First build, AMF Hercules

[Crsdawg]

Hey, guys just started posting and thought I'd start with this Hercules I picked up a couple weeks ago that I've been working on. Unfortuneatly I don't have any before pics...I meant to take some but forgot. Basically the bike was filthy and all the shiny parts had a nice coat of surface rust (luckily there wasn't much pitting).

So far I've torn this bike down and polished and cleaned everything that I could and replaced the bearings on the headset and front wheel. Here's where I'm at:

It's hard to tell from the pic but the chrome parts look pretty good and the painted parts have a nice road worn patina too them. I'll try to add some pics where there is better light.

This project was moving right along until it came time to rebuild the bottom bracket. I couldn't for the life of me take apart the cottered crank. I tried the hammer method (as prescribed by Sheldon Brown) and also the C-clamp method to no avail...these came in yesterday and should get me going again.

More to come soon...

 

[Crsdawg]

Some progress...but still problems. I got the crank off last night but even with the press, one of the cotters just wouldn't come out. I'm probably going to have to cut that crank off to salvage the cup and axle/spindle (or wutever u wanna call it). Looks like I'm gonna be after another set of cranks tho...even if I could get that cotter out, I marred the chrome up pretty good (frustration had set in).

 

[Wildcat]

I've never had the hammer technique fail me on removing cotters. Maybe a bigger hammer? The cotter is being changed, so the threads can be destroyed in the process. I've used the end of a 2x4 on top of the cotter when I was trying to reuse them and had that work after a few hits with the ballpeen hammer. The cotters in your pic don't look damaged from what I can see, so maybe they need more hammer.

 

[Pinche]

I just pretty much finished my AMF Hercules build. I didn't post it up since it's not too rat rodish. lol. I can't remember but one of my crank arms was a nightmare to get off. I didn't worry too much about messing them up since I wasn't going to use the cotters anways. I did have to weld a piece of metal tubing onto the bearing cup since I couldn't get them out in the normal fashion. I can check out my crank arms to see what condition their in and if your's are more beat then you want then you can have these for free.
Here is my Herc named Raw Power after the Stooges song.

On a side note...since these were Raleigh made were is the serial number on these things? My BSA is basically the exact same frame but the serial number isn't in the same located on the seat clamp lug like the BSA is. Nor is it on the dropout or on the BB. I just want to see what year it is.

 

[Wildcat]

Your bike came out great.

My hercules from the late 60's has the number near the top of the seat lug, but from my understanding, there's no sequence to determine the year on these bikes serial numbers. Most people read the original 3 speed SA hub to get the date.

 

[Pinche]

My Herc came with a derailler/5 speed setup in the rear with drop bars but the bike was in horrible condition. Three coats of paint, one of the seat stays has a bend in it also. The one thing I liked with the front wheel had those wingnut instead of normal nuts to hold the wheel on.

 

[Crsdawg]

Those are good looking bikes...hope mine comes together as well. It's gonna be mostly stock but I'm either gonna flip the handlebars or run something different.

WC- the cotter on the left crank got bent then the press bent it more. The other was locked in as well, after several nights of soaking with penetrating oil it still took almost all my strength to turn the press before it broke free (then the press fell off and almost smashed my toe, lol). I think that either someone pressed them in too far or they were locked in by corrosion. The cotter that is still in is a mess bent and battered, the crank has been marred as well.

Pinche- if you still have ur cranks and are willing to pass them on that would help out a lot...lmk if they are alright and what u'd take for them