Columbia Firebolt 'Newsgirl'

[The Renaissance Man]

The Columbia Newsboy (edit: 1963-1964) is one of my favorite frames of all time. I love the integrated rear rack. I've been wanting one for a couple of years but up until a few months ago I had never seen a girls version. When Flying Zombie posted this one for sale back in January I immediately thought that my Spaceliner convertible tank might just fit. After working through the process of acquiring the frame it just arrived at my door today (in the coolest shipping box ever).

Just as I had hoped, the tank fits perfectly! As I was getting my camera and setting up the shot, the song Oh Happy Day was playing on repeat in my head. Really.

I've been trying to find more about these bikes but I guess because it's a girl's frame, there's not much on the internet to find.

Here she is with a tank laying in place!

 

[kingfish254]

Awesome Boltliner!

 

[sharmangasaurusrex]

That looks wicked-cool!

 

[RustySprockets]

Oh, that is so SICK! I've been on the lookout for a Firebolt frame myself and can't wait to see what magic you perform on this build when it happens.

 

[late for dinner]

"Oh Happy Day!....Read All About It!"
Retired Newsgirl becomes famous new 'Headline-r'!

(minding your toes Kingfish
Pardon me)

 

[horsefarmer]

Fantastic! I'd be great if you would post pics of the frames and your tank to assist potential buyers find donor bikes.
I feel bad I passed on a dirt cheap flight liner last fall at a swap.
So Girls spaceliner, flightliner and now firebolt newsgirl?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

So Girls spaceliner, flightliner and now firebolt newsgirl?

Yep, and I just recently discovered that it will also work on this Rollfast from the same era:

But now that I have the Columbia, this one might have to wait in line a little longer.

 

[deorman]

 

[Flying Zombie]

It was a neat frame., now its gonna be a B.A. bike! The picture of the fitted tank was all worth it. Im glad you liked the box

 

[Terry66]

That Newsgirl is pretty sharp! Is it a middleweight? I have a balloner Newsboy and wonder if they ever made a ballooner girls Newsie

 

[tanksalot]

Geez I think you version looks better than my complete bike.

 

[tanksalot]

I wonder if the Girls AMF Frame that has the huge rear drop outs would work with your tank ?? They are pretty hard to find but are really cool . Ive passed a a couple of them over the years. So they are out there .

 

[The Renaissance Man]

That Newsgirl is pretty sharp! Is it a middleweight? I have a balloner Newsboy and wonder if they ever made a ballooner girls Newsie

Terry, I'm still trying to find out more about these bikes myself. I does appear to be a middleweight.

I wonder if the Girls AMF Frame that has the huge rear drop outs would work with your tank ?? They are pretty hard to find but are really cool . Ive passed a a couple of them over the years. So they are out there .

Not sure what frame you're referring to but I'd like to see one.

I found this Columbia on feebay that looks just like the Firebolt but without the rack.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

It's pretty amazing how that tank transforms a frame that someone would walk right past into one you can't stop staring at. THAT is a testimony to great design my friend! [emoji106]

 

[Terry66]

You already have one of my BoTen votes as it sits....

I think one of the users here or on the Cabe has a Columbia website with a ton of good info. I couldn't find his site, but hopefully he'll chime in. If I remember correctly, these integrated frames first started on the Newsboys in 1963. They were ballooner bikes. I do not "think" this ballooner frame style Newsboy ever had a tank. My ballooner version pictured below is a Western Flyer badged Newsboy Special...I think it is a 1964. The middleweight version of these frames were called Firebolts, Skyhawks, etc. Some of them had the bug eye style tank and also the tank like the one in tanksalot's picture. I had seen one girls middleweight before yours.

 

[bikedudeomaha]

here ya go.
http://omaha.craigslist.org/bik/4972605692.html

 

[The Renaissance Man]

You already have one of my BoTen votes as it sits....

I think one of the users here or on the Cabe has a Columbia website with a ton of good info. I couldn't find his site, but hopefully he'll chime in. If I remember correctly, these integrated frames first started on the Newsboys in 1963. They were ballooner bikes. I do not "think" this ballooner frame style Newsboy ever had a tank. My ballooner version pictured below is a Western Flyer badged Newsboy Special...I think it is a 1964. The middleweight version of these frames were called Firebolts, Skyhawks, etc. Some of them had the bug eye style tank and also the tank like the one in tanksalot's picture. I had seen one girls middleweight before yours.

That was easy.
I had planned to skip BoTen but I have to admit, this one has me tempted.

I looked up the serial number and it indicates that mine is a 1962 model.

here ya go.
http://omaha.craigslist.org/bik/4972605692.html

I wish that I were near Omaha, I'd bring that one home. I really like how the top tubes connect to the seat stays. The one that I have stops at the seat post.

 

[tanksalot]

I think you need to carry one of your tanks on you & try it on every girls bike you see ...

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I think you need to carry one of your tanks on you & try it on every girls bike you see ...

...Transforming girls bikes, one bike at a time!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I think one of the users here or on the Cabe has a Columbia website with a ton of good info. I couldn't find his site, but hopefully he'll chime in. If I remember correctly, these integrated frames first started on the Newsboys in 1963. They were ballooner bikes. I do not "think" this ballooner frame style Newsboy ever had a tank. My ballooner version pictured below is a Western Flyer badged Newsboy Special...I think it is a 1964. The middleweight version of these frames were called Firebolts, Skyhawks, etc. Some of them had the bug eye style tank and also the tank like the one in tanksalot's picture. I had seen one girls middleweight before yours.

I found the website that I believe you are referring to called Mr. Columbia. I've been digging into it and you are correct that the integrated rack style frame was only produced in 1963 and 1964 and they were balloon bikes. Of course there has never been a Newsgirl bike, that was just what I called this one because of the rack. I still have not been able to find anything on this girl's Firebolt. I'd love to know how many years that they were produced.

In this ad from 1963 it states that this was the changeover year for what they refer to as 'the Unitized Frame'.

So now I'm left scratching my head about the 'Unitized' girl's frame that I have determined by serial number to be from 1962. Maybe it is that '63 and '64 were the only years that this frame was used for the Newsboy Special line of bikes and the Unitized frame was being used for the Firebolt and Thunderbolt before and possibly after those years.

If anyone has any other info about these frames, please chime in!