1965 (!) Columbia Rambler

Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 17, 2019
Messages
1,980
Reaction score
5,607
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
D4512672-AB36-409A-B5C2-32F7AC1F2118.jpeg
4E07966C-C315-41AD-8BB7-BD444A21DE07.jpeg
48172A2E-DC29-4BBB-9496-59372EE8067A.jpeg
I was going to turn this bike into a 26” cruiser with banana seat and ape hangers, but I’d really rather do that with a schwinn panther. —Like the newer middleweights with the slimline tank.....

Thinking about flipping this.

I bought some red gum wall tires and was thinking about painting the rims. (Not spokes). Maybe tan, gold, off white or black?

Any input on quick mods or adders that you think would make this desirable to a buyer?

I’m hoping to get $175 for it to put towards a panther.
 
9F417FAD-5FD2-4019-84BA-CF890BE4D1F3.jpeg
I know red tires are a little risky on a flip, but I just couldn’t resist for $32.00 for the pair, delivered!

I was afraid the tires would b more orange, but truth be told, it’s a darn close match in my book!!!

Got a few inches of snow here in upstate this week...
 
If the rims will shine up, I'd keep the bike as original with the red tires. Then if it won't sell, modify it. Or just keep it as an extra when someone else needs a bike to ride. The year should be easy to figure, the serial number is on the left dropout. Here's some of the serial chart:
1958 D5125 - D199613
1959 E5000 - E273125
1960 H5000 - H259120
1961 K5000 - K205465
1962 L205466 - L425743
1963 M425744 - M617828
N617829 - N624001
N5000 - N26183
1964 N26184 - N370693
1965 N375000 - N817898
1966 R100000 - R464982
1967 R464982 - R842814
1968 R842814 - R987209
S5000 - S331191
1969 S331193 - S767191
1970 S767191 - S950093
W5000 - W242733
1971 W242733 - W75214
 
Thanks wildcat.

I’m going to pull that thing out of the snow and start scrubbing her up here before too long and figure out the year. I really appreciate your chart.

I’m not sure what to do on the wheels. I agree with you on shining them up! I’d prefer to just leave them alone. When I bought the bike, I actually thought one of the wheels had been replaced Due to the differing appearance of each.

After further review, the wheels match and seem to be original. The odd thing is, the front wheel has very even discoloring, rust and very minor pitting. The rear wheel is the opposite. Actually much of the chrome is fine even shiny, but there are very sharp, severe points of rust and pitting.

I’m going to hit them both with naval jelly then do a coke & foil scrub and see if I can get them to look somewhat similar.

If I can’t get a pretty even match, I’m going to hit them with antique white or low gloss black.
 
DC20D376-AEF6-42B7-B544-4738A778F147.jpeg
1D5B2462-45D8-4CF2-BE6B-CC8E161484E5.jpeg
98286F9E-9DF0-4948-8E89-D86F9F09E84E.jpeg
So, I got the fenders off and scrubbed. (Tank too)

Anyone know how to make the paint pop a bit without damaging the existing paint? (I don’t want to repaint)

I scrubbed it pretty hard with a nylon scrub brush and degreaser.

It doesn’t really look any cleaner!!!

-It’s like, mold / rust / wear is INTO the paint. The degrease super scrub didn’t do squat!!

I’m open to advice if you got any!!!
 
396B9D80-9330-42BC-AB28-B38B2EA5CF91.jpeg
471D8035-2767-4990-B209-C3B0448CC3FC.jpeg
The fender braces were sort of jacked up.

I straightened them up best I could.... a few of the supports had some rust on them. I scrubbed them with foil to try to even the wear out.

I had some weird texture spray paint left over from a house project. I sprayed the texture paint on the braces but the pigment was gone or something. Then I ran out!

So I shot them with black primer and called it done. Lol
 
My grandfather bought a new AMC 4 door rambler every few years . Even as a kid I thought they were square , as in not cool . No reference to your build .
Thanks sandman.

After I bought it, on my initial research, I actually thought this was a thunderbolt.... everything seemed to line up great except the font on the tank just didn’t match any year thunderbolt I could find.

After a few weeks of casual digging, I stumbled across a rambler on line for sale and said “well, I guess it’s a rambler!!!!!”

Ironically, the guy I bought it off of has a yard full of bikes and parts. The bike originally didn’t have a chain guard when I pulled it out of the heap. We sorted through parts and he threw in the first chain guard that fit with the bike. As it’s not exact to the original rambler chain guard, some red paint and decals, I think only an original owner could spot the difference.

Ramble on!:dance2:
 
"Anyone know how to make the paint pop a bit without damaging the existing paint? (I don’t want to repaint)"

The existing paint with defects will look better than a repaint imo. I've made the paint on old english bikes and Schwinns shine by using car paste wax. Also a JC Higgins.
After cleaning like you have done, I would wax it 3 or 4 times to get a good shine. I made the first coat light to determine if it was removing paint or graphics. Then really buff out the next coats to get it shining.
 
"Anyone know how to make the paint pop a bit without damaging the existing paint? (I don’t want to repaint)"

The existing paint with defects will look better than a repaint imo. I've made the paint on old english bikes and Schwinns shine by using car paste wax. Also a JC Higgins.
After cleaning like you have done, I would wax it 3 or 4 times to get a good shine. I made the first coat light to determine if it was removing paint or graphics. Then really buff out the next coats to get it shining.
Awesome! Thanks wildcat!!
 
F1ABD7D7-6C58-4E96-AAC0-ACAF54ECAE89.jpeg
1BC48FEF-68D2-440F-9A23-FD3579820AA6.jpeg
48CFFBEB-A6A9-43C7-8C42-F4F18BB51564.jpeg
2561E923-8955-404E-92B2-250D3AC7E90F.jpeg
5770AF9D-A9CD-4A18-B51C-B459A50BE69C.jpeg
Meh; I tried to scrub up the chrome.

I put on the full press. I’m surprised it didn’t clean up a little better; I can get it gleaming with a prolonged vinegar bath, but I really don’t want to do a full restoration on this bike.

This is about as clean as It’s gonna get..
 
This might be an older model, but the tank matches and your chain guard looks pretty close. Did you ever find a serial number?
1950S-Vintage-Bike-Columbia-Rambler-26-Mens-Bicycle.jpg
 
Thanks wildcat!

First Letter is an M: so, definitely a ‘63.

I think the bike in your pic is an older bike?

My seat is different, the front fender has 2 braces and there is a head badge indicating to me that there was no tank light on this particular bike / year.

I was actually looking for faded paint, wear marks or mounting mechanisms that would support the tank light but to no avail. The front fender, with the added front brace also has holes in the top where a light would mount.

Maybe in ‘63 Columbia moved the light from the tank to the fender?

Maybe I have it backwards and my bike is older than the bike in the pic as the seat and 2 brace front fender with light mount holes would be a bulkier bike, a common trait for older bikes.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top