Small Haul (Early Clunker?)

[Fisch]

Jumped on a CL ad today and wound up with a handful of bikes for 20 buckaroos. Some rusty critters here.

I bought the lot just for this 20" Stelber tank bike. I wanted to make a beefy muscle bike out of it. I think I can do fork and stem swap, but the bottom bracket is so small I am unsure if anything will fit in there? Even english 3-piece cranks look too big. Plus I am unsure if the bracket is threaded. Anyone know what cranks might fit or am I stuck with kiddy pedals?

Then there was this cool thing. What is it? Has red block pedals and Western Flyer grips, but almost looks like an early Klunker? 3-speed, but unsure if that is original? English looking stem, but one piece cranks.

Crazy kickstand.

Then an all original Huffy Thunder 40.

A rollfast girlsbike and some weird english girlsbike, but not a 3-speed.

This was my first lot buy and I am wondering if I should have left the girlsbikes as I really don't have room for them. But when the hunt is on we don't want to let anything go!

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

Sweet finds! I think the "klunker" is a Columbia :wink:

 

[Fisch]

I think you are right. A Columbia Apache by the looks of things! Even the stem and kickstand look right.

Mine

Another. Red pedals even.

Another

 

[ChrisMac]

Looks like it might be similar to the one I had to have machined for Maine Woods.

viewtopic.php?f=55&t=40352&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=60

 

[Fisch]

Looks like it might be similar to the one I had to have machined for Maine Woods.

viewtopic.php?f=55&t=40352&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=60

Thanks Chris! That was helpful. Bet it is pressed bearings. Makes me wonder if I could use modern 3 piece pedal arms on it. You know, if I had the inside hole of the arm hogged out so the back wall were as thin as these original pedal arms. Wonder how close the square hole is.

I know BMX guys run pretty small sprockets these days. Might even have the same amount of teeth as this stock one.

 

[Chips_Mahoy]

Nice score!!

 

[Fisch]

So my $20 haul has gone pretty far.

The 1958 Columbia Apache got some skinwalls, new bars and a little scrubbing and left with my father tonight.

The Huffy donated some guts to a cherry Columbia Playbike banana bike for my mother, and the Huffy wheels are headed to the 20" Stelber tank bike for a custom build.

And the english looking girl's 3-speed got some new wheels/tires lube job, cable, and went to Boston with my sister.

You know I hesitated picking them all up for lack of space. The wife was wondering what in the pile was worth the $20 I spent. But here 2.5 bikes went out the door, and I am having fun dreaming up a 50's BMX with the 20" tank bike and parts from the Huffy. (The Stelber was the only bike I really wanted from the bunch!) And the wife realizes I made the right move bringing them all home, so points for me!

Stelber build link. I found out the BB is about the same diameter as a Spanish style BMX pressed bearing hub! Now I just have to find one!
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=44675&p=436319&hilit=stelber#p436319