Post-war Hawthorne/Montgomery Wards build

[Spicy McHaggis]

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!

 

[sportscarpat]

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

 

[CoastalCruiser]

Nice post war frame. I like the curves and lines of the Hawtornes. Your workbench is entirely uncluttered enough. Get to work!

 

[bairdco]

old bikes rule!

 

[Allen_Wrench]

I'm so jealous. Nice bones.

 

[silverbear]

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

 

[weekend-fun]

i dont know if this is considerd boardtrack in your books

 

[CoastalCruiser]

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

There's always a few on ebay SB. I saw a 3 bar Elgin frame like yours go for $131 last week.

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

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!

 

[sportscarpat]

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]

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.

 

[sportscarpat]

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!

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

I'm gonna hack it up and use it as a test bed for stretching and looping a frame. Then I'll probably use the tubes to make 2-smoker engine stands.

 

[Mac]

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]

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]

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.

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.