Met a dude on craigslist who lives in Birmingham, Alabama who collects some awesome bicycles. I wouldn't dare motorize one of these bikes because of their rarity but they are very nice. He has a few bikes from the 60's that don't carry as much value as these and is going to send me some pics to choose from for me to rebuild and motorize.
Antique Bicycles
- Thread starter hambro
- Start date
And one brand new bike to go along with the old ones 
http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af6/Droftaw/Bikes/cid__IMG00013-20100309-1822.jpg
http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af6/Droftaw/Bikes/cid__IMG00013-20100309-1822.jpg
Yeah, I was thinking of him when I got the pics in my e-mail. I bet he can tell what kind of bikes they are too. And take a look at these awesome bikes too. http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af6/Droftaw/Bikes/JagBug8.jpg http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af6/Droftaw/Bikes/bikessm.jpg
yup. first one's a Colson from the mid to late 30's. i've got a line on one of those frames.
second one is an Elgin, and it doesn't have a seat tube, so you couldn't mount a motor (at least not the conventional way.)
as much as i like motorizing old bikes, i'd draw the line at a complete, original, classic bike. they're just too rare to be modifying, and would lower the value instantly by adding a motor. not to mention the added stress on the parts, and having to upgrade wheels, bend cranks, etc. i just wouldn't do it.
second one is an Elgin, and it doesn't have a seat tube, so you couldn't mount a motor (at least not the conventional way.)
as much as i like motorizing old bikes, i'd draw the line at a complete, original, classic bike. they're just too rare to be modifying, and would lower the value instantly by adding a motor. not to mention the added stress on the parts, and having to upgrade wheels, bend cranks, etc. i just wouldn't do it.
by the way, my last build, the Colson flyer, pre-dates those bikes by 5 to 10 years...
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the dropstand is off an old girl's bike i have (a 1937-38 Colson.) it's just there to hold the bike up. i still have to make one for it, or else i'm gonna get one of those old two-legged "butterfly" center kickstands. i bobbed the rear fender, so the dropstand would have to come up higher to latch onto it, and, well, i've just been lazy.
the way i look at it (and my classification only) is, there's "vintage," pre-war," and "antique."
then there's just an old bike.
vintage kinda gets overused, but covers just about everything. now i see "vintage cruiser" on craigslist, and it'll be an 80's Huffy. that bugs the he11 outta me. i think vintage should be late forties to the 60's.
pre war, well, that's pre WW2
antique is 30's an earlier.
1933 is a big cutoff for bikes, because tires with tubes weren't available before then, so some people go antique as pre-33.
it's confusing. i like the term "classic," but hardly anyone uses it anymore.
and thanks. i like the copper bike. here's a pic in it's "done except for a kickstand" look.
the way i look at it (and my classification only) is, there's "vintage," pre-war," and "antique."
then there's just an old bike.
vintage kinda gets overused, but covers just about everything. now i see "vintage cruiser" on craigslist, and it'll be an 80's Huffy. that bugs the he11 outta me. i think vintage should be late forties to the 60's.
pre war, well, that's pre WW2
antique is 30's an earlier.
1933 is a big cutoff for bikes, because tires with tubes weren't available before then, so some people go antique as pre-33.
it's confusing. i like the term "classic," but hardly anyone uses it anymore.
and thanks. i like the copper bike. here's a pic in it's "done except for a kickstand" look.
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that's not a bad price, since the bike's complete. as far as motorizing it, it's not in super great shape, so i'd go for it.
here's the problems with it though;
the wheels will need to be upgraded for sure. rusty 15g spokes won't hold up. so either new wheels for 100 or so, or re lace those oneswith bigger spokes. to do that, you'll need to drill the hubs and rims. if you can't do it yourself, it'll cost more than new.
if you get new rims, you'll need a new chain and front sprocket, 'cause the skiptooth won't work with a new rear sprocket. you might need new cranks, too. i had an old 38 hawthorne and the cranks weren't wide enough, even to bend them out a little. also, Hawthorne's used a weird bottom bracket thread, so it's chain, cranks, chainwheel, bottom bracket...
and those pedals suck when they get old.
needs new tires and probably tubes.
and you gotta make sure the motor will fit.
you're looking at $2-300 in upgrades, not including the motor.
it gets kinda spendy.
i've been on the look-out for basic platforms to build old bikes, like just the frame, fork, fenders, y'know, just the basics to still call it "vintage."
here's the problems with it though;
the wheels will need to be upgraded for sure. rusty 15g spokes won't hold up. so either new wheels for 100 or so, or re lace those oneswith bigger spokes. to do that, you'll need to drill the hubs and rims. if you can't do it yourself, it'll cost more than new.
if you get new rims, you'll need a new chain and front sprocket, 'cause the skiptooth won't work with a new rear sprocket. you might need new cranks, too. i had an old 38 hawthorne and the cranks weren't wide enough, even to bend them out a little. also, Hawthorne's used a weird bottom bracket thread, so it's chain, cranks, chainwheel, bottom bracket...
and those pedals suck when they get old.
needs new tires and probably tubes.
and you gotta make sure the motor will fit.
you're looking at $2-300 in upgrades, not including the motor.
it gets kinda spendy.
i've been on the look-out for basic platforms to build old bikes, like just the frame, fork, fenders, y'know, just the basics to still call it "vintage."
Well I spoke to a buddy of mine the other day who works for a metal recycling place. He says people come there to sell antique bikes for scrap metal by the truck loads sometimes. He's going to let me buy these bikes for the scrap prices from now (5 bucks a piece) and maybe I can save them from the melting pot.
