ORBO Frito Bandito

[OddJob]

Thanks to Sherm and Dustin at Pyscho-Sammi Cycles in Mesa, AZ for getting me started!

RaT oN~!

 

[Captain Awesome]

You had me with the name and then I read on further and got to Psycho Sammi

 

[Pondo]

Love it! I’ve got to visit that shop someday. This should be a great build

 

[OddJob]

@Captain Awesome , thanks for the segue into my next post...

Our new to us residence down here in the valley of the sun will be on Frito Drive. I couldn't not use it!

No offense meant to any of our Latino brethren. I have loved Fritos since the first dip into the bag, and have always held the Bandito in highest regard!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Ai yi yi yi

 

[MattiThundrrr]

That looks like a CWC to me. The curved chain stays are a sign. @Wildcat has a book on the subject

 

[OddJob]

Thanks @MattiThundrrr . I took these photos of the BB shell after some vinegar / water cleaning. Still not great I know. When WC wakes up (probably still middle of the night in Philippines) maybe he can give us a clue.

H96100 ?

 

[OddJob]

As I scrub through the surface rust, Iam finding black as the frame color. And it's really old looking paint,likely original.

Pulled the cranks, everything looks serviceable. Chainring lock nut will be the hardest with no real vise here.

My hands are telling me enough for today. Prob take it easy tomorrow. Wrenching and playing guitar at open mic in the same day is not a good combination.

 

[metalchewy]

Awesome start. Love the frame, the fork and the ol lucky 7.

Glad you made it.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

It is a CWC frame.
The fork is called Shockmaster.

The trusses bent outward (like ears) are bumpers (or crash bars), and it would've had matching bumpers on the rack. I'm not sure if that would be very good for off-road use if there is brush that might snag them. I probably have some straight ones if you're concerned. Message me.

 

[Wildcat]

I agree on the CWC as the manufacturer. It's a Hiawatha branded (Gambles Dept Store I believe) bike. It has the features of early 50's CWC, but I'll need to see the right side of the BB where an A, ACw or 5/Cw may be. It looks like the number wasn't stamped very well, which is unusual for a CWC of that period. It's also higher up than what I've seen and was stamped twice.

The headbadge may have some numbers on it that might help.

 

[OddJob]

@Wildcat , as you might have guessed,the right side imprint is even worse. It only has this stamp visible:

And no numbers on the headbadge visible.

 

[Wildcat]

Cw stamped without anything else is a series 3. H is late December 1948 thru March of 1949. I don't see any sign of anything around the Cw, so I'm fairly certain that's the year. With a high number 96/// as the sequence number, it was probably made in 1949.
Here's a 49 CWC Roadmaster, same frame as yours:

 

[BartRidesEternal]

And what a great start! I am looking forward to this.

 

[OddJob]

You had me with the name and then I read on further and got to Psycho Sammi

Hahaha! That would put me out of commission for a good long time!

Love it! I’ve got to visit that shop someday. This should be a great build

Pondo, sadly, they are moving all their stuff back to the home garage and back yard. High rent and commercial regulations tough to handle.

Ai yi yi yi

..."I am the Frito Bandito!"

That looks like a CWC to me. The curved chain stays are a sign. @Wildcat has a book on the subject

I love the curves of a CWC!

Awesome start. Love the frame, the fork and the ol lucky 7.

Glad you made it.

Thanks brother! It will be a fun little project to continue in the new digs on Frito Drive.

I agree on the CWC as the manufacturer. It's a Hiawatha branded (Gambles Dept Store I believe) bike. It has the features of early 50's CWC, but I'll need to see the right side of the BB where an A, ACw or 5/Cw may be. It looks like the number wasn't stamped very well, which is unusual for a CWC of that period. It's also higher up than what I've seen and was stamped twice.
View attachment 287572
The headbadge may have some numbers on it that might help.

It definitely has the look and feel of a late '40s frame. I'm going to see if I can get some more of the surface rust off and make a plan for a finish coat.

And what a great start! I am looking forward to this.

Thanks BRE! I will probably work gradually on it over the next two months, in between packing and moving and then setting up and getting things the way we want them on Frito Drive.

Thanks to all for the inspirational thoughts and well wishes! Looking forward to hanging with y'all in the WBO the next couple months!

 

[OddJob]

I found the missing stripper from somebody's thread at Home Depot this morning.
She goes by 'Rusty D' Solver' now.

Gettin' busy on the removal of the heavy rust. Will try to leave / enhance the origjnal patina and what black paint remains. Gonna bust a nut on the chainring / crank and steer tube if all goes well.

 

[OddJob]

One nut down,one to go.

Both of these hunks of metal have some impressive 'arms'.

This copper 'braze'(?) showed up after cleaning.

Some traces of a turquoise hue.

It's coming along. Most of the heavy surface rust is gone, and the old black is looking good. Reminds me of a well used cast frying pan the Bandito used to fry uphis beans and bacon on the lonesome trail.

 

[metalchewy]

I found the missing stripper from somebody's thread at Home Depot this morning.
She goes by 'Rusty D' Solver' now.

Does she install poles and turf as well??

One nut down,one to go.View attachment 287591

Both of these hunks of metal have some impressive 'arms'.
View attachment 287592

This copper 'braze'(?) showed up after cleaning.
View attachment 287594

Some traces of a turquoise hue.
View attachment 287595

It's coming along. Most of the heavy surface rust is gone, and the old black is looking good. Reminds me of a well used cast frying pan the Bandito used to fry uphis beans and bacon on the lonesome trail.

View attachment 287593

My baked bean pot has some resemblance as well.

Great start on the de-crustification.

 

[Wildcat]

One nut down,one to go.View attachment 287591

Both of these hunks of metal have some impressive 'arms'.
View attachment 287592

This copper 'braze'(?) showed up after cleaning.
View attachment 287594

Some traces of a turquoise hue.
View attachment 287595

It's coming along. Most of the heavy surface rust is gone, and the old black is looking good. Reminds me of a well used cast frying pan the Bandito used to fry uphis beans and bacon on the lonesome trail.

View attachment 287593

That's a repair on the seat tube, it adds to the patina which has a good textured finish.

 

[OddJob]

One of my favorite parts of being in Arizona (other than the sun, of course) is playing at the many open mic venues throughout the valley.
This was last night at Desert Monk's Brewery, with a couple of my musical pals Steven on cajon, and DK (the Dark Knight) on harp.
Click on the link to the facebook post by a friend.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BNppJ334W/