Classic & Vintage - Huffy Catalina?

I've spotted a Huffy Catalina down at the local thrift shop. The thrift shop want $59, but there's sure to be some discount.

However, in doing my research, I discovered that this is likely to be a Carlton re-badged Huffy, as it has lugs, etc. It's not a cruiser. It's a road bike. Wish I had paid more attention to the components!

Worth my while going and getting it if it's still there? I think it's a bit big for me (what isn't, most of the time), but it's intriguing. It may be big enough for Mr. East Hill, actually...

East Hill

Well the only Huffy Catalina i know of is a beach cruiser style. They probably reused the name over the years. But, huffy was rebadging bikes as their own quite a bit. Here's my rebadged Raleigh sports, which became the Sportsman. There's no hiding it's true builder. I'd grab it, just to freak Carlton people out. I know I get some weird reactions to my Sports(man).,,,,BD

Second pic is in "as found" condition.

Thanks bikedued, I think I will wander down there, just to take a closer look. Perhaps take some photos, just in case anyone else ever tries to do some research.

Yours cleaned up very nicely, and I like the red colour. I can't even remember the colour on the one I saw yesterday. I just thought it was interesting, because it certainly did not resemble any other Huffy I've ever seen.

Oh, I don't know if this means anything, but I seem to remember a decal which stated that the bike had been made in Japan.

East Hill

I saved a photo of a Carlton Huffy Catalina and Corsair ..the Catalina is shown in red ..the nicer looking of the two in my opinion.
I'd get it.
I found a near-mint -ugly yellow- Huffy Sportsman w/ drops at an antique shop for $10 and passed eventhough would have been given the bike for $0

While USA made Huffy's from the era were just above discount store bikes in quality, they did import Carlton Catalinas as an upmarket bike, well worth the $59. price today. Huffy also for a time imported Moultons, the 16" wheel type, not Dave Moulton. Kind of strange to see one with a Huffy transfer.

The head of Huffman Mfg. corp. was a bike buff at heart and owned a Rene Herse.

I have a Huffy Catalina made by Carlton. Identical to a Carlton except Huffy downtube decals and headbadge. About equal to the later Raleigh Super Course in components, ie, nothing great!

Well, I went to take a closer look. No pictures as it was pouring rain today and they did not come out very well. It's definitely lower end, made in Japan. Oddly, it has head lugs, but somewhat of a diffident fitting for everything else, nothing fancy. Almost like one piece of pipe stuck into another. Shimano GTO derailleur on the rear, couldn't read through the grease and grime for the front. I think someone did some upgrading on this bike, as it had almost new Bontrager tyes on Araya 27 x 1 1/4 alloy rims. No name brakes which looked rather low end. No name cranks, and not cottered, but with a nut! Nice vinyl wrap on the handlebar, and the suicide brake levers had been removed. Some weird counting thing on the front wheel, could have been Wilson? Looked like the old 'W' logo for Wilson (as in tennis rackets) if I am remembering correctly.

It was too big for me, not big enough for Mr. East Hill. So it got left at the thrift shop. Bummer :( .

East Hill

I'll post that one pic I have ..probably came from a popular bike site but I don't remember.
Good perhaps for someone doing a search ..

Just to add to the available knowledge, here's some photos of the Huffy Catalina I spotted:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_0404.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_0403.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_0402.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_0401.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_0397.jpg

East Hill

Sharp ride! I think those are the longest shifters I've seen, that weren't on a Schwinn.,,,,BD

Darn it Bikedued, you and sunofsand have almost got me convinced that I should put on my secret Santa hat and liberate this poor thing for some deserving BF member.

However, since none of you live near Puget Sound, that would be impractical!

The shifters are about 6 inches long. They aren't the prettiest things I've ever seen. But I would like to know if anyone knows more about the little wheel odometer.

Cool red stars by the way...:) .

East Hill

Here's my rebadged Raleigh sports, which became the Sportsman..


Man, thats a real sweet looking cruiser, Bikedued!!

I'd love to find one like that to restore and bring back to new.

The odometer on the front wheel used to be pretty common in the bike sections of department stores. With the licensing of brand names, it could be Wilson. You had to buy the correct one for you wheel size, i.e. 20", 26", 27", etc., so they aren't very accurate. The "click...click...click" as you went down the road could be either annoying or relaxing.

But I would like to know if anyone knows more about the little wheel odometer.


East Hill
What about it? They were very popular (and relatively cheap) back in the 70's and early 80's. They came in a couple of different formats, the clicker like you have seen and some that had a small pulley that was mounted on the wheel with a rubber drive belt that drove the meter. IIRC they came in different sizes for different sized wheels...I know the belt drive ones (Huret was the most common brand) came with a different sized drive wheels to use for the different wheels sizes.

Aaron :)

This one did specify that it was for a 27" wheel, which makes sense for the Araya rims on it.

East Hill