Skid kids
I enjoyed reading the Jim Airey story (OBA 80) by Peter Whitaker, love these history lessons. I did the same as him on a Saturday evening, travelling from Sans Souci to watch Jim and the others at the Showground. You’re the first person to mention “Cut Downs” since those wonderful years. My dad was a plumber, so I could bronze weld at age 12. Dad and I got an old bike and he showed me how to sand bend the top tube to meet the sawn off pillar after 7” was removed. The rear sub frame was then either bent down, or, if you could find a bike with a bolt on frame, just dropped and tightened. Then, with the oxy, he bronze welded the joints to
make a professional looking “Speedway frame”. I then cut a piece of zinc anneal and welded it into head stock to imitate a fuel tank, added extended speedway bars, chrome spokes (which Dad laced up himself, teaching me, a skill I still have today) and a coat of Oxford Blue paint. I used to modify bikes for other kids for $3.00 each, not a bad business for a young teen. We used to cruise in groups, our track was disused tennis courts in Russell Avenue Sans Souci. This is the only photo I have of the bike, the veranda haircut was mandatory to be really cool. It was taken around 1966/7. Barry Patterson Via email