![Final Photo.jpg Final Photo.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/101/101993-Final-Photo.jpg)
Helen Wheels started life as a 1953 Columbia 20" kids cruiser, was modified in the muscle bike rage of the '60s, and resto-modded and brought back to her glory by this guy in his 60s this August.
Named after my grandma Helen, who was a bit of a 'hot rodder' in her 60s when she 'freed' this bike from the school playground where she was the janitor and grounds keeper for a little grade school in a small Southern Minnesota town. We used to ride the bike at her house when we'd visit. She later gave the bike to us when she moved in to an apt and didn't have room to store it.
Helen's ride in those years was a 1970 Ford Torino, in the iconic color Anti-Establish Mint green. For real. She had a lead foot, and proudly declared, "I can beat anybody off the light in this car." And then she did.
This build is dedicated to my wild and crazy grandma Helen, and her Ford Torino.
Build thread can be found here for build process, and a few other funny stories about Helen.
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/helen-wheels-crossing-the-finished-line.109217/
And some highlight photos along the way....
Here's how the bike looked when we rode it back in the day; and how it was when we resurrected it out of my brother's garage attic in early August.
![66817800_2757545174320021_8366388420485840896_n.jpg 66817800_2757545174320021_8366388420485840896_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/101/101994-66817800-2757545174320021-8366388420485840896-n.jpg)
The original Columbia bike would have been similar to this model:
![Helen wheels columbia.jpg Helen wheels columbia.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102000-Helen-wheels-columbia.jpg)
And the inspiration, the Ford Torino :
![Ford Torino mint.jpg Ford Torino mint.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/101/101999-Ford-Torino-mint.jpg)
There were 4 colors of paint on her frame :
![67413299_855833354790249_4920978385917706240_n.jpg 67413299_855833354790249_4920978385917706240_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/101/101997-67413299-855833354790249-4920978385917706240-n.jpg)
Three more colors, wouldn't hurt...
![67082123_2329916063764150_243230195610288128_n.jpg 67082123_2329916063764150_243230195610288128_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/101/101995-67082123-2329916063764150-243230195610288128-n.jpg)
![67375186_464402524345736_1327812345266700288_n.jpg 67375186_464402524345736_1327812345266700288_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/101/101996-67375186-464402524345736-1327812345266700288-n.jpg)
The seats and upholstery in grandma's Torino were a spruce green. So this seat got the same treatment:
![67818491_356303228599386_2605738387692322816_n.jpg 67818491_356303228599386_2605738387692322816_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102002-67818491-356303228599386-2605738387692322816-n.jpg)
![67371976_2253944018056365_4521978462444978176_n.jpg 67371976_2253944018056365_4521978462444978176_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102001-67371976-2253944018056365-4521978462444978176-n.jpg)
Because it had a Schwinn badge on the head tube, and it wasn't a Schwinn, it needed it's own brand. I created the 'BACK40' head badge using a etching process on aluminum sheet metal.
![67193007_2250363571707410_9019789728030916608_n.jpg 67193007_2250363571707410_9019789728030916608_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102003-67193007-2250363571707410-9019789728030916608-n.jpg)
![Back40 head badge FLIPPED.jpg Back40 head badge FLIPPED.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102007-Back40-head-badge-FLIPPED.jpg)
![67641061_374850573201181_4630495076080943104_n.jpg 67641061_374850573201181_4630495076080943104_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102009-67641061-374850573201181-4630495076080943104-n.jpg)
![67870678_464289987459111_3019792558084587520_n.jpg 67870678_464289987459111_3019792558084587520_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102008-67870678-464289987459111-3019792558084587520-n.jpg)
![67716872_360896051245285_6234154431827410944_n.jpg 67716872_360896051245285_6234154431827410944_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102005-67716872-360896051245285-6234154431827410944-n.jpg)
![67627830_677163366136768_6666354078836064256_n.jpg 67627830_677163366136768_6666354078836064256_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102004-67627830-677163366136768-6666354078836064256-n.jpg)
![68500007_2940381432853972_3945418337483227136_n.jpg 68500007_2940381432853972_3945418337483227136_n.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/102/102006-68500007-2940381432853972-3945418337483227136-n.jpg)
Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane. There's nothing better than a spin on your muscle bike through the neighborhood park. Till next time....