1959 AMF twin bar middleweight.

[horsefarmer]

This is how I acquired the bike. Rideable, but I need more legroom so raise the seatpost...

Seller said something about the seatpost being stuck...
Seat and post came out with a little p b blaster, but the clamp hardware is Wierd-0.

So this is the situation. the seatpost jambs up on a couple of blobs of brass or steel down inside the seat tube by the bottom of the lower tube weld. At first I was thinking I should try to sand it out of there so the seatpost could go below that joint but since I am going to raise the seat post 3" anyways and the seat post fits snug maybe it's ok?
BTW the top of the seat post has really crude "slots" cut in it. I'm wondering if this bike came with one of those wedge seat posts?

 

[Wildcat]

You're right, it most probably came with a wedge seat post. The top of the seat tube on the frame wouldn't have had the slot cut out for a seat clamp to attach, just a small notch. It may have been modified by someone.

 

[horsefarmer]

Thanks Wildcat! Yes, that looks like what happened. They just made the slot bigger.

Sorry upside down picture but the bottom of the seat post is beat and ground to jam fit into the dribbled weld inside the seat tube.....

 

[Wildcat]

They still sell those quilled seat posts. 13/16ths. On the various AMF's I've had, they were always a little too short for me but worked. If you can find one of those would be your best bet, there's not enough frame to hold a seat collar properly.

I had the problem of some welding that caused the stem not to go all the way down, so I used the attachment on my dremel to reach down in and grind it down. That make it much easier. I don't know if your bike would have left the factory (Little Rock, Arkansas) with that weld slop, or the bar was repaired at some point. The outside looks nice and smooth.
I think AMF went to cantilever frames in 1957, so your bike might be earlier than 1959, but the serial number will verify that. A straight bar AMF made in Little Rock isn't that common.

 

[horsefarmer]

Serial number begins with "J" = 1959.

I agree it does look old fashioned for 1959 - maybe a lower trim model or using up old production. Interesting about the weld inside the seat tube on yours too.
Frame welds look nice tho.
Bike does look cool now and is popular with members here. My challenge is to get it comfortable for me and not mess up the coolness.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I like the shape of the rear triangle, the curve of the seat stays gives it a classic look

 

[horsefarmer]

Seat post update. After putting sandpaper on a steel rod and worked on the weld debris in the seat tube. Got a bit out but I don't want to weaken the welds, just get the post as far down as I can. There are 4 blobs down in there roughly every 90 deg.

So I cut 4 slots and made a square taper nose to fit snug - and it works !

The post sits pretty deep now.

Now I have to make a decision on a seat - the one that came with the bike is cool looking but a more modern one will be more comfortable.

 

[RustyGold]

Serial number begins with "J" = 1959.

I agree it does look old fashioned for 1959 - maybe a lower trim model or using up old production.

It looks older because it is essentially the direct, middleweight, descendant of the '41 CWC (Roadmaster) with just occasional little tweaks and changes over the nearly two decades it was produced.

 

[horsefarmer]

Very sharp bike, yours?

 

[RustyGold]

Very sharp bike, yours?

Nope, but I have a '42 that's similar .

 

[horsefarmer]

Got the seatpost extended 5".

Clamp that came with bike was too tall and was ineffective so i cut it down...

 

[horsefarmer]

Yesterdays 6 mi. test ride went great!

I usually do more stuff to a bike before riding it any distance, but I really wanted to try it out after raising the seat. Bearings were smooth and free of play except the crank was sloppy but easily corrected with a 12" crecent wrench and a screwdriver. Fork feels kinda weird twitchy or tight but not sloppy. Tires look OLD maybe original ? P.O. replaced rear wheel with a Taiwan made one. Musta done the old switcheroo to the tires then, cause the front is almost bald in one spot right about where an old Bendix would lock up during "skid" contests.
The guy said the old rear wheel was blown.

Anyways, it rides amazing. The bars are Just right. Actually it feels like an old "muscle bike" scaled up for me. I have not calculated gear inches, but it's pretty low. It's a compromise. But my wife rode one of her Murray bikes and we could just ride side by side and talk. So takes us twice as long to go the same route, I think it is more exercise as well.

The seat stays as well, for now. I think it looks perfect on there. Not as comfortable as I like but I have to remember it's a compromise and OK for short rides.
I've got some old chainguards around and I think a set of those AMF deep v fenders but these aftermarket fenders and chainguard looks cool.
I'm thinking I should just blow it apart repaint and reassemble. I don't know if there is much original paint under the blue. Inclined to keep it blue but who knows?

 

[Wildcat]

It's got that classic look.
Does the guy have the old Bendix rear wheel? I'd get it and do a rebuild if he did.
It looks like your star sprocket is a 48 tooth with an 18 tooth cog. That would give you about a 68 GI. 26 x 1.75 tires? Going with a 20 tooth cog would get your ride more easy to pedal, around 61 GI, but you would have to add a couple links of chain. A new smooth set of tires would make the ride easier also.

 

[horsefarmer]

IDK have to ask him re: wheel, but sounds like he got it as it was, with the wheel swapped. Actually there are 3 pretty good hills on the route and it was OK just leisurely.

 

[rat krate orange]

This is how I acquired the bike. Rideable, but I need more legroom so raise the seatpost...

Seller said something about the seatpost being stuck...
Seat and post came out with a little p b blaster, but the clamp hardware is Wierd-0.
View attachment 168603
So this is the situation. the seatpost jambs up on a couple of blobs of brass or steel down inside the seat tube by the bottom of the lower tube weld. At first I was thinking I should try to sand it out of there so the seatpost could go below that joint but since I am going to raise the seat post 3" anyways and the seat post fits snug maybe it's ok?
BTW the top of the seat post has really crude "slots" cut in it. I'm wondering if this bike came with one of those wedge seat posts?

Most of the late 50's early 60's Roadmasters did come with the wedge seat posts.. So where are you from fellow Cheese Head? RaToN.. Razin..

 

[rat krate orange]

I like the shape of the rear triangle, the curve of the seat stays gives it a classic look

These bikes all came with the peaked fenders of which i have on my 60 Jet Pilot and my 58 Roadmaster Standard that i pieced together.. Realy nice half pig..

 

[rat krate orange]

IDK have to ask him re: wheel, but sounds like he got it as it was, with the wheel swapped. Actually there are 3 pretty good hills on the route and it was OK just leisurely.

What did he mean by the rear wheel being blown out? Never had a Bendix blow out.. As for the paint, i'd leave it as is.. Cool old bike.. RaToN... Razin..

 

[us56456712]

I fixed a gob weld like that but it took the better part of a day. I used an undersized seat post in a drill chuck. I put a long bolt through it and secured it with nuts and bolts and the bolt went into the Chuck. I used contact cement to glue 80 grit sand paper to the undersized seat post. Lots of oil and I started to slowly erode away the narrow part. I had to change the sand paper frequently. Eventually I got it ground down. I think as things got looser that I put on two layers of sand paper, but this was 8 years ago so I’m not sure. This also works on head tubes deformed from over tightening the gooseneck jam wedge.