'49 Roadmaster Repro

[GTX]

I got it from the orig. owner that left it in her shed since '98,never rode it. It' was made for the 50th Anniv. of the Luxury Liner...'48-'53 run.
S/N 3503 of 5000 made,and sold for $3,000 new...crazy money in 1998...got it for $150
Troxel USA Hairpin seat,Persons pedals,made in USA frame stamped from orig. tooling,Heavy ga. News Boy Wheels,horn,headlite,tail lite with brake funct...It rides great!
I don't think I'm going to polish it up...the specks of rust look good...It would make a good Boardtracker,the frame is really streched out...

 

[drhofferber]

then you would lose 5,000.00 dollars....but you would have a nice motorised bike....now thats a catch 22...ha...Dennis

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Hide it well. Lock and key. For you have planted the seeds of terrible jealousy among your fellows.
Seriously though: THAT is an awesome score! High five, man.

 

[GTX]

Mayybe I'll call it the "Rocketeer"...the headlite reminds me of it...

 

[sportscarpat]

Very cool score!

 

[silverbear]

Nice bike for sure and a real dilemma on what to do with it... leave it alone or start changing things. Motor, then maybe an in frame gas tank, etc.
It being a reproduction I would question it bringing any $5,000.00 or even $3,000.00. It might be good to check with the classic bike guys site (can't think of the name) to see what value they would give it. They will know if anyone would. If I thought I could get a thousand for it I think I'd sell it and leave it alone for someone else to enjoy as a pedal bike. With the proceeds I'd maybe find another vintage ride to build up into a mean machine, along the lines of BarelyAWake's Rollfast. If it would bring $2,000.00 I'd do it in a heartbeat and go first class all the way on a build. If it turns out that as a reproduction it is only worth a few hundred, then I'd feel free to do whatever I wanted with it. That's just me talking as I sip my coffee and imagine having your 'problem'. Nice problem, by the way. Quite the score. Those were quite the bikes back in the day, the stuff of many a boy's dreams and no doubt was a number one request in letters to Santa.
SB

 

[grinNbarritt]

I just did a quick search on 'thecabe.com" there was a guy that had a bunch still in box and was sellin for $800, that was 2009. one of the mods was sellin his for $650.... So you dont have a gold mine there, I'd say build a kickazz MB outa it.... Jim

 

[GTX]

The China power looks tiny and out of place on it...it will need a much larger presence...a V-twin of some sort.
I'm glad it was left out of the box and got some patina.otherwise it would hang on the wall,or stay in the box.
It's built better than anything new I have seen out there.I really like the rear drop-outs!
I would put it up agaist the quality of any Worksman frame.Thw wheels are supposed to be INBs on mine.The spokes are huge.
I am going to take some parts off and box them up,fenders,rack,chainguard,and throw some new Balloons on it for a stripped look.Tanks will come off if I find an engine.I would get a real gas tank made that looks similar to it.
I'm in the middle of another Bobber MB build now,so I will just ride it for a minute...

 

[GTX]

That's more my style...stripped rodder.Feels lighter too!!
I have a 2010 Black Grubee coming tomorrow for a Bobber project,but I may set it in this one to see how it looks.Maybe two 80cc engines,side x side would be big enough...

 

[silverbear]

Plenty of room there for a nice four stroke... it would make a sweet ride, cruisin' along in style.
SB

 

[GTX]

What 4 stroke silverbear?

 

[curtisfox]

Plenty of room there for a nice four stroke... it would make a sweet ride, cruisin' along in style.
SB

Now I know what my frame is. I have a passthrough frame ( rusty ) with that front fork on it. My neibor was cleaning up some women's yard that frame was in the stuff. Must have been out in the weather for 30 years. But its cleanable.
That is one awesome find and will make a super cruser Curt