Post-war Hawthorne/Montgomery Wards build

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Spicy McHaggis

Member
Mar 9, 2008
35
0
6
Kodiak, Alaska
Hey all.

Well after finally returning from 30 days in the Gulf of Mexico, responding to the oil spill, I'm back and was finally able to put my hands on the Hawthorne / Montgomery Wards frame that I bought a day before I left for the Gulf.

Engine plans involve a NOS (new old stock, not Nitrous Oxide!) Whizzer engine. Frame modifications will be made if needed...but for now I'm waiting on the engine. Still unsure what fork to use. Will be going with Worksman wheels. Not going for the boardtracker look, but for an antique/vintage/whatever motorcycle.

Here's the pics as it sits now...more to come as time and money allow!





 
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sportscarpat

Bonneville Bomber the Salt Flat record breaker
Jun 25, 2009
1,839
471
83
california
Looks like the start of a cool build! I have one of those frames laying around and almost built an in-frame tank for it. Even did the cardboard mock-up. Thanks for helping out with the oil spill in the gulf. Your hard work is not lost on a guy like me and I appreciate it greatly.
Pat
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
McHaggis,
Nice frame begging for an in-frame tank. For some reason you don't see many Hawthornes around. A zillion of 'em must have been sold. Where'd they go, I wonder? I'm going to be looking for one of those...
SB
 
CoastalCruiser

CoastalCruiser

New Member
Apr 28, 2010
338
0
0
Spaced Coast
silverbear said:
McHaggis,
Nice frame begging for an in-frame tank. For some reason you don't see many Hawthornes around. A zillion of 'em must have been sold. Where'd they go, I wonder? I'm going to be looking for one of those...
SB
Click to expand...
There's always a few on ebay SB. I saw a 3 bar Elgin frame like yours go for $131 last week.
 
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Spicy McHaggis

Member
Mar 9, 2008
35
0
6
Kodiak, Alaska
Well darn.

After media blasting the frame, I found three holes in the left chainstay where some damage was done and they rusted through. Everything else looks "okay", but it's gonna take some work to get this thing safe and solid.

Fortunately, I've got another project in the works...that will be starting tomorrow!
 
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sportscarpat

Bonneville Bomber the Salt Flat record breaker
Jun 25, 2009
1,839
471
83
california
Funny how the start of a good build can take a turn for the worse like that. I had great plans for my Hawthorn, then found three nice big cracks in it. I hate to cut it up and throw it away, but it would be the safest thing to do.
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
what a coincidence. i posted about my buddy wanting me to build up his Hawthorne 5 bar, stripped it down, and the down tube is cracked, and the frame's been re-welded a few times which didn't show through the layers of paint.

he still wants me to build it though, mostly for show.
 
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sportscarpat

Bonneville Bomber the Salt Flat record breaker
Jun 25, 2009
1,839
471
83
california
Bairdco,
If you need frame pieces let me know your shipping address. You pay shipping and buy me a six pack for packaging, not a cheap six pack but a good beer, and I will send you the frame I have. I can even throw in some of my new fancy "Bairdco" gas tank straps since your the guy that encouraged me to make them!
 
Mac

Mac

New Member
Dec 3, 2009
486
1
0
Maine
Spicy, rosette weld is OK for the chainstay, take it to a weld shop, the'll hook you up, and sports, a Hawthorn is a terrible think to waste, weld/braze that too! Especially the older postwar, better steel etc. I even weld the wally bikes, then the weld area becomes a line item on my preflight check
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
thanks for the offer pat, but i don't think we have the same frame, i don't weld, and i'm just gonna build it as is so my friend's dad can putter around car shows.

but if you're ever in my neighborhood (or vice versa,) i'll buy you a beer anyway.

didn't know you changed out the tank straps, though. cool.
 
Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
bairdco said:
what a coincidence. i posted about my buddy wanting me to build up his Hawthorne 5 bar, stripped it down, and the down tube is cracked, and the frame's been re-welded a few times which didn't show through the layers of paint.

he still wants me to build it though, mostly for show.
Click to expand...
Wow! Gads! I guess I never thought about how lucky I got with that Higgins I found. I've checked and checked for any cracks or rust holes. The frame is very sound and what rust there is lies only on the surface. I've even tried slightly flexing parts of the frame by hand to see if a crack opens up. Nothing. Solid steel.
I don't know where ALL the Higgins & Hawthorns & Monarks and the like go to, but I can guess where some of them might have gone - where we'll never see them again.
 
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