Silverbear's American Flyer #2

I have the good fortune to live in the Superior National Forest of Northeastern Minnesota, a state with over 12,500 lakes, most of which are in the northeastern portion, known as "the arrowhead". Nearby is the Vermilion Reservation of Ojibwa Indians. I am a mixed blood myself, but not Ojibwa. Pictured here is the other 63 American Deluxe. I like the white with all the chrome. I'll share a secret... as originally made and sold, the bike had pink trim on the chrome tank, chain guard and seat. Ditch the seat for a wide Worksman and remove the pink from the tank and chain guard (I did leave the Schwinn Deluxe lettering) and it instantly changes the bike from girlyman to "step through". Now it is officially a step through cruiser, remember that as my manhood is at stake. To my eye the bikes look more different from each other than they should for the few actual differences. The headlight is out front and lower and the gas tank is from an Iron Horse lawn mower. I tried it crosswise and lengthwise and am still thinking about which way it should go. I think maybe the way it is. The rear carrier is actually a front rack. I put it in a vise to change the connecting portion bend, put a small hose clamp on the seat post at the height I want the seat, slid a large washer of the right size on to the post which is held in place by the hose clamp. Now I slide the connector for the rack which originally fit onto the front fork goose neck. Now another hose clamp on top so the rack can't travel up or down, but is held firmly in place. Then the seat. It works fine, looks good and is very secure. i hope some of you like these old American step throughs. I get lots of compliments and many questions. Now that I am embarking on building bikes for sale, these Americans are going to get new paint, the new fender lights and new chrome fenders. I have some classy Indian gas tank decals.. (nos and not vinyl stickers) for the final dressing up. They will be the advertising bikes which I will ride around wherever the rich folks are. No, they don't pretend to be any motorbicycle that Indian ever made, but one they might have and is in the spirit of. They are Americans and the rider/builder is Indian, so that's good enough for me to eventually refer to them as American Indians. Yeah. They are going to be my signature motorbicycle, aimed at the geezer crowd. Pull start, centrifugal clutch, fat tires, step through and easy to ride. I hope it's a winner.
Silverbear

Thanks for the nice comments everyone.
Tom, I had to look twice at that picture of the white bike, too. In the photo it looks like the motor is vibrating like crazy and it wasn't running! The rest of the photo is clear enough. What's with that, I wonder. Glad you like the bike. I'm not really done on either one and the white bike needs to have the ignition module moved to the seat post as it is on the blue one. Along with the slant head facing backwards it gives quite a lot of room for your leg to pass through. It works for me and I still like looking at them. These Americans have a low dip in the upper bar which allows a low engine mount. Some step through bikes are pretty high up.
Silverbear

fasteddy said:

Silver Bear, that is a sweet looking bike. Do like the idea of a step through rather than the embarassment of trying to get my leg over the bar.
That side show makes a step through the lesser of the two embarrassments. Nothing like the joy of a 6 year old saying as your trying to recover your leg thats caught on the bar, 'are you OK mister'.

Amazing how every one in ear shot turns to see who thier talking about.

Steve

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That's funny, Steve, but unfortunately also true. For some of us getting on and off is the hard part of motorbicycling. Some of the low slung cars are like that for me... can't get in without contortions and can't get out once I've fought my way in. Got to drive a truck or jeep... or a step through motorbicycle!

fasteddy said:

Silver Bear, afraid thats first hand knowledge. Just bought a 40/50s Monarck bike.
Going to have to make a side car for it so I can ride it.
I have to put a motor on it{gas or electric} so I have some chance of getting home.

Had both knees replaced since January. Slowed the arthritis but was not a cure.

Love the low slung cars. Every time I get out I think I should be selling tickets to the show. Look like Houdini getting out of a straight jacket.

My Dad was born in Kenora Ont. in 1906. Not quite in your area but he often said he saw the last of the First Nations as they used to live. They taught him many of thier ways as a boy.

Steve.

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Those old Monarchs were nice bikes. Have a photo?
Two knee replacements? Ouch. My brother has arthritus and had a knuckle replaced last winter. Makes me cringe to think about it. He seems disappointed in the results for all the pain he went through in physical therapy. He was to have the same done for a knuckle on the other hand and has now decided not to.
Your Dad was fortunate to be where he was when he was. Things were much the same in this area until I'd say the twenties or so. Many try to keep up traditions, but change comes regardless. The language is spoken by few now, fluently at least, and the young people don't seem all that interested for the most part. Many of the reservations in the U.S. which had a terrible problem with alcohol now wish for the good old days of just that... now it is gangs and meth literally destroying traditional life to such a degree that alcoholism is mild by comparison. I don't spend too much time on the reservations up here as it is too depressing. It's nice to go to a pow wow once in awhile to see old friends, but I pretty much just live my life in the forest, keeping to myself. I was made a pipe carrier many years ago and take that responsibility seriously in my own way as something between me and the Creator.
It occurred to me recently that the way we here on this board talk about our bikes and have our preferences for this kind and that and some wanting as much speed as possible and others just wanting to ride and not fall off... how in another time we'd be admiring each others' ponies and betting whose is the fastest, whose is best as a war pony, whose is best looking, decorating the tack and making hand prints of ownership in war paint and how the old people don't want to go fast, but want a gentle and reliable mount. The spirit of the thing seems pretty much the same.
Silverbear

fasteddy said:

Silver Bear, I can't get the pictures to work but it is a Monarch Silver King Super DeLuxe.
It's on it's way and when I get it I'll start a thread to detail restoring it. Sure like the bike you found at the dump.

Dad always said about a trip to the dump that it was a poor day you couldn't bring back better than you took.

Steve.

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As I recall that is a very cool bicycle!. I hope you'll pay some graft, give cookies to the border people or whatever to hurry things up. Please take some celebratory pictures to share when it arrives. What a lucky guy! Is that your early Christmas present to yourself? You must have been a very good boy this year.
Yes, your dad was right. What I take to the dump is slim pickin's, but I usually find something I can use or know someone else who can use it. As a boy, wagon wheels held a special charm, imagining I could do something or other wonderful with them. I have a photo somewhere of my brothers and their buddies all sitting on a crude car sized four wheeled contraption made of 2x4s, nails and junk lumber. Front steering was by rope extending to each end of the front "axle" 2x6, bolted midway to the frame. It only went downhill and as I recall had no brakes. It must have been like the myth of Sisyphus getting that thing back up the hill for another cool, death defying run. I wonder if they all grew up. I didn't, thankfully.
Silverbear

I think that's a great idea to document the build. Sometimes the things we think are simple someone else who has never done anything similar will find daunting. Today I took apart the old 1940 seat from the Schwinn DX found at the dump. I soaked the old rust nuts in penetrating oil, carefully got them loose, took it apart and with a wire wheel on an old electric motor cleaned up the rust from the mounting hardware, springs, etc. Then primed it and painted it black. Then I cut a couple of pads for cushioning from carpet padding, dug out my elk hide for making moccasins and tomorrow will cover it in new black leather. For someone else the whole thing might be a revelation. After I read your post I started taking pictures. I also finished stripping the paint from the Worksman paperboy cruiser, primed and painted it in blue engine enamel. It looks nice. I got some pictures of that in process, too, which I'll post under my thread "Worksman in the works" in the tavern section. Hope your bike comes soon. Is it all there? What will you need to do? Will it get a motor?
Silverbear

fasteddy said:

Silver Bear, I'm hoping that I don't bury people in more photos than they need but then as you say what is too much to one person is a revelation to others. That has been the way for me. People just don't think that anybody is interested in how they did it.

Everything it there but the light on the fender and I have one comming. Was bidding on the lens for the light and lost track of time and someone got it away from me.

I'm thinking I will stick my neck out and redo it to original. No Base coat, clear coat but enamel and {shudder} redo the chrome. There will be a scream in the night when that bill comes.
Is it worth it? Well I'm at the stage in life where it is, who cares.
It's Christmas 1956 and I have the bike of my dreams.

The motor, Silver Bear is causing me a lot of thought. The restoration crowd have the idea that anyone who does that should be hung up like a pinata' and beaten.
The side car I think will be a delivery style with Monark lettered on it as if it was a delivery/service rig.
Maybe a hub motor with the battery in the box or more likely a Morini-Franco motor.

A ways away and I think it will depend on how it turns out and what every one thinks it looks best as.

Can't wait to see your bikes..Elk hide seats! Do tell. A bike for the out doorsman? LOL
How about one of them with a First Nations Theme? Birch bark saddle bags ect. Things that mean a lot to the people as a people and explain the heritage. You won't be able to take it anywhere because everyone will want to know what it means. Gas stop will be an hour long.

Think I'll see if the tracking # can tell me anything.

Power to us older young people.

Steve.

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Hey Steve,
I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of your Silver King. Do you have the sidecar design in mind? My brother always wanted an Indian motorcycle with a sidecar. I've been interested in bicycle sidecars for some years and have toyed with the idea. A sidecar with a metal substructure and then a wooden frame covered in birch bark would be awesome. Thanks for the idea about bark baskets. I've done some bark work in years past and can see it very clearly in my mind all stitched up with split spruce root... a white 63 American, the one which is going to get the Indian fender light... white and chrome with a little bit of black for accents, such as the seat... oh yes, that should be black elk hide with some fringe maybe... not a lot, but some. And a paper birch basket on the rear rack, with a lid, like a large mukuk. That would be Silverbear's dream machine... and a sidecar... oh man. Tired I am and ready for some sleep and pleasant dreams. That was a nice post you did for 'weekend fun'. He seems like a nice kid. Just eleven and knows all this stuff about motorbicycles. I'm impressed.
Silverbear
Silverbear