1958 AMF Skyrider Deluxe - Update

[jerrykr]

Update: The owner recently contacted me and sold the bike back to me. He bought a modern hybred type bike, lighter and easerier to ride is his justification.

So, this bike is now for sale by me. See my addition to this thread below.

Here's the story.

A long time friend of mine who knows I play with bikes introduced me to a friend of his who was interested in selling me this AMF Skyrider. I went to see the bike and we negoiated a price and I bought it. Then the seller started telling me about how it was the dream bike he never had as a kid. He is a real talker, and before it was over he got seller's remorse and talked himself into buying it back and having me do a total clean up level restore for him. I gave him his money back and we agreed on what he wanted done to the bike. He wanted to make a rider out of it with a more comfortable seat, and a multi-speed coaster hub, "gears".

So I did a RatRod type cleanup, every part, nut and bolt. The paint is good with quite a few scratches, but we did not want to lose the extensive painted silk screens, so a re-paint was out of the question. I pushed out a few small dings in the fenders and cleaned everything up completely. For the "gears", I ordered him a new wheel set with a 3 speed Nexus/Coaster hub, while I sent him off to the LBS to buy what-ever comfort seat he wanted to put on it. I picked out some really nice white letter tires and new tubes which will be really good on the streets. I replaced all of the fasteners with chrome plated bolts and nylon locking nuts throughout. All moving parts were cleaned and greased and a new chain was installed.

Finally, I cleaned the original wheels of all rust, repacked both hubs (Red Band Bendix), and put them in the box the new wheel set came in, along with every original part/nut/bolt that I took off the bike. He can literally re-build the bike with all the original parts if he wants to.

He wanted the original tank light to work, so I got some new C battery holders from Radio Shack and wired around the rusted battery holder, using the original tank switch. Meanwhile he cut a new plastic lens which was the only original part of the whole bike that was missing.

I took some pictures before we changed out the seat, and installed the lens and light bulbs in the tank. To say the least, he is very happy with how his Boyhood Dream Bike came out.

Before:

After:

Thanks for looking.
.

 

[kngtmat]

Re: 1958 AMF Skyrider Deluxe

A very nice bike, I would have seller's remorse too.

 

[nitronutzy]

Re: 1958 AMF Skyrider Deluxe

how would you like to have a mid 60s amf sky rider deluxe that does not need any work

 

[jerrykr]

nice bike NN, but as you can see, I now have this one back, and I'm ready to sell it.

I'd like $400.00 plus shipping to your location in it's current build with the New 3 speed wheelset and New Bontrager tires.

I have the original wheelset and tires, they have been cleaned up, taken apart and repacked. It is a Red Band Bendix coaster.
I can re-install the original wheelset, and keep the new wheelset and tires, and the price will be $250.00 plus shipping for the bike without the 3 speed wheelset and tires.

In the 3 speed configuration, you also get the original tires and wheels, but they will be shipped separately in a second box, you will of course have to cover the shipping for them as well as the bike.

The bike will come as seen in the pictures with the Original seat.

The owner who I described in the top post had $500.00 in this project. I know, I have many of the receipts.
I doubt that he put 10-20 miles on it since I rebuilt it for him.

 

[Wildcat]

Nice looking bike!

Did he get it new in 1958? I've been trying to date these bikes, and I thought that sprocket didn't come out until the early 60's after the star sprocket.

 

[inshane64]

Would you sell the 3-Speed Wheel set by itself? if so, how much?

 

[jerrykr]

No he did not buy the bike new. He told me he found it at an antique store, and paid pretty good $$ for it.

I've been told it is a 1958. I will gladly correct the year if new info comes forward. That's one of the reasons I included a picture of the serial number.

I would like to sell it as a package, but inshane64 has first dibs call on the wheel set if I change my mind, or the bike sells without the 3 speeds.

Thanks.

 

[jmagee]

Jerry - sweet bike you posted here! Thanks for the writeup. I just bought on Craigslist a red bike that appears identical to yours (including seat, grips, chain ring, tank/lights), but with two exceptions:
1) mine has chrome fenders, not painted red with pin stripes like yours
2) my tank and chainguard appear to be molded identically, but the paint design is different and the text is labelled "Royal Master". I do have the same AMF triangle logo on the head and fork emblems as yours, and my rear fender is identical.

My headlights actually work, but the lack of brightness makes them somewhat useless so am thinking of converting the bulb sockets to a pair of LED assemblies I will modify from a couple of flashlights. Or maybe it's just that my bulbs (which I'm sure are not original) are the wrong type.

My serial number in the same location as yours pictured is 60953, with no letters or anything else. I was initially assuming it was a 1953 because I read a comment somewhere that the last two digits of an AMF cruiser are the year (hence you thinking your ###58 is 1958?), but google photo research shows that it's more likely an early 1960s, as one of your readers suspected yours is from a print ad.

Did you find anything further about the date of yours?

May I ask how do you recommend cleaning the frame so as to not remove/fade the white painted details? Don't know if some WD40 got on my rag or if something was on the frame already or what, but my initial wipe down of the bike started to strip the white paint detail right off the rear rack.

Thanks for any additional information on the year and cleaning recommendations.

Jamie

 

[bobbyskyrider64]

Hi, I'm looking for this bike.
I had a 64 skyrider, black frame, red tank, chrome fenders. This is the closest I've seen to the bike i had. Went to college and my mother sold my bike in a yard sale for $7.
Is it still available?
Thanks

 

[caper45]

Hey, Bob! Welcome
Let's see if Jerry will reply, the post is over 6 years now.