Bike from the Dead's Freshly-Exhumed Finds (Everything I've dug up since 6/15/21)

[Bike from the Dead]

Now for the 2 noteworthy bikes I got out of this 7-bike lot.

The first one is this 1968 Schwinn Stingray that someone converted to a BMX bike back in the day. It was a factory green bike originally, but it's since been painted black. It's also clear whoever converted it to a BMX bike definitely rode it like one, as the fork is bent back and out! There's definitely a story to this old Schwinn, and it's cool to see it built up this way. I especially like the handlebar stem!

As cool as this bike is, I'm not really that into it. Part of it is because I didn't grow up with these Stingrays when I was a kid in the '90s/early 2000s, but it's also because I just don't these Stingray frames all that attractive, especially the longer ones. Something about the lines of the frame just don't look right to me. I took off the wheels and handlebar stem as I bet I have a use for those, but I plan to sell the frame to someone who'd appreciate it more than me.

The last bike out of the lot is the one I find most interesting. It's a Columbia or MTD bike, I don't know what year or model, but it had the craziest wheel damage I have ever seen. The wheels are a pair of Pringles chips! Even crazier, while the wheels are smashed, the frame is still nice and straight, and with a nice patina to boot! It was originally a red bike, but now it's a nice shade of rust. Can't help but notice that red bikes tend to develop the best rust color. Probably has to do with the iron oxide in the paint.

Most notably, someone etched the name "Goldie" into the head badge. Whether "Goldie" was the name of the kid who owned this bike, or if it was the name given to be the bike, I don't know, but I've been referring to the bike as "Goldie" ever since I posted it in the I.D. & Valuation thread. I plan to fix up old Goldie and build it up as a rat rod muscle bike.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

This past weekend produced the biggest haul of the year so far! Last Friday, I attended the Tulsa Swap Meet in Kellyville, Oklahoma. I wasn't expecting to find a whole lot as far as bicycle parts and projects go, at least within my budget, but I wound up bringing home some good stuff for $75, and 3 of those items were all from my childhood!

The first 2 items I bought were a pair of chain guards for $10.

Next, for $5, I got 2 Hot Wheels cars from the 2003 Hot Wheels: World Race movie my brother and I watched as kids.

And last but by no means least, I got the adult-sized version of my #1 dream bike I've wanted since childhood: a Schwinn OCC StingRay chopper, for $60! And while it may not be in the best shape, it's a roller! I was able to air up the tires and race this chopper up and down the cul-de-sac, with no brakes! This is one of those bikes that just makes me want to get out and ride it! It pedals easily, the seating position is comfortable even if the seat itself isn't, it's the perfect fit for me! I know it's missing some parts and it'll definitely need some work before I ride it longer distances (especially the brakes,) but I'm super stoked to now have an adult-sized version of my #1 dream bike! It's a childhood dream come true!

Now admittedly, I think the smaller kid-sized OCC chopper that I remember from childhood had better proportions than this one, given that the 20" x 4" rear tire and 24" x 2.125" front tire looked much bigger on that smaller frame, and the fork appeared to have more of a rake in relation to the frame. That said, this StingRay is still a good-looking bike, way more attractive than that 1968 Stingray I picked up last month! I just think it'd be fun to enhance this bike with a larger 26" x 4" rear tire and a 29" front tire, as well as add a few other things to build up this chopper the way I really want.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

This next one's going to be broken down into 3 posts due to the amount of photos.

I went to the Haysville, Kansas Bicycle Swap Meet for the 2nd time earlier this Sunday. While I didn't have the best of luck selling the few items I brought up with me, I did have a good time shopping, swapping and talking with everyone there! I went up with a fairly empty car, and came back with almost no room left inside! Even I was surprised by how much I fit inside my car, but hey, we Oklahomans know how to play Tetris! Once again, the bulk of what I brought home came out of the free pile, but I also was kindly gifted some stuff from other vendors too. Gas costs aside, I managed to spend only $40 on the things I didn't get for free, so I think I did alright.

Ultimately, I managed to bring home 3 semi-complete bikes, 9 frames (including the Stingray I didn't sell,) 7 wheels (1 is on the AMF Skyrider,) 4 seats, 7 chain guards, 3 forks, 10 cranks, 7 chainrings, 13 fenders, 2 pedals, 2 grips, 1 headlight, 1 flashlight mount, and I don't remember how many fender braces.

I had to buy this bobbed fender with the pirate skeleton for $5. It was just too cool to pass up!

I might even stick that or this other fender on my X-53 frame I got at Haysville last year.

Part 2 coming up next.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Now for all the frames I picked up from Haysville.

First is this 20 inch AMF bike I pulled from the free pile, sort of last-minute. I got it for the headset and bottom bracket hardware to use on another bike, but I may either build up this frame or just put it back in the free pile next year.

Got this Snyder frame from the free pile for the tubing bends, since it's unlikely I could repair it well enough to ride it.

Another free pile find: a 1978 Schwinn frame. Acquired mostly for the solid chainring, and partly for the bearings/cups.

This Chrome Spaceliner was kindly given to me by another vendor my age who I had a ton of fun talking to. He threw this in with a prewar step-thru Murray frame (pictured below) I traded some seats for. I don't have a plan for this bike yet, but it's cool to finally have a chrome bike, and in one of my favorite frame styles no less!

Another frame I've been itching to build for a while: a prewar Murray step-thru frame. It's a bit rough, but the frame looks to be nice and straight. I don't know how I want to build it yet, but it'll make for a nice project either way.

First time I've ever seen truss rods bent like that. Looks like something fell on top of them.

I don't know what the head badge says. Does anybody know what that's supposed to be?

This 1968 Schwinn Fastback frame was a spur-of-the-moment "time to buy it's when you see it" kind of deal. Picked it up for $10, and then got the fork for it from C.A.B.E. member @ODDER, who was set up next to me, for $5. I've wanted to build one of these frames as a chopper for a while now, but I kind of wanted to build a single-speed version instead, so I could use a beefier rear tire. Otherwise, I was thinking about using some modern multispeed parts to build this into a 10, 15, 18 or 21-speed Fastback. That could be cool too! I don't have a plan ready for this bike yet, so we'll just wait and see what develops.

Picked up this colorful Colorflow frame for $10. The moment I saw the paint, I just had to have it. There are 2 shades of blue, 1 coat of red, and a coat of black, and it just looks awesome! Unfortunately, there's a substantial freeze-damaged hole in one of the seat stays, and the dropouts are bent in a little bit. Fortunately, I know people who can fix those problems! I already have a plan or 2 in mind for this bike, and I can hardly wait to get started on it!

I picked up this 20" Hawthorne frame for $10 from the same guy as the Colorflow above, and I'm really excited about this one.
1. Because it's another twin tube frame I haven't seen that often (if ever before,)
2. Because it's a stretched muscle bike frame,
and 3. Because it's a factory metallic lime green!

If I can find a way to remove the red paint without messing up the green underneath, that'd be awesome! It's also got a small hole in one of the tubes that needs a repair, but that should be easy to fix. Easy to cover up, that I don't know.

I don't know the year, make or manufacturer, but I'll definitely be looking into this bike more.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Last but not least, here are all 3 semi-complete bikes I got for free at Haysville.

The first two are this AMF Western Flyer Sonic Flyer girls' bike and AMF Skyrider men's bike. I got both of them for headset and bottom bracket parts for another AMF bike I'm working on, but both could turn into decent projects on their own.

The last bike I got was this 24" Murray-built Western Flyer. It was actually almost ready to ride when I got it, but I guess not as many folks want the 24" bikes as much as the 26" bikes.

I had an idea for this bike before I even loaded it into the car though: I wanted to turn it into a pig bike! Best of all, I already have most of the parts to do so! I did a quick mockup on Monday just to see, and while the front fender would need some adjustments to be turned into a rear fender, I was able to mount a pair of ape hangers and a banana seat to the bike.

Got to say, I like where it's heading. I took it for a test ride around the cul-de-sac, only to notice that the coaster brake hub was loose on the axle. So, it'll need some work to be a functional bike, but I think I already have a name picked out for it, based on the brand of coaster brake it sports!

That's all the fresh finds I've dug up for now. Looks like I have even more parts and projects to play with now!

 

[Wayne]

This past weekend produced the biggest haul of the year so far! Last Friday, I attended the Tulsa Swap Meet in Kellyville, Oklahoma. I wasn't expecting to find a whole lot as far as bicycle parts and projects go, at least within my budget, but I wound up bringing home some good stuff for $75, and 3 of those items were all from my childhood!

The first 2 items I bought were a pair of chain guards for $10.
View attachment 263273

Next, for $5, I got 2 Hot Wheels cars from the 2003 Hot Wheels: World Race movie my brother and I watched as kids.
View attachment 263271View attachment 263272

And last but by no means least, I got the adult-sized version of my #1 dream bike I've wanted since childhood: a Schwinn OCC StingRay chopper, for $60! And while it may not be in the best shape, it's a roller! I was able to air up the tires and race this chopper up and down the cul-de-sac, with no brakes! This is one of those bikes that just makes me want to get out and ride it! It pedals easily, the seating position is comfortable even if the seat itself isn't, it's the perfect fit for me! I know it's missing some parts and it'll definitely need some work before I ride it longer distances (especially the brakes,) but I'm super stoked to now have an adult-sized version of my #1 dream bike! It's a childhood dream come true!

Now admittedly, I think the smaller kid-sized OCC chopper that I remember from childhood had better proportions than this one, given that the 20" x 4" rear tire and 24" x 2.125" front tire looked much bigger on that smaller frame, and the fork appeared to have more of a rake in relation to the frame. That said, this StingRay is still a good-looking bike, way more attractive than that 1968 Stingray I picked up last month! I just think it'd be fun to enhance this bike with a larger 26" x 4" rear tire and a 29" front tire, as well as add a few other things to build up this chopper the way I really want.
View attachment 263274View attachment 263270

Nice score for your dream bike! Walmart sold these adult Street Series Stingrays. They were poorly boxed, shipped packaged upside down, 6 on a pallet. Many were slightly damaged so Walmart cut the price at our local store to blow them out. Walmart also had the first available chrome and red Street Series kid bikes w/foot pegs.

Only time I shopped at Walmart was to buy a couple of these Schwinns. I had to have one too, added a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub and a modified '69 Stik shifter.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Nice score for your dream bike! Walmart sold these adult Street Series Stingrays. They were poorly boxed, shipped packaged upside down, 6 on a pallet. Many were slightly damaged so Walmart cut the price at our local store to blow them out. Walmart also had the first available chrome and red Street Series kid bikes w/foot pegs.

Only time I shopped at Walmart was to buy a couple of these Schwinns. I had to have one too, added a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub and a modified '69 Stik shifter.

View attachment 263371

View attachment 263372

Thanks! This bike's already fun to race around on with a single speed, so I can only imagine how much more fun it'd be with additional gears!

I still remember the first time I saw one of these StingRays when I was a kid. One of my brother's neighborhood friends, Tyler, had one of the regular smaller bikes. I can't recall if it was a red bike or a chrome bike with red stickers, but it was so amazing to see a bicycle that looked like an actual motorcycle, and especially to see a bicycle with such a big tire in the back. Since that day roughly 20 years ago, I have wanted one of those bikes, regardless of what all the neighsayers in the bicycle community have said about them. The first time I aired up the tires on this bike and rode it around the neighborhood, it was like I was 10 years old all over again! It's so cool to finally have a version of my childhood dream bike I can ride on and enjoy!

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

I've been running behind on updating my threads here. Let's fix that!

Back in February, on the same day I signed up for my first welding class, I saw an ad on Craigslist for a bunch of free bikes and parts from a former local bike shop I used to visit: G Oscar Bicycles. The shop closed a year or 2 ago when G Oscar passed away, and now the building will be turned into a bicycle-themed coffee shop by its new owner. Before I post what I brought home from G Oscars, I'd like to share some pictures of the place that day, before the renovations began.
View attachment 263108View attachment 263109View attachment 263110View attachment 263111View attachment 263112View attachment 263113View attachment 263114View attachment 263115View attachment 263116View attachment 263117View attachment 263118View attachment 263119View attachment 263120View attachment 263121View attachment 263122View attachment 263123View attachment 263124View attachment 263125View attachment 263126

What an amazing cool old shop - is that in Broken Arrow?

 

[Bike from the Dead]

What an amazing cool old shop - is that in Broken Arrow?

It is! Downtown Tulsa!

 

[Wildcat]

Now for all the frames I picked up from Haysville.

First is this 20 inch AMF bike I pulled from the free pile, sort of last-minute. I got it for the headset and bottom bracket hardware to use on another bike, but I may either build up this frame or just put it back in the free pile next year.
View attachment 263321

Got this Snyder frame from the free pile for the tubing bends, since it's unlikely I could repair it well enough to ride it.
View attachment 263322View attachment 263323

Another free pile find: a 1978 Schwinn frame. Acquired mostly for the solid chainring, and partly for the bearings/cups.
View attachment 263324View attachment 263325

This Chrome Spaceliner was kindly given to me by another vendor my age who I had a ton of fun talking to. He threw this in with a prewar step-thru Murray frame (pictured below) I traded some seats for. I don't have a plan for this bike yet, but it's cool to finally have a chrome bike, and in one of my favorite frame styles no less!
View attachment 263326View attachment 263327

Another frame I've been itching to build for a while: a prewar Murray step-thru frame. It's a bit rough, but the frame looks to be nice and straight. I don't know how I want to build it yet, but it'll make for a nice project either way.
View attachment 263328

First time I've ever seen truss rods bent like that. Looks like something fell on top of them.
View attachment 263329

I don't know what the head badge says. Does anybody know what that's supposed to be?
View attachment 263330

This 1968 Schwinn Fastback frame was a spur-of-the-moment "time to buy it's when you see it" kind of deal. Picked it up for $10, and then got the fork for it from C.A.B.E. member @ODDER, who was set up next to me, for $5. I've wanted to build one of these frames as a chopper for a while now, but I kind of wanted to build a single-speed version instead, so I could use a beefier rear tire. Otherwise, I was thinking about using some modern multispeed parts to build this into a 10, 15, 18 or 21-speed Fastback. That could be cool too! I don't have a plan ready for this bike yet, so we'll just wait and see what develops.
View attachment 263331View attachment 263332View attachment 263333

Picked up this colorful Colorflow frame for $10. The moment I saw the paint, I just had to have it. There are 2 shades of blue, 1 coat of red, and a coat of black, and it just looks awesome! Unfortunately, there's a substantial freeze-damaged hole in one of the seat stays, and the dropouts are bent in a little bit. Fortunately, I know people who can fix those problems! I already have a plan or 2 in mind for this bike, and I can hardly wait to get started on it!
View attachment 263334View attachment 263335View attachment 263336

I picked up this 20" Hawthorne frame for $10 from the same guy as the Colorflow above, and I'm really excited about this one.
1. Because it's another twin tube frame I haven't seen that often (if ever before,)
2. Because it's a stretched muscle bike frame,
and 3. Because it's a factory metallic lime green!

If I can find a way to remove the red paint without messing up the green underneath, that'd be awesome! It's also got a small hole in one of the tubes that needs a repair, but that should be easy to fix. Easy to cover up, that I don't know.

I don't know the year, make or manufacturer, but I'll definitely be looking into this bike more.
View attachment 263337View attachment 263338View attachment 263339View attachment 263340View attachment 263341View attachment 263342View attachment 263343

The Hawthorne is Snyder built, around 1970. I don't see a letter before the number, and the info I have for those years is sketchy, but the dropouts are the later Snyder style. This one is 69 or 70, same as a Rollfast.

 

[Brian macumber]

Some really nice finds love that lime green Hawthorne. Wish I could find stuff like that around here in central Florida.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

The Hawthorne is Snyder built, around 1970. I don't see a letter before the number, and the info I have for those years is sketchy, but the dropouts are the later Snyder style. This one is 69 or 70, same as a Rollfast.
View attachment 263405

Cool! I wasn't sure when Snyder stopped building bikes, so it's cool to know that! I bought it from the original owner, and he said he got it brand new in either 1969 or 1970, so that's right on the money.

Funny thing I've noticed: certain distributors seemed to favor certain manufacturers. From what I can tell, Montgomery Ward seemed to sell mostly Snyder bikes, Sears favored Murray-built bikes, Western Auto was a bit more varied with AMF, Murray and even Monark bikes, but I see more AMF Western Flyers than anything else. I wonder why that is...

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Some really nice finds love that lime green Hawthorne. Wish I could find stuff like that around here in central Florida.

Thank you! I just wish we had swap meets like this in or near Tulsa, Oklahoma. If I want to hit a good bicycle swap meet, I have to drive roughly 3 hours away from home, and out-of-state.

 

[Wildcat]

I think it was 72 when Emory picked up Snyder, the dropouts stayed the same as did the bikes they first built. Those were the best Emory bikes. I picked this one at a yard sale, sold it here to someone and they improved it.

 

[Mesquite Hugger]

It is! Downtown Tulsa!

I drove through Tulsa 30 years ago (on the way to Chicago) and made a mental note to go back and spend some time there. Beautiful country - especially for someone who has spent his whole life in the dustier parts of Texas. But I haven't made it back yet.