Arch-bar / Truss bridge style frame and fork

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outskirtscustoms

outskirtscustoms

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So I just won this unknown frame and fork on eBay and I'm not sure what I bought but I'm thinking it's mid teens to mid 20's Iver Johnson or Crown arch-bar? I have seen a few similar frames but none that are a spot on match.
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This is the closest looking bike I have come up with.


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us56456712 said:
Thanks for turning me on to retro bike. Someone posted this there as they were selling it on eBay UK. Even though it has been modified I bought it right away. All the old English 3 speeds I have owned had small frames. This frame looks bigger with a longer top tube. I’m hoping it will fit my 6’1” son. He likes fixies. In England you have to have a front and rear brake so that will make it easier to ride fixed gear. If it needs any work I’ll take it to the bike shop for a complete tune up. It will likely need new cables, tires and chain. Maybe wheel tune and repacking. I won’t be doing much for awhile with my fused finger so it will be a good project for the bike shop to pick away at.
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????
 
I remember an arch bar frame like yours being used for a steam punk build here on rrb. Now I can't find it. It seems like there was a "sight glass" with green liquid in it where the short tube between the top bars is located.
 
Swampthing said:
You could do some beautiful builds.
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That's the plan. I have been crossing things off my bicycle bucket list left and right. I finally got a Mini Twinn, I got my first bike from the 30's, first bike from the 20's, and I really want to cross off my first Rat Rod Bikes Build Off Winner. I'm gathering parts and pulling out all the stops. This year's build is going to be epic in a huge way.
 
Head badge holes are really unusual so this should be a good clue. They are on either side of the steer tube but offset one higher one lower. I am thinking Columbia.
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Serial number looks like 1845?
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So I'm guessing since the bike is between a 1917 and 1920 and the numbers on the bottom bracket appear to be 1845 I'm going to assume first two numbers are year and last two are week???

So 1918 Columbia Arch-bar???
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I believe that the arch truss frame bike on eBay; (whoever ends auctions at midnight, doh, deserves a measly $150- high bid!); could be an Emblem Angola NY. Perhaps measure the arch or truss tube diameter; is it fairly small?

The locations of the diagonally-spaced head badge screws look peculiar.

Another key is the seat post binder bolt; it does not touch the seat post like a Westfield notched or slabbed bolt would.

Also, one might check if the bottom bracket is 2" and not undersized (like a Westfield of that era).
 
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