12 Gauge

[white_cross]

I traded 1920's CCM bicycle for a pair of balloon tire bikes a Monark Rocket, and a rusty Hiawatha. This build will be focusing on the Hiawatha. This will be part one of the build Part two Will be a completely new look with a bare steel frame. The goal of part one of this build is to keep the original patina frame/rims, Get the bike working like new and throw on some cool parts and nice thick cream tires. Then ride it to work all summer. Today I started on the build with disassembling the bike.

the starting point:



Time to dissemble the bike:


Frame is disassembled except the chain ring etc. I am having a hard time removing the pedals:


Parts removed:


Next step is ordering tires and a couple other parts and send the seat off to powder coat.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Love these frames, following along...

Luke.

 

[syclesavage]

Benzamatic torch heat the pedal shaft real good then squirt WD-40 on it while it's hot

 

[white_cross]

Thanks Luke,

Benzamatic torch heat the pedal shaft real good then squirt WD-40 on it while it's hot

I will give it a try I am assuming PB Blaster (that is what I have right now) will work too?

 

[syclesavage]

you can try may or may not be hot enough hardware store try map gas torch lil bit hotter.

 

[white_cross]

I was using the Propane torch and torching the pedal end not the crank arm is that what you were talking about? Or should I be torching the crank arm? I sprayed it with some PB Blaster and WD 40 a good mixture of penetrating fluid can't hurt. It still did not budge. Do you let it get orange hot or is that over doing it? I just went till the pre existing penetrating fluid started bubbling? I am letting it soak over night and will try again tomorrow.

 

[horsefarmer]

I was using the Propane torch and torching the pedal end not the crank arm is that what you were talking about? Or should I be torching the crank arm? I sprayed it with some PB Blaster and WD 40 a good mixture of penetrating fluid can't hurt. It still did not budge. Do you let it get orange hot or is that over doing it? I just went till the pre existing penetrating fluid started bubbling? I am letting it soak over night and will try again tomorrow.

I would concentrate heat on the crank arm because you want the heat to expand the tapped threads and make a space for the oil to penetrate. Does not hurt to tap the crank arm to set up vibrations which help the oil to get in the threads. Letting it set overnight is a good idea, if a couple cycles of heating and then letting it cool doesn't work, you could try breaking it loose when hot. good luck.

 

[Walker]

great looking frame, always liked those "shouldered" forks too.

 

[white_cross]

great looking frame, always liked those "shouldered" forks too.

Thanks Walker.

 

[white_cross]

So good news I met my goal for todays bike work. I torched the pedals added penetrating oil added more torch heat started penetrating oil on fire and kept heating and used my floor jack handle as a breaker bar and they came off. Thanks for the tips guys. So since the name of this forum post kind of sucks. I still need to come up with a better name. Since I got the bike on trade I was thinking of "fair traded rust", or "rusty flames" having to do with me setting my bike on fire.

 

[syclesavage]

Oh it just adds to that original patina.

 

[white_cross]

Oh it just adds to that original patina.

Nice! Should give it more character.

No pictures to up date right now but: The crank sounded like there was sand in the bearings so I pulled it. I found a small mound of dirt, a fly, about 3 spiders all inside the frame where the bearings sit. No idea how those things even got in there any ways.

The front fork was bent. Second old bike with a bent fork. the last one I tried to fix my self and had no luck because it needed a hydraulic press to straighten it out which I did not have. I even put it between a pair of 2x4s and drove my truck over it with no luck. So I am skipping that process this time and just dropped it off at the local machine shop and it will be ready for pick up on monday. The bearings in the fork/head tube were shot so I picked some of those up too.

My goal for this build is an affordable one. I usually go crazy on my builds so this will be a nice change. The most expensive part will probably be the tires. The least expensive is the bike which cost me nothing.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Oxide Flambé...

Luke.

 

[bleedingfingers]

Check the bike in my avatar also a Hiawatha around 1947 all original right down to the paint.
good luck with your build

 

[white_cross]

Oxide Flambé...
Luke.

That sounds cool I think I will use it for the name of this bike. Thank You.

Check the bike in my avatar also a Hiawatha around 1947 all original right down to the paint.
good luck with your build

Could you post up a bigger picture of that bike I would like to see it. Mine has traces of that red with white darts coming off the front. Also what is the serial number on that bike I would like to compare to see if mine is similar to yours. Do you know the name of this bike?

 

[bleedingfingers]

I will put up a bigger shot when I get my photo bucket working properly
Bike is a Hiawatha like yours but the frame on yours looks heavier .
Bikes were sold in Canada by Macleods Stores and were called the American Streanlined Model
pm me your email addy and I can send you some pictures .
cheers B

 

[white_cross]

Thank you for your help. I sent you a pm with my email address.

 

[bleedingfingers]

here's a bigger pic

 

[bleedingfingers]

Sorry guys but I like to clean the rust off
here's a before pic cleaned and rebuilt it from end to end and rehabbed speedo

 

[white_cross]

Thanks for the pictures your bike sure did clean up nicely.