Columbia 🐪 Back - ‘21 Two-in-One

[MazdaFlyer]

If I actually continue on this course I’d like blow my Westfield Columbia Camelback apart and rebuild it.
Maybe it gets pretty instead of pretty rusty, just short of a restoration. Have a new set of bars for it one way or the other.

I’m including the original find and build link from a few years back.
Rear wheel needs rebuilding and some parts will disappear. Might get paint I need to explore the existing paint.

Previous general build link…

Westfield Built Camelback (1934, maybe 1921)

THIS THREAD WAS PREVIOUSLY LOCATED IN FRESH FINDS...It Evolved to a BUILD. Westfield built “camelback”? Sadly repainted, wrong fenders. Aired up Wards Riverside Mate tires, they’re holding air, some weathering. I Adjusted bearings, pretty solid old bike, love the bars. The saddle is toast...

ratrodbikes.com

Any objections???

 

[Captain Awesome]

Do it

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Nice bars!

 

[Funkme]

New year,new start,new build... Step right in, and start the mayhem...

 

[JA331]

Way cool.

 

[Pondo]

I just checked out the original build thread. What a cool bike! Looking forward to more!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Based on serial numbers and geometry this camelback could have been a 1921 based on the M8 serial number and would have had 28” tires. The “M” prefixed serial number was again used in 1934 where both 26” and 28” wheel models were available. The coffin crank would have been incorrect for ‘21.
There are comments and discussions in the old find/build thread attached in 1st post.
I need to get this bike out of storage and haul it home.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Thoughts are rolling in…

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Can't wait to see how your Camel Back turns out! I'm especially excited to see what you do with that suspension fork idea!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

 

[OddJob]

That front suspension is a new one for me. This should be an interesting build!

RaT oN~!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

That front suspension is a new one for me. This should be an interesting build!

RaT oN~!

Goes back to 1889 by Pope Manufacturing Co.

 

[Pondo]

Wow, I like your plans for the front suspension. Looking forward to seeing the fab work on that. Super cool!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

And so it begins…maybe, depends on what cooperates in coming loose.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Well it’s pretty much apart, lots of cleanup ahead. The paint is pretty much gone except for front triangle. So I either leave it ratty or strip it, primer and paint. I’d always sorta liked the gold color paint with black trim, we’ll see. I guess it’s a blank slate now.

I had painted the front rim and respoked the wheel. I need to go through the rear hub and redo spokes to match the front, the rear hub doesn’t have much chrome left.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Looking forward to this!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Well it’s pretty much apart, lots of cleanup ahead. The paint is pretty much gone except for front triangle. So I either leave it ratty or strip it, primer and paint. I’d always sorta liked the gold color paint with black trim, we’ll see. I guess it’s a blank slate now.View attachment 231134 View attachment 231135 View attachment 231136 View attachment 231137 View attachment 231138 View attachment 231139 View attachment 231140
I had painted the front rim and respoked the wheel. I need to go through the rear hub and redo spokes to match the front, the rear hub doesn’t have much chrome left.

Looks like it all came apart easily! Great start!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

I’ve proceeded with roughing out the design on the fly. Mocking up the concept and will fine tune materials as I go if it looks like it will work. The pieces I picked up for the axle bar are too short so back for some 3/16” flat bar.

 

[Pondo]

I’ve proceeded with roughing out the design on the fly. Mocking up the concept and will fine tune materials as I go if it looks like it will work. The pieces I picked up for the axle bar are too short so back for some 3/16” flat bar.View attachment 231505 View attachment 231506 View attachment 231507 View attachment 231508 View attachment 231509

This is fun!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

I stopped for some flat bar on way back from lunch. The basic concept is in rough mock-up form. I’m on hold with the compression springs at this point. I need to figure out how much rake I actually want to add so the front wheel, it is just sitting on the axle bars, and when the springs show up I’ll establish limit pins locations. At some point I’ll do some static tests for flex and stability before even thinking about any test riding/coasting…