Gangrene wishbone Klunker

[us56456712]

Might be a Hoffman? but I can't find any info on the net on a frame like this. I have read that Hoffman made wishbone frames at one time. It is badged as a Hiawatha. It is going to be a klunker.
Frame as found. The non drive pedal was welded into a stripped dog-leg crank. You can see the weld.

Cleaning the original red, then the blue and then the green paint off the head badge. It's the one with the train, not the Indian head on it. I need a hand model.

Since it was green, blue, green again, has a lot of drips, chips and rust I decided Gangrene would be an appropriate name. It is soaking in a bath of acid and surfactant. I will take it out tomorrow or perhaps this evening as this bath is hard on brazing.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Very cool frame whatever it is!

I need a hand model.
View attachment 32681

Luke.

 

[DeuceWheeler]

Sharp looking frame, that headbadge is killer.

 

[us56456712]

I put drying oil on the frame. I have some green implement paint that is 10 years old and I though about putting that on but I will probably leave it as it is. It is very ugly, maybe too ugly. If I do paint it it will be over the previous drips and chips so I am not sure how much of an improvement a uniform dark green would be?

 

[ratcycle]

It's a gambles hardware sold Hiawatha, so gambles Hiawatha.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I couldn't leave that green on there.
I really dislike green.
But it is an awesome frame.

Carl.

 

[Wildcat]

Cool frame! Were you referring to Huffman? The chainwheel looks like a Murray but it may not be the right one for that frame. Is there a serial number? I'd like to know who made the frame in case another one of those comes around. It may be a Shelby too.

 

[Wildcat]

Here's a 1940 Shelby:

 

[us56456712]

Cool frame! Were you referring to Huffman? The chainwheel looks like a Murray but it may not be the right one for that frame. Is there a serial number? I'd like to know who made the frame in case another one of those comes around. It may be a Shelby too.

I think I noticed some numbers on the BB. There is a lot of paint down there that has dripped partially obscuring it. I will go out later and chip it off. If I can see it I will post it.

 

[us56456712]

I couldn't leave that green on there.
I really dislike green.
But it is an awesome frame.

Carl.

I think most people dislike green on vehicles. Green used to be the last popular car color. I hate to have to strip it when it is only going to be used off road. I agree it sure is an ugly color. I might brush on the implement paint I have and see if it looks better.

 

[us56456712]

Here's a 1940 Shelby:
View attachment 32742

Sure looks the same, straight seat stay brace and the same type of drop outs.

 

[us56456712]

I had some matt green so I squirted it over the whole mess. What's one more coat of paint when there are 3 more under it. I even put crude darts on it with green implement paint.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Green on green!

Luke.

 

[horsefarmer]

I think most people dislike green on vehicles. Green used to be the last popular car color. I hate to have to strip it when it is only going to be used off road. I agree it sure is an ugly color. I might brush on the implement paint I have and see if it looks better.

It's funny your comment reminded me of a story I think was by Jean Shepherd in Car and Driver magazine years ago, about himself as a kid getting his first car painted at "Earl Scheib's".

He selected a beautiful dark green metallic color from a poster of available colors. Then he was shocked when he picked up the car after painting - it looked like a giant pickle!

 

[us56456712]

It's funny your comment reminded me of a story I think was by Jean Shepherd in Car and Driver magazine years ago, about himself as a kid getting his first car painted at "Earl Scheib's".
View attachment 33585
He selected a beautiful dark green metallic color from a poster of available colors. Then he was shocked when he picked up the car after painting - it looked like a giant pickle!

My favorite color form back in the 50s 60s was "used car green". The dealer took in an old beater and spruced it up by mixing all the remaining paint in the shop to get enough to cover the car and the plaster of paris filler. It usually turned out some hideous shade of green.

 

[us56456712]

Progress has been slow. I have stripped my CWC Klunker and have started transferring assemblies to the Shelby wishbone. The seat is waaay back with the wishbone design. I wonder how well it will work on the trails?

 

[horsefarmer]

I kinda like the seat back position on my Cranbrook.

When I start out I usually get the front wheel off the ground for the first couple of strokes and then settle down to a cruse position.

 

[us56456712]

I kinda like the seat back position on my Cranbrook.

When I start out I usually get the front wheel off the ground for the first couple of strokes and then settle down to a cruse position.

I rode it around a little this evening. It needs fine tuning and adjusting and the chain stay bolts are not right. So far I like the riding position but you can tell it is different from my other bikes. I am starting to like the ugliness of the green paint.

 

[us56456712]

It's pretty much done. I am having a head set problem. I don't know if the Wald replacement head sets for older American bikes will fit? I am going to order one to see. It has a higher bottom bracket than the CWC I stripped so I used standard 6.5 inch cranks instead of the 5.5 inch I had on the CWC. It will be an experiment to see if the longer cranks blow out the Nexus? It has a homemade bottle rack and homemade long spring seat.

 

[RustyGold]

Sharp bike...love that frame .

Jason