1935 Wards Hawthorne - refurb on a hard life

[M38A1]

Well, I suppose it's time to give this bike a new lease on life and I will chronicle that here as well as lean on everyone for guidance and support. I'm new to the old bicycles but somehow have managed to hang on to a few with more than passing sentimental value. I'll use this thread for posting of pictures, asking questions and really looking for help.

Background:
My Dad was born in 1925 in the red dirt of Oklahoma. Life was not easy back then, and anything "new" was hard to come by. Yet on his 10th birthday, 1935, his parents asked him to pick out his 10th birthday present - a brand new bicycle from the Montgomery Wards catalog. He picked out the bike you see below and specifically wanted the model with the "Longhorn Handlebars". That was a kid's dream to have a new bicycle and he said he road it a million miles or more. At some point, he passed the bike to his younger brother who rode it some more. When his younger brother outgrew it, the bike was relegated "to the barn" where it's been all these years making several moves over the years, but always staying in the family.

Dad is certain his brother replaced the seat at some point and he thinks the pedals were changed. Dad also said it's also missing the headlight and battery box so in addition to sourcing a seat, I'll try to find those items as well. The paint was bright red with black and white highlights and the wheels were "shiny" as he called it. He's not sure if they were chromed, but they were chrome/shiny colored. He also said there was no chainguard when new and from what I gather, it's missing the swing type kickstand and possibly a rear rack. There was no frame tank as he has mentioned. He recalls the handlebars being shiny as well, possibly chromed. I can't tell, but I think they were in fact chrome.

Dad's now 87 so I need to get cracking on this.

Does this mean I'm the proud owner of a "1-owner bike" from 1935? :mrgreen:

Here she is, my dad's 1935 Wards Hawthorne as it sits now.

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[M38A1]

So after talking with Dad, he has an idea I'm 'working' on his old bike with all the questions I'm asking.... So much for a surprise in the end.

I think I'll try to break this down in logical chunks first, then attack each one in order. Does that sound about right?

I've sort of penciled in the following:
1. Research
2. Parts Acquisition
3. Teardown
4. Body/Paint
5. Assembly

Under Research and through discussions with Dad, I've determined the following:
1. The bike was bright red with highlights of black and white
2. The tires were blackwalls, not red and in 26x2.125
3. The grips were black (currently two brands installed, one on each side)
5. The wheelset was bright 'shiny', but he's not sure if it was painted chrome or actually chromed
6. The handlebars were a specific 'option' or model preference called "Longhorn" and they too were shiny like chrome or painted chrome color
7. The battery tube was round and held a single or double D-Cell.
8. It's a single-speed with coaster brake (New Departure Model D)


Questions open at the moment include: (Bold asking Dad again...)
1. What color and type was the seat? - BLACK SEAT, 2 SPRINGS AT REAR, NOT SURE ABOUT A FRONT LOOP
2. Was a rear rack present and what did it look like? YES, SIMPLE STAMPED MODEL?
3. Was there a kickstand and if so, what type? YES, MOUNTED TO REAR AXLE, SIMPLE BOX SWUNG BACKWARD AND UP
4. What was the headlight and battery tube like?
5. What actually were the wheels, painted bright silver or chrome? HE DOESN'T RECALL OTHER THAN BRIGHT
6. What actually were the handlebars, painted bright silver or chrome?
7. What there a paint code for the red back then or does anyone know a close red match of that era? RED MATCHING MY CAMELBACK BOTTLE COLOR
8. The front fork support rods, were they chromed or painted 'shiny'? CHROMED
9. Were the fender support stays painted? NO, THEY WERE CHROMED OR SHINY.


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[Dr. Tankenstein]

WOW! What a gret find and a great opportunity to restore it.
While I can't offer you much advice on it, there's tons of knowledgable folks on here that can.

Also, try posting this on http://www.thecabe.com, there's a ton of folks that do restorations on there.

Can't wai to see your progress.

Cheers,
Dr. T

 

[M38A1]

The tires are old and beyond service life. Yet is there any way to determine the age of them by markings or date codes? That would be sort of fun to know what's coming off of it.

The front is marked:
Goodyear All Weather
Airwheel G3
168375
26x2.125 Made In USA
Keep Inflated 22-35psi
NB and three circles with a cross and dots

The front tire looks exactly like the same tread pattern on two replacement tires I recently purchased from memory-lane.




The rear is marked:
Allstate Safety Tread SR
197504
26x2.125 Made in USA
Keep Inflated 22-35psi
NB and three circles with a cross and dots

 

[M38A1]

OK, first hicup in tearing it down. I got the handlebars off and the top head-tube capture nut off as well. But there's a serrated ring next in line and I can't tell if that's threaded on to hold the steering tube in place or if it's a press or some other attachment. I'm thinking if I get that off, then the fork assembly should drop out the bottom, right? That will then allow me to attach the fork brace back on.

Which is my second question. Does the fork brace plate go between the fender and the headset? (excuse me if I'm using the wrong terms and let me know what they're called..)

Here's the serrated ring I'm trying to remove.

And here's the fork brace bracket. Where does it go back to?

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[MplsCoaster]

The only thing cooler than your bike is your story behind it.
My best "uneducated" guess would say things were probably chrome and not painted silver
Agree about the CABE as a good source
Best of Luck and I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Steve

 

[rusty sproket]

that ring is threaded and will come off the same way as the top nut..usually a pair of waterpump pliers or vice grips used gently will do the trick..the brace ive never see as a seprate peice qiute like that its usually a welded part of the fork..but from the look of it i would guess it goes under the fork between the fork and fender..really nice story and one heck of a solid bike to start with

 

[sludgeguy]

Great bike and story.
I am working on a similar bike myself, a 1935 or 36 Rollfast.
They are fun to do. Mine was in much worse shape than yours.
Sounds like you are on the right track.
The nut you are talining about does indead screw off. The brace does go in between the fender and the fork, kind of like a washer. You will want to leave it a little loose until you get the struts in place and the top nuts on them screwed loosely on them.

Good luck and great questions, I'm a newbie too.
Doug

 

[M38A1]

I was able to ask Dad a bunch of questions last night at Easter dinner and he provided some good information. I also got to show him a few pages of content from RRB, specifically the "Hawthorne" thread and he was impressed with the quality and quantity of information. I think that was a great help in narrowing some of the responses.

It's crazy looking at this bike on the stand in the garage thinking it's 77 years old.....

Off today to see about getting the new tires mounted and fork braces installed to make it a roller for some pics.

For grins.... Dad started riding at an early age. Here is is the ripe old age of One (1) and on wheels (circa 1926). I'm working on others and this bike might be in a few...

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[stocksucks]

Beautiful bike, yes sir!
Keep it up.

 

[Cherryboxx]

Looks Great even Un-restored,Nice find -Owen

 

[sensor]

great history and bike :mrgreen:
updates?

 

[skillsthebarber]

cool bike, cool story

 

[Gdcast]

Awesome! Can´t wait to see your work on this one.

 

[stocksucks]

It's crazy looking at this bike on the stand in the garage thinking it's 77 years old......

Yep! Good old things made to outlast us!

 

[olschbp]

neat project and wonderful story, sent pm as I have a '35 Hawthorne also boardtrack style but mostly og, there is pics on here, just do a search, good luck and keep us updated please, will be watching this build for sure

 

[chepe13]

This bike is AMAZING. Cant wait to see your work. I personally would 0000wool it and clar coat it

 

[dos cruiser]

This is a great story and a great bike to restore. I have a 1936 Hawthrorne Moto bike like yours, your seat should be a long spring with a loop like spring in the front. The chrome parts I believe were nickel, the stand should of been a drop stand on the back wheel. If you put a rack on this bike find a pressed or a tubular rack. The truss bar brace goes on the underside of the fork with the fender screw to holding it in place.

I wish you luck with this project and I hope your dad enjoys it when you are finished, This will be agreat conversion piece for the family at all the family gatherings.

Have fun wiyh this bike.