Shucks, it's been a while since I darkened the doorway to this forum. I have been pretty much focused on motorcycles and 80's-90's MTBs, so I haven't messed with any sort of old cruisers for several years.
It was a Facespace Marketplace find and I wasn't really looking for something like this...just thought it was neat and it seemed to be relatively complete and original looking.
It has the D.P.H. Mfg Co. New York Black Beauty badge. From what I could gather, this is a H.P. Snyder built frame and has 24EH stamped on tge BB, so I believe that puts it at 1942 which seems to be the first year for the curved downtube frames. Rear facing drops, 5 arm chainwheel, and the general looks seem early 40's to me. It does have a 1950 El Paso locense tag, but that certainly could have been installed anytime after the built was built. Looks like it spent much of its life in El Paso as the seller is from there and had just brought it to my area of Texas.
I am thinking this is an original paint bike with original U.S. Royal Chain tires (totally roached) and the saddle looks original. Is it missing a tank? Seems odd to have the fancy springer fork and fender light without a tank or also a rear rack. I'm not planning to bring it back to factory original specs.
Other than finding some grips and replacing the tires so it at least rolls, I like it as-is other than cleaning some of the rust and scale. Not planning on making it a rider, but I want it to more or less be rideable.
Other than tracking down some useable vintage tires, are there any reasonably priced repops worth looking into? I feel like this bike is worthy of more than some Kenda or Sunlite brand tire.
It was a Facespace Marketplace find and I wasn't really looking for something like this...just thought it was neat and it seemed to be relatively complete and original looking.
It has the D.P.H. Mfg Co. New York Black Beauty badge. From what I could gather, this is a H.P. Snyder built frame and has 24EH stamped on tge BB, so I believe that puts it at 1942 which seems to be the first year for the curved downtube frames. Rear facing drops, 5 arm chainwheel, and the general looks seem early 40's to me. It does have a 1950 El Paso locense tag, but that certainly could have been installed anytime after the built was built. Looks like it spent much of its life in El Paso as the seller is from there and had just brought it to my area of Texas.
I am thinking this is an original paint bike with original U.S. Royal Chain tires (totally roached) and the saddle looks original. Is it missing a tank? Seems odd to have the fancy springer fork and fender light without a tank or also a rear rack. I'm not planning to bring it back to factory original specs.
Other than finding some grips and replacing the tires so it at least rolls, I like it as-is other than cleaning some of the rust and scale. Not planning on making it a rider, but I want it to more or less be rideable.
Other than tracking down some useable vintage tires, are there any reasonably priced repops worth looking into? I feel like this bike is worthy of more than some Kenda or Sunlite brand tire.
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