Torker stamped parts

[NORTY40]

I picked up a very nice chrome Torker the other week , the lad's Dad had bought it new from Alan's in Wigan back in 83 . He told me all of the parts were original to the bike apart from the bar's which had been changed to some kneesaver type bars .

What is quite interesting is the Torker stamped parts .....

First up , 6 bolt stem in og Blue anno . I have seen these before so not much of a rarerity but i thought i would include it anyway ...







The next one is a seat , now im well aware of the Torker stamped Jaguar ariake seat stamped 'Torker' on the nose but this is different . It is stamped Torker on the side , it's actually stamped like a Kashi aero ie not a decal . No markings under the seat at all .    It is still attached to it's original post which still has an og Torker decal on .






The last item is a one piece crank ...... never seen one of these before ....







Im going to take all 3 items into Alan's in the near future to see if he can shed some light on them (mainly the seat and the OPC) .

Any Torker lads come across anything like these before ??

Cheers

Joff

[glenboy]

cant help with info but you do find these sleepers joff  , never seen a torker stamped crank

[NORTY40]

cant help with info but you do find these sleepers joff  , never seen a torker stamped crank

I can't take the credit for finding these Glen . Darren (BADDH) knew the lad who had them , he got the lads brother's Torker MX complete bike  . They had them both from new and both were supplied by Alan's bitd .

I haven't seen another seat or crank like this before 

[CustardLips]

Nice bits Joff. 

[GRAB ON KID]

Hi Joff,the stamped Torker stems were made in Asia when Marui brothers (TIOGA) bought the rights to Torker after the bankruptcy so would've been made after 85'.The Torker 2 frames were made by Akisu & the cranks look just like Tiogas,Takagi,etc as have the same Cro-mo font stamp on them..... so it would make sense that the seat was probably made by one of the many brands under Tioga around the same time.....Still I've never seen either those cranks or seat before so quite a find bud!

Is there any stamp on the seat guts?

Cheers,Mike 

[rollin72]

They are quite quality Joff

[animal]

Lovely Jubly 

[NORTY40]

Hi Joff,the stamped Torker stems were made in Asia when Marui brothers (TIOGA) bought the rights to Torker after the bankruptcy so would've been made after 85'.The Torker 2 frames were made by Akisu & the cranks look just like Tiogas,Takagi,etc as have the same Cro-mo font stamp on them..... so it would make sense that the seat was probably made by one of the many brands under Tioga around the same time.....Still I've never seen either those cranks or seat before so quite a find bud!

Is there any stamp on the seat guts?

Cheers,Mike 

Hi Mike ..... thanks for the reply mate , I nearly PM'd you with the pics tbh but i thought i'd share them on here .

That's interesting on the stem as it throws a spanner in the works with the lad saying this came from Alans as a complete in 83 , he could be a year out so say 84 but after 85 .... im not sure . Is this for definite ?   I guess Alan might be able to shed some light on it aswell .

No markings on the seat base or seat guts .... totally plain .

Thanks again for the info mate , appreciated 

[In2bmx]

Awesome stuff Joff  .. 

[GRAB ON KID]

Hi Joff,been looking into this as info about Torker's product line after 83 is sketchy & conflicting from most sources.

It is possible these were made in 84' as Torker did have stuff being made in Asia prior to the bankruptcy like the Magnum 200,Steve Johnson originally went over to Japan in 82' to spec parts for the 280 range & actually states that in the future more parts are being developed that will carry the Torker logo like chro-mo cranks  & tires.(BMXA 280x test Nov 82).Torker was constantly developing new parts but spent all their advertising on promoting the 280 range.We know this as others like the Pro x,Freestylist ,Torker hubs & other components were never advertised & most of us only found out about them when they hit the shops or saw reviews in mags.

Also spotted this the other day w/Torker stamped cranks but they have the OG logo instead of the single line font like yours.DCBMX1 was selling it on a pit bike that claims it's from the SBS/Tioga era after the bankruptcy.He's on here so might be worth giving him a PM to find out if he knows more.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-School-Torker-Bmx-Pitbike-Frame-Fork-Crank-/350995866345?nma=true&si=SKH%252FQLGdN%252BtpADuwfqJPUFhzbac%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Torker went bankrupt in Nov 84 so leaves only a month or two till 85' which is why i stated these parts were probably 85 or later as the stamped stems were always stated as being made in Asia.

Hopefully we can get some more detailed info on this.Alan might also be able to expand being the main Torker man for the UK & was actually at the bankruptcy auction.
Cheers,Mike 

[BADDH]

I would be nice to know about this bike and the Parts too,  the father of the lads we bought these off bought my 81 MX for his eldest son  at Christmas 82 and a year later in 83 for his youngest son (Joff's 280x )

Torker history certainly is a winding path of fact, haze and as I like to use the terminology " myth that becomes folk law"

Robinsons are a bit easier ... Carl and me have most of them  

[NORTY40]

Hi Joff,been looking into this as info about Torker's product line after 83 is sketchy & conflicting from most sources.

It is possible these were made in 84' as Torker did have stuff being made in Asia prior to the bankruptcy like the Magnum 200,Steve Johnson originally went over to Japan in 82' to spec parts for the 280 range & actually states that in the future more parts are being developed that will carry the Torker logo like chro-mo cranks  & tires.(BMXA 280x test Nov 82).Torker was constantly developing new parts but spent all their advertising on promoting the 280 range.We know this as others like the Pro x,Freestylist ,Torker hubs & other components were never advertised & most of us only found out about them when they hit the shops or saw reviews in mags.

Also spotted this the other day w/Torker stamped cranks but they have the OG logo instead of the single line font like yours.DCBMX1 was selling it on a pit bike that claims it's from the SBS/Tioga era after the bankruptcy.He's on here so might be worth giving him a PM to find out if he knows more.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-School-Torker-Bmx-Pitbike-Frame-Fork-Crank-/350995866345?nma=true&si=SKH%252FQLGdN%252BtpADuwfqJPUFhzbac%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Torker went bankrupt in Nov 84 so leaves only a month or two till 85' which is why i stated these parts were probably 85 or later as the stamped stems were always stated as being made in Asia.

Hopefully we can get some more detailed info on this.Alan might also be able to expand being the main Torker man for the UK & was actually at the bankruptcy auction.
Cheers,Mike 

Great info as always Mike , thanks    I have to agree when you say Torker's history is a bit sketchy !   it seems to be all over the place , some people say one thing others something different   

I checked the thread on the stem and it's metric ... unlike the first 6 bolt stems , so that points to it being later imo .

Im going in to see Alan next week so i'll take the parts for him to look at and report back That bankruptcy auction is when Alan got his Torker Targa frameset .

[oldschoolib]

put this stuff on museum joff old boy you ll have enough for  a hair translant or snow machine so you can go sledging with nipper when ever you want 

[In2bmx]

Interesting stuff , be awesome to find out more about Torker's 

And more great parts in your nest Joff the squirrel !

[NORTY40]

put this stuff on museum joff old boy you ll have enough for  a hair translant or snow machine so you can go sledging with nipper when ever you want 

   no need for the transplant Ian ... the comb over is coming on a treat mate ..



 

[griff]

Nice finds lads!

If I ever get round to building a Torker I should probably move to Wigan first 

[crazycraig]

Don't be bringing any of your Chorley Asian tat to a Wigan build and trying to pass yourself off as a hardcore Robinson/ torker fanatic .

It's dont wash with the real crew

[NORTY40]

Don't be bringing any of your Chorley Asian tat to a Wigan build and trying to pass yourself off as a hardcore Robinson/ torker fanatic .

It's dont wash with the real crew

 


I wouldn't want to craig  ..... Wiganers should stick to building pies , it's what they do best    as for Robinson and Torker in the early 80's  ...... there as American as they come 


I knew you would like my tat Craig 

[crazycraig]

Built in America refined in Wigan