Okay, I'm finally getting around to creating build threads for all my bikes. Took longer than it should've, but hey, better late than never.
Okay, this bike is either a late 1950s or early 1960s AMF-built Western Flyer Sonic Flyer I got as a gift from my Grandpa on my mom's side back in summer 2018. I call it "The Old West" or just "Old West" because my grandpa loves watching old westerns on TV, and because it's a Western Flyer from Western Auto. This is actually the second bike that became a part of my collection since I got into vintage bikes a few years ago. The story behind the bike, according to Grandpa, is that he bought it at a garage sale about 35-40 years ago, and has ridden it on a fairly regular basis, up until a few years prior to giving it to me, due to his arthritis. He was told by the guy he bought it from that it was a 1946 bike, but I don't know why. I actually can remember this bike always being out in his boat shed growing up, and I rode it quite a few times as a kid. I'm pretty sure my brother and I smoked that back tire as we slammed on the brake going down the road in front of our grandparents' house more than a few times back then. I also could've sworn that it still had the light up front, and that it worked too, but I could be wrong.
Here are some "before" photos I took shortly after bringing The Old West home back in July 2018. I think this was after taking a few rides around either my neighborhood or my grandparents' neighborhood, as I know I was the one to attach that business card to the back to make those classic motorcycle sounds. Also, I'm not sure, but it looks like some red paint was spilled and then hastily wiped off the front fender at some point in this bike's life.
Okay, this bike is either a late 1950s or early 1960s AMF-built Western Flyer Sonic Flyer I got as a gift from my Grandpa on my mom's side back in summer 2018. I call it "The Old West" or just "Old West" because my grandpa loves watching old westerns on TV, and because it's a Western Flyer from Western Auto. This is actually the second bike that became a part of my collection since I got into vintage bikes a few years ago. The story behind the bike, according to Grandpa, is that he bought it at a garage sale about 35-40 years ago, and has ridden it on a fairly regular basis, up until a few years prior to giving it to me, due to his arthritis. He was told by the guy he bought it from that it was a 1946 bike, but I don't know why. I actually can remember this bike always being out in his boat shed growing up, and I rode it quite a few times as a kid. I'm pretty sure my brother and I smoked that back tire as we slammed on the brake going down the road in front of our grandparents' house more than a few times back then. I also could've sworn that it still had the light up front, and that it worked too, but I could be wrong.
Here are some "before" photos I took shortly after bringing The Old West home back in July 2018. I think this was after taking a few rides around either my neighborhood or my grandparents' neighborhood, as I know I was the one to attach that business card to the back to make those classic motorcycle sounds. Also, I'm not sure, but it looks like some red paint was spilled and then hastily wiped off the front fender at some point in this bike's life.
![BFtD_The_Old_West_before_1.jpg BFtD_The_Old_West_before_1.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150291-BFtD-The-Old-West-before-1.jpg)
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![DSC_3480.jpg DSC_3480.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150308-DSC-3480.jpg)
![DSC_3481.jpg DSC_3481.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150309-DSC-3481.jpg)
![DSC_3485.jpg DSC_3485.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150310-DSC-3485.jpg)
![DSC_3490.jpg DSC_3490.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150311-DSC-3490.jpg)
![DSC_3493.jpg DSC_3493.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150312-DSC-3493.jpg)
![DSC_3496.jpg DSC_3496.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150313-DSC-3496.jpg)
![DSC_3499.jpg DSC_3499.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150314-DSC-3499.jpg)
![DSC_3508.jpg DSC_3508.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150315-DSC-3508.jpg)
![DSC_3514.jpg DSC_3514.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150316-DSC-3514.jpg)
![DSC_3524.jpg DSC_3524.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150317-DSC-3524.jpg)
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![DSC_3551.jpg DSC_3551.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/150/150320-DSC-3551.jpg)