Originally Posted by
Torchy McFlux
Yes, it's a Kuwahara-built Apollo. The headset, shifters and brake calipers are probably the originals, which would date it around 1982. The high-end Apollo from around that time was called the Custom Sport, I think. It was made with thin and light Ishiwata steel tubing. The green paint is original, and it was common for high-end Apollos to have chroming on the frame and fork.
The guy who owned that bike before you did not know his stuff. It's a random abused mess. I hope you're going to clean it up and do it right.
There is nothing to my eyes that suggests that the bike is an Apollo. Kuwahara-built Apollo frames always have serial numbers starting with two digits (the year) followed by another string of numbers, stamped into the left side of the lower part of the seat tube.
The lugwork and seat stays don't look like they belong to any Apollo that I've ever seen either.
Judging by the overall appearance of the bike and the absence of brake housing stops on the top tube, I'd say the frame is from the early late '70s - early 1980s.
Furthermore, I think that the Custom Sport was more of a mid-range model.
Earlier models from roughly late '70s to 1982ish used Tange Champion tubing, typically numbers 2 and 5, with Kuwahara-branded or Shimano forged dropouts, fork ends and usually had half-chromed forks and rear triangles and Kuwahara-branded headsets. The Imperial and Gran Sport were the top two in the line from this period. Later on, top 1982 - mid 1980s models, such as the Club Sport, Triathlon and Gran Touriste used Ishiwata, such as EX quad-butted on the latter, typically with no chroming visible.
There is a chance that the bike is an Apollo from that period
not built by Kuwahara, though I'm yet to see one. I can't explain the headbadge - I don't know why anyone would bother putting it on if it wasn't an Apollo!
More pics of the bottom bracket, head tube lugwork, rear and front dropouts would be great.
T-Mar may be able to recognise the serial number format - drop him a PM.