hey guy's i would like to start a thread featuring 40's-50's cruiser builds. lets see your schwinn, jc higgins, and my favorite the monark. elgins and excelsior are all welcome here. i love the board track builds but i think us ballon tire guys haven't got alot of press lately from what i have seen. here is my 55 monark rocket. i getting close to getting it running. i've got to finish the gas tank and a few other odds and ends. lets see what you guys got. I'am looking forward to it-big mike
pictures of your 40's-50's cruisers
- Thread starter mpr455
- Start date
Mpr, The Motor Looks Natural In There, Don`t You Think. Very Nice. Looks Like A Little Extra Room For The Motor Mounts, Have You Got That Solved Yet. Hard To Find Bikes Like That, Looks Solid And Straight. Ron
Mpr, I See You Have Jim`s Sprocket Set. Is That Part Of His Motor Mount Holding The Motor In?? Ron
nice set-up. i'm totally into the old cruisers.
here's my 1956 columbia / goodyear hi-way patrol special.
i've got an original tank coming, and i'm building a tube-type gas tank to go inside of it, so i can get rid of my custom-smashed peanut gas-dripper...
here's my 1956 columbia / goodyear hi-way patrol special.
i've got an original tank coming, and i'm building a tube-type gas tank to go inside of it, so i can get rid of my custom-smashed peanut gas-dripper...
Attachments
Diane's Bike
Hi, I built this lil bike for my wife, and we had taken it to Orange County where she rode it in a Moped Ride. I took this pic at her Mom's house 2-1-2004 I have always like the style of the Cleveland Welding bikes.
I think this is a Roadmaster 24" from 1946-1953 but have not run the serial numbers. It was a Primered frame and fork when I found it in the "parts pile" of a bike shop, it was $40.00. I found the rear fender there later for another 10.00. The crank and sprocket were on it, and I never replaced them.
There was no orig paint showing, and the "fender trim" I did is more Schwinn style, than Roadmaster, BUT I preferred the look, and it was easy to rattle-can.
I'll post a couple of other bikes a bit later if you-all would like to see them.
Mike
Hi, I built this lil bike for my wife, and we had taken it to Orange County where she rode it in a Moped Ride. I took this pic at her Mom's house 2-1-2004 I have always like the style of the Cleveland Welding bikes.
I think this is a Roadmaster 24" from 1946-1953 but have not run the serial numbers. It was a Primered frame and fork when I found it in the "parts pile" of a bike shop, it was $40.00. I found the rear fender there later for another 10.00. The crank and sprocket were on it, and I never replaced them.
There was no orig paint showing, and the "fender trim" I did is more Schwinn style, than Roadmaster, BUT I preferred the look, and it was easy to rattle-can.
I'll post a couple of other bikes a bit later if you-all would like to see them.
Mike
Attachments
Good thread. I'll be posting a good deal later when I have engines installed sometime this winter. One is a 50 Schwinn Mens Hornet and the other is a 39 Elgin step through. I guess my 63 Americans are too new for this thread... technically middleweights, but now sporting 2.125 heavy duty wheels. I think these old 30's to 50's cruisers are the most natural fit for a motor conversion... heavy frames, fat tires and made to last. Plus, they just plain look good. Mike, I like that 24 incher you made for your wife. Looks like there was plenty of room for the engine to fit. I will be on the lookout for one. Generally a 24" model will sell for less than a 26" in the same condition. That's a plus.
SB
SB
ron, the sprocket set and motormounts are all machined by me although i can't take credit for the designs. that was brainstormed after going through several posts on the forum. motormount in front is machined from 7075 aluminum. the rear is 4130 steel. the sprocket set is made from 6061 aluminum with stainless steel hardware replacing the chinese hardware. tank will be machined from 6061 as well and will fit inside stock tank. should be cool when finished.
Here's my current favorite ride... My 1950 Schwinn Heavyweight Phantom with a real old school Schwinn springer fork that's been flipped for rake.
It's far from stock looking, but it's the 'real deal'!!
It's far from stock looking, but it's the 'real deal'!!
Mpr, Cool That You Can Do All That. Everytime I Assume Something, I Get Caught!! Jim Lost One Atta Boy! I Think He Can Spare It. Ron
Just bought a early 50s Monark Super Deluxe that was in pretty amazing condition.
Trying to round up all the chrome new old stock parts I can find then it's a full resto and a Morini-Franco motor. Side car too or I'll be telling "how the crash happend" stories.
Will have pictures on Picasa tomorrow. The suspence is killing Silver Bear who has been with me since I bought this thing.
We never had these bikes in Canada and when we were kids they were called American bikes in a hushed, reverent tone.
We had 3 speed road bikes and only saw the heavy bikes on tv or when tourists came into our area in the summer.
Now tonights burning question is, will the stock wheels, when I have them respoked, hold up to a motor if I use Jims sprocket or are Workman wheels a better choice?
Also about mounting disk brakes to the stock springer and the rear wheel and the side car wheel. Every wheel has to have a brake. Do the hubs have a special mounting tab? Any problems with the idea?
Thanks,
Steve.
Steve.
Trying to round up all the chrome new old stock parts I can find then it's a full resto and a Morini-Franco motor. Side car too or I'll be telling "how the crash happend" stories.
Will have pictures on Picasa tomorrow. The suspence is killing Silver Bear who has been with me since I bought this thing.
We never had these bikes in Canada and when we were kids they were called American bikes in a hushed, reverent tone.
We had 3 speed road bikes and only saw the heavy bikes on tv or when tourists came into our area in the summer.
Now tonights burning question is, will the stock wheels, when I have them respoked, hold up to a motor if I use Jims sprocket or are Workman wheels a better choice?
Also about mounting disk brakes to the stock springer and the rear wheel and the side car wheel. Every wheel has to have a brake. Do the hubs have a special mounting tab? Any problems with the idea?
Thanks,
Steve.
Steve.
Last edited:
if you respoke them with 12 gauge spokes, they'll be fine, as long as the old rims aren't damaged (some bikes came with 12 gauge, but most are 14.) worksman uses 11 gauge, i think. you might run into a problem if the holes in your rims and hubs are too small for the spokes. i've respoked a few, and they were tight, but they fit. you can order new heavy duty chrome wheels with shimano coaster brake from bikepartsusa.com. they're like 60 bucks a set or something, pretty cheap, and they look like they belong on old cruisers.
jim's clamshell and sprocket are definitely the way to go.
dunno about springers.
jim's clamshell and sprocket are definitely the way to go.
dunno about springers.
VeniceBoy,
Really like the Phantom. Those old Schwinns were great bikes. That springer is so good and although I am not a fan of the peanut tanks since they just look odd on so many bikes, on yours it looks just right. Nice ride. Kind of makes me anxious to get my 50 Hornet finished up.
SB
Really like the Phantom. Those old Schwinns were great bikes. That springer is so good and although I am not a fan of the peanut tanks since they just look odd on so many bikes, on yours it looks just right. Nice ride. Kind of makes me anxious to get my 50 Hornet finished up.
SB
That's going to be some ride! The wheels from bikeworldusa are a good deal. I doubt that the chroming is as good as on a Worksman (don't know, though), but I like them and have purchased three sets. Do you have a design yet for the sidecar? I'm very interested in how the sidecar attaches to the bike.
SB
Here are photos of my '46 Columbia and my Western Flyer. The Western Flyer is actually built on a 1980 repop of a 50's Western Flyer model.
Attachments
Last edited:
Kilroy, home made candy isn't as sweet as those two bikes.
Hope mine comes close to them.
Steve.
Hope mine comes close to them.
Steve.
Thanks much for the kind words. I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your bike when it's done.
Here's my 41 Schwinn with an 80cc motor kit. The tank was fabbed for me (not cheap, but I love the lines), by a local motorcycle builder. I stripped the paint and had it pinstriped. I'm currently building up a rear wheel with a band brake and direct mount drive sprocket, for the rear. Next, is a front disc brake. I'll be using a dual pull lever to operate the front and rear brakes together. My next project is a 40's, prewar Rollfast, with original Tank. I'll be fabricating a tube type tank and mounting it inside to retain the original look. Vintage is the way to go!
Attachments
