Interesting...
The seller describes it as a "Keyhole" model. That may very well be how it was described to him... That phrase has always struck me as being mis-used or confused in it's use as applies to Hetchins.
My understanding was that originally it was a reference to old straight blank lugs, with a hole then drilled midways up the "socket" and then a connecting slot filed or hacksawed to the outer edge of the lug. After that basic operation, often there were elaborations around it, but the "key hole" hole with slot sets the initial format. I cannot imagine why this would be called a Keyhole model. I have even seen a bike described as Keyhole by David Miller himself that did not fit the definition as I know it, so who knows?
This bike has modern stamped lugs (Prugnat?) that have little change made to their profile. The fork crown is a round track cast bit. The fastback seat stay cluster, straight stays and relatively plain style would have lead me to guess, if asked, that this would have been called an "Italia."
The year of manufacture puts it a "genuine" Hetchins-shop-still-open bike frame...
So let's see, after the buyer sends it to one of our fine CR list member businesses for refinishing & decaling, it should be a pretty striking bike. My vote? About midway up (or down) the hierarchy of Hetchins....
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, NC 27408 USA 336-274-5959 http://www.cyclesdeoro.com http://www.classicrendezvous.com Giant, Specialized, Bianchi, Felt, Orbea, Litespeed, Landshark, Townie and other exotica. Member, board of directors, National Bicycle Dealers Association
-----Original Message----- From: j.mccoin@comcast.net To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 13:57:02 +0000 Subject: [CR]Ebay Hetchins
Greetings
Would someone from the Hetchins community please take a look at Ebay #7161661536, and give their opinion as to date and where on the ladder of desiareability it sits.
Jim McCoin
Fremont Ca. Its my size
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