Vintage American Flyer

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Stinky Finger

Stinky Finger

Member
Jul 26, 2010
48
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6
57
Leicester, New York
Howdy peoples, been lurking this site for awhile just reading up on this & that.
Have been planning a MB build with my OP roller but am currently laid off so hobbies have to chill for now.

Part of me just wants to keep the OP stock and just ride it as is which leaves me with option #2, the American Flyer I have here that was left behind by the previous owners of this house when the wife & I moved in three years ago. It is a 24" bike made by D.P. Harris MFG Co. I have no idea how rare or not rare the American Flyer bikes are because I can't find much info on the web about them.
That leaves me with the question, to chop or not to chop? There are a lot of bikes to be had out there easily enough so I'd hate to find out after that I've massacred some gem that collectors dream of. I am not a collector so to me it is just a bike. Being 24" I'm thinking a bit of stretch is in order because as it is now the wheelbase is pretty short. I do think it would make a nice MB, long & low with a 5 horse Briggs shoehorned into it.

Does anyone here know anything about these American Flyer bikes? Chances are it isn't worth diddly but I just thought I'd ask before it's too late.

I will drag it up from the basement tomorrow into the sunlight for some pics in all of its barn fresh ugly glory.
 
Dave31

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
47
38
Aztlán, Arizona
I Do not have much knowledge with older bikes. Post the photos S Finger that will get those who know more about them to jump in.

Dont get discouraged, sometimes it may take a little time before someone has something to share. Gonna move your thread so hopefully it will get more views.

Try http://oldroads.com/, maybe you can find some info about your bike there.
 
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Stinky Finger

Stinky Finger

Member
Jul 26, 2010
48
0
6
57
Leicester, New York
Re: Vintage American Flyer *NEW, IMPROVED, NOW WITH PICS!!!

First I have to apologize, had quite the circus around here this morning and I was pretty torqued up. What happened was a 14 year old girl disappeared over night and had the whole town out looking for her. My daughter's best friend. I awoke this morning to my daughter being on the telephone with a chief detective who was grilling her pretty good, like she was a criminal. He had her in tears so I took the phone from her and commenced to rip the guy a new one, it got pretty heated. Long story short, the girl turned up O.K. and is now going to be on a program called pins, a sort of probation for minors I guess. She lied to her friends and ditched them to go be with some boy. Now she's in a heap of trouble and darn well deserves it for what she put everyone through.

I apologize for being a grumpy be-otch and letting that carry over to this forum.

So, here's the bike. In the first post I stated it was made by D.P. Harris MFG Co. but I was mistaken, it might have been but I'm not sure. I had seen a head badge that is on EPay right now that is very similar as I cruised the web in a quest for info on this bike. The head badge on this one is almost identical but lacks the D.P. Harris script script on the bottom.

It's an odd bike with an odd frame by a little known manufacturer. I figure the odds are 99% that it is just another bike but if it is collectible I don't want to chop it. But I really want to chop it! :) Obviously the front wheel is not original and I think the rear is not original either. The rest of it seems to be original, old & crusty but original. Likely the only part I'll use is the frame.
I think it is just big enough to fit a horizontal 4 stroke Briggs or Tecumseh but it needs to be stretched in the back to accommodate a 3 x 24 and give it a longer wheel base.
 

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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
4,954
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British Columbia Canada
SF,
Try the Classic and Antique Bicycle Exchange site. I'd put it on the balloon tired thread with photos asking for a price. You should get answers very quickly.

Steve.
 
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