50-51 Hiawatha with tank and springer

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Xcruiser

Xcruiser

Joined
Dec 5, 2011
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Pittsfield Illinois
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Asked members about this one before I bought it because I'm not great outside of schwinn territory.They said go for it at 200.00 so here i am.
Apparently is a 50-54 26" Hiawatha with tank and one heck of a nice feeling springer fork.It been poorly restriped somewhere in the long gone past and was a bit crustier than the sellers photo showed but it was local so I snagged her.Rear facing dropouts and skiptooth also.I think some of the chrome will survive!!!Too bad the crashguard seat is gone.dangit lol
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Re: 50-54? Hiawatha with tank and springer

that is going to be a fun project. Look forward to seeing what you do to it!
 
Re: 50-54? Hiawatha with tank and springer

coastie said:
that is going to be a fun project. Look forward to seeing what you do to it!
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Im not sure what to do with it yet.Its in that borderline condition that I wouldnt feel to bad ratrodding it.But with some effort I could restore it.I think Ill strip all the paint and see what i come up with.
 
tin machine said:
that is a very sweet score!!!! to me if you restore it leaving the original patina it will be worth twice as much or more than a ratrod ,ratrods are cool 8) but not worth a whole lot :!:
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I'm with tin machine on this one as far as what it is worth, but if you plan on keeping it anyway & you want a rat, rat it! 8) If you are planning on selling it, leave it original! :mrgreen: Kool find, whatever you do with it!
 
tin machine said:
that is a very sweet score!!!! to me if you restore it leaving the original patina it will be worth twice as much or more than a ratrod ,ratrods are cool 8) but not worth a whole lot :!:
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I always dread the idea of ratting anything near original in parts.
Im on the fence with this one because the stripes have been retouched (pretty sure anyway) and the tank is pinholed with rust on the side opposite of the sprocket.The black is original but like I said the red has been redone poorly.
Ill grab some closer pics of the probs I see with it.I lack knowledge of Hiawathas and there value so if folks say its good enough to restore or keep as is I gladly will as I hate to see near originals butchered.
 
The rust pinholes are easy to fix! I've fixed a few tanks like that before. First you need to strip the paint and rust. This will help you assess the damage. If you want to have the tank plated, you can take it to a metal worker (like a welding service or auto body shop) and have the holes repaired. If you're going to paint it, you can do the repairs yourself using bondo to patch up the holes and restore the correct thickness to the tank wall. Once you've done some finishing work such as sanding, you should primer and paint both the inside and outside. It will look new again :)
 
Nice Score! At $200 it is easily worth double that plus in parts. As far as the Restoration VS Rat Rod question, I think a true restoration would be very pricey. I see a lot of rust on your chrome parts so rechrome or replacement would be costly. If you just want to clean it up and maybe add a seat and chain guard that would be OK but I think the most potential that bike has is as a Kick-Butt Rat Rod. You already have a lot of great parts to start with - Shockmaster Springer w/ Bumper Style Lower Trusses, Horn Tank and Rear Carrier w/ the fancy brackets. CWC Chain Guards of that era are very plentiful and not that expensive. Add any good quality 3 spring saddle and a headlight and you are off to the races. If you've ever fantasized about how you would like to Custom Paint a bike anyway you want this is a perfect opportunity. If you decide to sell, part it out and you'll make double your money and have some parts for the shop. Anyway you go it's a win. Good luck and Have Fun! Robert

2291948-48CWCRoadmaster.jpg


Pretty much the same bike - even has the same tank. This was my RRBBO5 Build - I've never had so much fun putting something together. Totally Custom w/ a number of non-CWC parts. I had no starting vision - it just evolved as I went along. I will NEVER sell this bike or any of it's parts. Have Fun!
 

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