 66 years old and I still think about riding that bike all around the small town of my childhood. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

I've seen almost every Mustie1 video, and there are a lot. I love them. The narration is the best part!

What a hoot! I had that exact same bike given to me by my dad in 1969 on my birthday, although mine was a schwinn. Man, was I happy to get that new bike! I also remember vividly, that one of my feet slipped off the pedal and I came crashing down onto the 'stickshift' and that was the first time that I ever saw stars from the pain . Jesus, from my nads all the way to my abdomen, nothing but pure pain. It was stolen from my yard about 6 months later and replaced with a really crappy basic 50's style bike from Western auto (do they even exist anymore?) that fell apart in about 2 months. Ahhh memories from my childhood...good stuff. Thanks Mustie muh man.

Afternoon mate

Great, video, we used to put a piece of plastic near the back wheel so it hit on the spokes, held on with a clothes peg, so it made a noise like a little 2 stroke when you rode it 😂, we thought we were the bees knees . I always wondered how those geared hubs worked 👍

Born in late 63. Two brothers in the neighborhood had a Green Schwinn 3 speed and a Purple Schwinn 5 speed. Got the 3spd at their yard sale and was thrilled!!...a year later the 'holy grail' became available,,The purple 5 spd with true redline slicks, metallic purple banana seat and full overhead sissy bar. You became a neighborhood legend just by way of owning one.

my parents bought me the 1978 version when I was in 4th grade. I was so excited for it that I kept it in my room at night and couldn't even sleep that first night.

I'm the same age as you and I couldn't agree more about how much you learn working on bikes as a kid. All I had was a screwdriver, hammer, adjustable wrench and plyers but I made it work. Great memories thanks for bringing me back to those days!

You are a brave man to take apart the rear hub-I took one apart years ago and ended up having the dealer order a new hub and re-spoking it with my rim. good job buddy!

Darren, thanks for the memories! The last bike I had as a kid was also a Huffy, emerald green like this one, but just a plain bike without the 3 speed. It also had the sissy bar & banana seat, & I also got it Christmas morning 1968. I was a tall thin kid (I'm 6' 1'' , 200 lbs & 66 yrs old now), & my Mom told me once, "No wonder I can't get any weight on you, you're always on that bike!". I rode the daylights out of that bike. 😀 Thanks again!

Boy that is smack dead in my sweet spot. I would have been 11. We used to call that wrench you described a “Dumbell Wrench.” All the things you have done today, I have done countless times (without a shop, a vice, a bike stand or power tools.) Then on to 10 speeds and center pull breaks. Me and my brother never had a new bike, or even one with all original parts. What a great time! We built the understanding, skills and use of tools to take us through life and repair, maintain and build things. I fear that is lost these days. Most people don’t have the skills and most products are disposable now. I bet today all those bearings and races have been replaced with brass or composite bushings, made to last a couple or 3 years. Then mom and dad take the kid back to Target for a new bike and put the old one at the curb. Thanks for the journey back in time!

When I was about 6 or 7 years old,my brother and me got brand new 3 speed bikes similar to the one you showed in this episode. I think the year was 1966 or 1967. They were both red and the gear selector was built in to the handle grip as I recall. As I think about it now they would be be worth something. I don't remember the make. Those bikes meant the world to my brother and I, they would be anything we wanted to be, racecar, boat ect. Those were great times!

The little stud on the front wheel is for a CYCLO mileometer. They were made to specific wheel sizes. they clamped to the front axle,

Thank You! Very nostalgic for me. also born in 64. reminded me of messing around with bikes and whatever growing up.

I was also born in 64 and when i was 5 got a bike like that without a shifter. Everyone had the bannana seat, very tall sissy bar and swept back handlebars. Then in about 75 mongoose came out with a bmx style bike. Then everyone was replacing the banana seat and bar with the bmx style seat, changed the forks to a fat Y tube bmx forks and the handle bars had to be bmx syle with the cross bar, lose all fenders and finally knobby tires. It seemed like overnight it went from street riding to trails and jumping. Good times, thanks for the memories mustie. 😊

Very cool, I just restored my 1973 Ross Barracuda I got for Christmas when I was a kid. You can move the cable to the “swingarm” or lowest part of the frame for the shifter. I think that would be the correct spot. Anyway, nice work as always!

Feature length Musti1 episode. Grab some popcorn, a drink and settle into your favorite comfy chair.

My dad bought an old standard Murray 26" bike for $5 and restored it for my 8th Christmas(1964). Not what I wanted, but he did an amazing job and it was beautiful. For my 9th birthday the following May, he took me to the bike/toy store and we picked out a silver banana seat/bar and high rise handlebars. Dad loaned me the tools and minimally helped me change out the parts. I was a big kid and loved that weird big Stingray-hybrid. Could outrun any of the other kids Stingray's. Pop knew what he was doing all along.

This was my first Spider bike in 1969, only mine was gold. Loved that bike.

The Huffy ended up being the Duesenberg of this era. My friends and I had the Schwinn Stingray, which was a great Wheelie Machine, but this model Huffy with its shifter knob was the ultimate. We would cruise the bike shops to find a 2-speed axle and rewire the hub, which was very useful, but the "Shifter" had the total cool factor.

I had this exact bike as a kid!! Same color and the wide slick on the back too. Great find!

Nice use of 2 hours of my time. I am a 1966 model myself, so it brings back wonderful memories.

in 1963 for Christmas (I was 13), I got a new Schwinn 26 inch with a 2-speed rear axle. To shift, you kicked back like you were putting on the coaster brake and it would shift up or down. What a great bike!

I always like storytime with mustie1😊

A Huffy version of the Raleigh Chopper, which was my favourite bike from when I was a kid. I still had it until a decade ago, when it was stored at my dad's. Unfortunately he decided to have a huge clear out at took my Chopper to the local tip, after cutting it in half to get it in his car. 😢 Edit Oh and the thing on the front spoke is from a distance meter, which turns a cogged wheel on the meter every wheel revolution.

Let’s race! Nice find 👍

It seems like just about every car guy started out wrenching on bikes as a kid, that definitely paved the way for me.

You're the best mustie1. I saw your videos. You revived anything.

My brother had the same bike. We loved it. It goes like a dragon. At the same time, very comfortable

I always thought it would be fun to build an adult sized stingray bike, just for kicks... I spent most of my childhood on one of those. Thanks for the trip through the way-back machine. *BEERS*

Brings back memories of Growing up in a small town in New Jersey in the 70’s making bikes out of parts of other bikes. Making choppers by cutting forks and adding them to the bikes forks. Pop a wheelie to have the front wheel pop off and get flipped over the handlebars 😂😂😂😂😂 good times.

1972, I got an orange Mach 1 bike that looked vrey similar to that. The shifter was a black T handle instead of the chrome roundish one on your bike. Very cool bike for a 9 year old

Who else went straight to the end to watch Mustie ride it? 🙋🏻‍♂️

Don’t forget the little plastic plug in the centre of the gear shifter! Ahhhh - ya got it!

Those were all the rage in the early 70's. If you had one, you were cool beans. These are highly collectable and you made a huge score for $10!!!

When I was 12, my parents asked for my help picking a bike for my older brother, I picked one out, and on Christmas morning that bike was given to me, not at all what I would have picked, but it was all mine.

Boy does this ever take me back. Skinned knuckles and knees and fixing everything with a crescent wrench and a pair of pliers. Aside from the card in the spokes, we used to get 2 equal lengths of pipe that fit over the front forks. We hammered one end flat and cut a notch for the axle with a metal saw. The extended forks made the bike a chopper. Not a safe one to be sure, but we thought we were the coolest kids on the block. 😂😂😂

Had fun watching 61 when I was born 👍😎

What a wonderful flashback... As soon as I saw that 333 on the shifter it brought me back to when I was 10. Same bike in blue.