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.
.
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.
.
