Blazer Documentation thread

[Texasbmx 73]

cool frame!!!

 

just another confirmation that mike doesn't have his facts straight. his denial that blazer made chrome frames is bullshit.

Yep. stickers look og and would confirm this was made under Mike's watch

[Texasbmx 73]

Hey, os... Could you give us a timeline on the gift you received... what time you added the fork, and what kind it is? Can you still get ahold of the guy you got it from to see when he got the frame , when he put it in the attic, when he got it out of the attic, when he got it to you. You have just added more proof that Blazer had no numbering system in any of their frames. I'd like to hear from somebody that was older than 10 at this time. 10 and under really didn't give a flying ..."frame"...as to what it looked like, or if it was chromed or not. All they wanted was to hop on it, ride it to the finish line and hopefully have a race that made everybody happy. I don't understand calling B.S. on the owner of a company, that probably gave a lot of his life to a company that may have had it's problems, but had some of the cleanest and at my time, lightest frames. Thanks

BTW- Nice looking frame but I don't feel the bars.

It's a cool company no doubt, my favorite problem, but when the owner goes around claiming that somebody (and that somebody is the father (r.i.p) of a friend of yours, a super humble guy) that he "stole" his company, his company in which he never had the trademark or anything you're not going to find people eager to back his story up. It's even worse when he says things like "any chrome blazer is a rechrome or a FAKE."

 

Yes, he said that.

 

what are we supposed to say?

[falcon8 14]

 

Hey, os... Could you give us a timeline on the gift you received... what time you added the fork, and what kind it is? Can you still get ahold of the guy you got it from to see when he got the frame , when he put it in the attic, when he got it out of the attic, when he got it to you. You have just added more proof that Blazer had no numbering system in any of their frames. I'd like to hear from somebody that was older than 10 at this time. 10 and under really didn't give a flying ..."frame"...as to what it looked like, or if it was chromed or not. All they wanted was to hop on it, ride it to the finish line and hopefully have a race that made everybody happy. I don't understand calling B.S. on the owner of a company, that probably gave a lot of his life to a company that may have had it's problems, but had some of the cleanest and at my time, lightest frames. Thanks

BTW- Nice looking frame but I don't feel the bars.

It's a cool company no doubt, my favorite problem, but when the owner goes around claiming that somebody (and that somebody is the father (r.i.p) of a friend of yours, a super humble guy) that he "stole" his company, his company in which he never had the trademark or anything you're not going to find people eager to back his story up. It's even worse when he says things like "any chrome blazer is a rechrome or a FAKE."

 

Yes, he said that.

 

what are we supposed to say?

 

Lost me on friend and father. My guess is the father was probably my friend. Could you enlighten with a little more info. I don't know about this particular conversation, but maybe someone else might have been around that can remember.

[Texasbmx 73]

Read this http://www.bmxsociety.com/topic/55520-my-blazer/

[osRLracer 75]

falcon8, I'll see what he remembers.

[falcon8 14]

Read this http://www.bmxsociety.com/topic/55520-my-blazer/

I think I did read this when I first started looking into the Blazer info when I pulled out the bike. I sent an email to mike at the freedom hill address, but have yet to get any response. I've sent messages to associates of BA Anderson, asking them to relay my request for  info, with no response. 

It looks like it would take a lot of research with the state records on corporations, trademarks, patents,etc...I don't remember if L.L.C."s were very big back then. Businesses were run differently. More of handshakes and words. 

What I know for sure is that two mini frames came out of the Blazer factory unfinished. No chrome, no paint, no decals. The only markings were the tubing company's chromoly ID. 

The only connection between Blazer and Rebel that I saw was them co-sponsoring the Lone Star National in 1983, for 1 year only. I'm still trying to see who's AZ number that was in the ad.

I'd still like to know who the friend and father you spoke of earlier.

[Texasbmx 73]

Charles and Brock Bruce. I didn't mean to say we're close friends but I've talked to him over the years and he's a cool guy

I don't think Bernie Anderson ever owned blazer, just rebel

Is there something you're trying to learn about your Blazers?

[falcon8 14]

Charles and Brock Bruce. I didn't mean to say we're close friends but I've talked to him over the years and he's a cool guy

I don't think Bernie Anderson ever owned blazer, just rebel

Is there something you're trying to learn about your Blazers?

I don't think Bernie had any part of Blazer either. 

I misunderstood who's friend and father you were talking about. I've got it now.

The only thing I'm  trying to find out about the frame is when it was made. Pretty much impossible to do off of Ser. #'s. I know everything else about the bike because I helped put it together. All phases.  

[Texasbmx 73]

Well, it has the hole in the dropout so it was one of the first ever made. Probably very early 1980

[mrraceinc 10]

Texasbmx, mine is up for sale. Hit me up if you are still interested. I need to do some uncluttering of my life and part of that involves selling off the BMX stuff that I am coming to the conclusion I will never do anything with.

[Texasbmx 73]

Texasbmx, mine is up for sale. Hit me up if you are still interested. I need to do some uncluttering of my life and part of that involves selling off the BMX stuff that I am coming to the conclusion I will never do anything with.

I'm interested

 

Your message box appears to be full. Send me an email

 

noahgannusa@gmail.com

[Texasbmx 73]

Texasbmx, mine is up for sale. Hit me up if you are still interested. I need to do some uncluttering of my life and part of that involves selling off the BMX stuff that I am coming to the conclusion I will never do anything with.

anybody know how to get in contact with "mrraceinc"??

 

 

    

 

[falcon8 14]

Texasbmx. Are you looking for a mini? I have one I might be putting up for sale or trade if Carl Bartley's kid doesn't want it. I think the stem you're looking for is the one on my Blazer mini. Not a DK...Pre DK sent to be built for Harbor Lite. I'll tell you the rest if your interested.

[Texasbmx 73]

Texasbmx. Are you looking for a mini? I have one I might be putting up for sale or trade if Carl Bartley's kid doesn't want it. I think the stem you're looking for is the one on my Blazer mini. Not a DK...Pre DK sent to be built for Harbor Lite. I'll tell you the rest if your interested.

A mini stem or blazer?

[falcon8 14]

 

Texasbmx. Are you looking for a mini? I have one I might be putting up for sale or trade if Carl Bartley's kid doesn't want it. I think the stem you're looking for is the one on my Blazer mini. Not a DK...Pre DK sent to be built for Harbor Lite. I'll tell you the rest if your interested.

A mini stem or blazer?

 

Mini Blazer with a mini stem. The stem is not a dk. Its like the one we sent to dk to produce for Harbor Lites. I'm not sure if dk ended up with the contract, but it sure looks like there mini they made later.

[Texasbmx 73]

 

 

Texasbmx. Are you looking for a mini? I have one I might be putting up for sale or trade if Carl Bartley's kid doesn't want it. I think the stem you're looking for is the one on my Blazer mini. Not a DK...Pre DK sent to be built for Harbor Lite. I'll tell you the rest if your interested.

A mini stem or blazer?

 

Mini Blazer with a mini stem. The stem is not a dk. Its like the one we sent to dk to produce for Harbor Lites. I'm not sure if dk ended up with the contract, but it sure looks like there mini they made later.

 

I would definitely like another blazer mini. A harbor lite stem would be cool too for my chrome mini

[falcon8 14]

 

 

 

Texasbmx. Are you looking for a mini? I have one I might be putting up for sale or trade if Carl Bartley's kid doesn't want it. I think the stem you're looking for is the one on my Blazer mini. Not a DK...Pre DK sent to be built for Harbor Lite. I'll tell you the rest if your interested.

A mini stem or blazer?

 

Mini Blazer with a mini stem. The stem is not a dk. Its like the one we sent to dk to produce for Harbor Lites. I'm not sure if dk ended up with the contract, but it sure looks like there mini they made later.

 

I would definitely like another blazer mini. A harbor lite stem would be cool too for my chrome mini

 

It's not a Harbor Lite stem either. It's one of four or five milled out of aluminum ( stem bolt and cap bolts also) we had made at a boat shop in Mesa, AZ. These were made before any companies had lightweight "mini" stems. This bike was the lightest on the market in 1982, and hung on a set of scales in Bicycle Harbor. Weighed in at 10.5 lbs. After I got it, I replaced some of the more hazardous parts so my daughter could race it. The forks were the first Harbor Lite sew up forks made. The welder from Blazer made them for us  right around the time he started welding for Navajo Racing.

[Texasbmx 73]

Harbor lite prototype 

That's a super cool tale! Let me know about that mini

[dubplatestyle 86]

Please, feel free to add, correct or discuss any information (or assumptions) I share within. The following was collected purely for my own entertainment, to appease my (often obsessive) passion to research.   

 

 

To simplify things a bit, I'm going to split Blazer into two era's of operation.

 

'BR' logo: Mike Maberry (Co-owner, Brand & Team Manager) & Dave Gersten (Co-owner & Manufacturing duties) 

 

'B' logo: Dave Gersten (Manufacturing) & The Bruce Family (Ownership, Brand Management)

 

 

Courtesy Of Mike Maberry

 

 

First Generation Mini Frames (Blazer Racing Inc. / 1008 Brady / Lufkin, Texas 75901)

 

 

Characteristics: Non-Machined Head Tube / Hole in Rear Drop Out / 7/8" Seat Tube / Down tube decals without 'border' and small upper chain stay decals.

 

 

 

(Side Note: Ironically, the two n.o.s. mini frames above, were sold back to Mike Maberry.) 

 

 

Second Generation Mini Frames (Blazer Racing Inc. / 1008 Brady / Lufkin, Texas 75901)

 

Metallic Blue

 

Characteristics: Machined Head Tube / Solid Rear Drop Out / 13/16" Seat Tube / Down tube decals with 'border' and no chain stay decals.

 

Metallic Brown (Supposedly a 'limited' color, Blazer Boxes only showed: Red, Blue, Black & Chrome as options. This particular frame, came in a box marked: Black).

 

 

 

The two mini's above were found still sealed in their original boxes. Interestingly, the metallic blue frame was discovered in a REBEL Racing box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copper-Plated Standard Blazer Frame (N.O.S.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete (Black) Blazer Mini ('B' Logo) Manufactured in Arizona, sold and marketed through Rebel Racing.

 

 

 

 

 

After the Bruce family dropped the Blazer 'brand' altogether, it looks like the remaining stock of Blazer 'mini' frames were marketed and sold as Micro Reb's.

 

Courtesy Of Truly Odd

 

 

Rebel & Blazer Distributor / Retailer Catalog.

 

 

 

Courtesy Of Seda

 

 

Blazer 'Authorized Dealer' Window Decal (Usually found in the 'distributor' packet above.)

 

 

 

Various (n.o.s.) Blazer stem and handlebar pads ('BR' era).

 

 

Early stem pad for double clamp 'style' stems (ie: Mongoose Gold Stem)

 

Stem pad for 'mini' Tuf-Neck.

 

 

Misc. Blazer Decals ('BR' era)

 

 

 

 

[Texasbmx 73]

I don't think either of my minis have a 13/16 seat tube. Will have to confirm that. Thanks for sharing Jeff! Sweet bikes.

[dubplatestyle 86]

I don't think either of my minis have a 13/16 seat tube. Will have to confirm that. Thanks for sharing Jeff! Sweet bikes.

 

Noah, There's a strong possibility I might be off on those sizes. All I can remember is that the seat tube on the first generation frames were larger than the 2nd. Unfortunately, I no longer have any 1st generation frames in my possession, so I can't confirm those exact sizes. 

[TrulyOdd 589]

here's a coule ad's i took a picture of a while back.    pretty sure these are the first documentations of Blazer.  

 

this one is from october 79 ABA Action

 

 

from november 79 ABA Action

[TrulyOdd 589]

some pics i found on my hard drive.  

 

[Texasbmx 73]

I've thought about trying to recreate that last bike

[falcon8 14]

"82 Winternationals. The only Blazer rider I could find in my video. I'll be posting the '82 Lone Stars and the '83 Winters later. Might have more Blazer exposure on them. Dubplatestyle, I'll also post Carl Bartley accepting the #1 Bike Shop Trophy. You have a picture of him holding it.

 

I tried to post the video here but, may be too large or operator error. I put it on the FB site a few days ago, so you can view it there if you are interested.