'Lil identification help?

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Tacomancini

Member
Mar 18, 2010
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16
Pittsburgh
'Lil Help Identifying This Cruiser?

Looking at this cruiser for purchase. The asking is $60. I'm looking at it as a possible transplant from my schwinn collegiate which I'm having trouble finding a sprocket solution for. Do you guys have any idea about this bike? I like the vintage carrier too. What should I offer?





 
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silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
I'd grab that bike, for sure. Doesn't matter what it is, but Schwinn also had a frame like that, as I recall. The DX was shaped like that. I imagine you can recoup most of your money from selling the skip tooth chain and sprocket and the kid seat on ebay. That's a nice bike, early fifties at the newest(some companies switched to the newer sprockets before the war and others not long after. Schwinn was kind of late with that... 1950 or 51, something like that.
Grab that bike. It's a winner!
SB
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Like I said, whatever it is, it's a nice bike and from a time when American made bikes were build to last. I wouldn't quibble about that price, but agree right up front to pay it. It is worth more than twice that. It will make a much better motorbike than your Collegiate. Yes, good luck!
SB
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
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Moosylvania
That's and awesome looking bike!

When ya get it, look for numbers on the bottom. Some times ya get lucky.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
The child's seat is aftermarket, so doesn't help in identifying it. The seat looks newer to me, too, more like 1960's. As Dan said, the serial numbers may help. If it is Schwinn, then they will probably be on the bottom bracket underneath. The other common place to look is on the dropout. Some companies, like Monarch didn't even stamp them into the frame, but used a plate riveted to the bottom bracket... which usually is missing.
SB
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
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Oh cool SB. I didn't know about them some times being stamped on the drop out, thanks!

Now I'm wondering if I failed to identify some of my old bikes.

Don't really matter. Carol confiscates the really cool old ones any way. "Thats to pretty to put a motor on"
LOL. drives me nutz. I need an off property shop!
 

zachary

New Member
Sep 16, 2011
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minnesota
that thig is cool looking i would buy it for $50 if i had to buy it for $60. child seat is kinda cool to. cut the back off and put a nice size gas tank back there.
 

Tacomancini

Member
Mar 18, 2010
163
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Pittsburgh
Okay. Brought the thang home. Took a quick ride. The thing rides very very smooth. There are some 26 x 2.125 Kendal tires on there that hold air well. The brake works pretty well. The handle bars are a little small maybe, but firm. The bike has no distinguishing marks, serial numbers etc. But there is a coat or three of paint on everything, including the rims.

Some pics:

Well I guess the hub is still raw, says "New Departure Made in the USA"


The skip tooth crank and drive is butter smooth.... Is it unreasonable to keep it?


The dropouts are horizontalish, and look like what i've seen on Shelby Cruisers


Rims are painted grey.. Could be original, or not?


Seat is cycle rite-
 

Tacomancini

Member
Mar 18, 2010
163
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Pittsburgh
Child Carrier with the cushion removed looks an awful like racks that many of folks here have on their bikes-


Front fender has holes probably for a headlight?



So now where to start? My girl is already morning the collegiate transplant. She liked how that mb turned out, and it's definitely nimble and good for the city. But I just keep ruining rear wheels, and what would I do, sacrifice the gears to go single speed, when the gears are a positive. There are just no good drive options for the derailleur bikes. I don't trust the grubee hd hub yet.

So gotta decide if I should transplant from the collegiate, or start to fix up that blown sky hawk I have sitting around, the one the bike thief blew.

Even before that, do I have to ditch the skip tooth? Should I be preserving the original drive train buy removing it for motorizing, and drop in a worksman rear wheel with hub adapter? Should I strip the paint down some now?

Questions, questions, questions.. But fun questions!
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
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Moosylvania
I really enjoy these kinds of threads. Kinda like watching friend's kids grow up.

Ya get to see the pics and don't have to do any of the work, snicker.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
I don't see any reason you can't use the skip tooth sprocket and chain. The chains are hard to come by is all... they aren't made anymore and can be very expensive. New Departure made good coaster brakes. It would be good to check to see if they need grease... careful opening things up.
You may have engine/pedal clearance problems which may require either bending the pedal arms or using a wider crank. A crank from a more recent oriental bike is a little bit wider than the old Schwinns at least and probably the one you have, too. You won't know for sure until you mount the engine and see what's up. That's a nice peaked fender. Yes, the holes would have been for a headlight, probably something torpedo like. Did you look underneath the bottom bracket for serial numbers? Nice that the dropouts have adjusters. You may be able to skip having a chain tensioner. Wouldn't that be nice! You got a very good deal. i don't know about using the rear wheel you have. Something with stout spokes would be good. If you could use a clamshell adapter for the rear sprocket mount then the narrower and old spokes would probably be OK. But I would not do a rag joint against them, I don't think. I can't remember if the New Departure hub is ribbed or if it has a grease or oil fitting on it which would get in the way of a clamshell adapter. You might do as well selling the rear wheel, chain and pedal assembly on ebay. If they are in good shape as it sounds like, then you will go a good ways toward paying for new heavy duty stuff more suitable for a motorbike. My opinion anyway.
SB
 

Tacomancini

Member
Mar 18, 2010
163
0
16
Pittsburgh
The paint is laid on super thick, so I couldn't make out any serials on the bottom bracket. Where its chipped away, there is some red peeking through, that could also be a layer on top of the stock paint.

The New Departure does have a fitting for grease, so I guess the clamshell is a no go. But I think that's okay. I'm toying with allowing it to be converted between motor bike, and non-motor bike, for when I hit the beach. I have a springer with v brake bosses that can go on, and a wider pyramid crank that can be swapped in from the collegiate. Then all I really need is a good rear wheel with a clamshell adapter. And wow, no chain tensioner would be great!!