New Member w/ two fresh barn finds

[JSO]

(edit-I wrote this about six months ago and have some good stuff to add at the end of this post...check it out)

I am mostly into collecting 80's & 90's MTB's. But have always toyed with the idea of taking a flat bar Klunkerish frame and sandblasting, painting and adding updated parts.

Never was able to find any suitable frames here locally.

Over the weekend I was invited to scrounge through an old barn for some vintagebikes. When I arrived I was dissapointed to find out that the bike in questions was being protected by a rather large hornets nest. Not to be detered I still asked to see the bike. When we entered the old barn I could see from a distance that the bike was a ladies Huffy level bike.

I was bummed as it was an hour drive.

But then.... out of the corner of my eye I could see some steel poking out of a pile of wood in the stable area. I asked what they were and he said no one had been in there for over twenty years. I moved in closer and saw a pile of bikes. I gingerly climbed over a pile of lumber and started pulling the bikes out.

I pulled out three (two frames and a complete bike.) The complete bike had a gas tank and fenders and I commented that he may want to have that appraised as it may be worth something.

The other two frames had the correct geometry that I had been looking for and were in rough shape. He agreed to let me take those.

Now before you rip on me about leaving the complete bike...you should know that I am very concerned with bad bike karma. I was pleased with the two frames and there was no reason to be greedy.

So anyways..I have no knolwedge of these frames and was wondering if anyone here could offer and assitance at IDing them.

 

[scrumblero]

wELCOME! thats a nice score! and yes you should have stripped off some twentys for the tank bike.. :roll:


the big one looks like a Monarch, the smaller looks like a colombia...

 

[Rat Rod]

Welcome!

 

[JSO]

wELCOME! thats a nice score! and yes you should have stripped off some twentys for the tank bike.. :roll:


the big one looks like a Monarch, the smaller looks like a colombia...

Are they worthy of this type of project or should I keep searching?
Any idea of vintage?

 

[scrumblero]

that monarch would make a sick klunker! the colombia looks like a 24" bike, prolly too small for you unless your under 5 foot. :roll:

 

[Wildcat]

"bad bike karma"

Smart move. That karma thing is for real. Now you'll have a whole garage full of bikes before you know it (the good bike karma).

 

[JSO]

"bad bike karma"

Smart move. That karma thing is for real. Now you'll have a whole garage full of bikes before you know it (the good bike karma).

Too late..I have about thirty as it is now. :roll:
Big believer in not being a douche when bike transactions are involved.
I live in too small of a town and collect kind of a niche product.

Someday this goodness will payoff and I will obtain my Holy Grail of bikes!

 

[M.Martian]

The grey frame definately looks like a Monark built frame. The blue one looks very similar to my 46-7 Murray built except has the later style rear wheel dropouts. Post up the serial numbers on the frames and Phil (rms237) may be able to fill in the info for you.

The one thing I hear about on the Monark frames is to watch out for the bottom joint from the seat tube to the bottom bracket. Apparently they have a tendency to need rewelding there.

 

[udallcustombikes]

Welcome. The grey bike is a late 50's to early 60's Hp Snyder built frame. Their house brand was Rollfast but they also made a lot of Hawthornes for Monkey Wards. I have the ladies version of that bike hanging on the wall in my garage, mine is a middleweight, if your's is as well then you might have trouble squeezing tires bigger than 1.90s into the frame. I have to agree that it looks to be a 24" frame.

The Blue frame looks like a CWC frame.

 

[Galtbacken]

Welcome!

 

[ckdesigns69]

Nice finds. Love that barn digging stuff. Welcome to the site. Looks like you saved a couple good projects there.

 

[dos cruiser]

Welcome,
Karma is a good thing to obey. When going into an old barn of unknown finds, always take a camara and snap a few pic's of anything that looks like something you might like later. Maybe you could help owner ID the complete bike you left behind.

 

[JSO]

Thanks for all of the leads as to their origins.
Based on your imput I am probably going to donate the smaller frame and focus on the larger of the two.
Located a dime sized split on the rear stay...assuming that a decent welder should be able to handle that.
Is that true or is it trashed?
Was going to take that opporuntiy to braze on some rear bosses.
Thoughts?

 

[scrumblero]

if the tubing is split, it prolly froze with water in it. :roll:

you should be able to tap it straight and weld/braze it no problem...

 

[JSO]

Well I have to admit I got involved with another dream build and the cracked frame (of the above klunker Frame) caused me to throw this project on a nail for another day.

Then yesterday....my Family and I stumbled on a gentleman who had been told that the downtown barn/shed (owned by the City) needed to be vacated for demolition.

Problem was this elderly gentleman had been collecting and storing stuff in that barn for almost 50 years. So out of desperation he placed a sign on Main Street that said ..... Antiques ---->

My steering wheel has a mind of its own and the car turned down the alleyway.

We were greeted by a very charming gentleman whose last name was the same as the Cities name (founding Family???). He pointed to his barn door handed us a flashlight and said be carefull.

This place was amazing....things were piled to the ceiling from front to back. He had all of the cities parking meters that were taken out in 1969 laid in a huge pile. Probably had about 20 vintage outboard motors, pinball machine, penny scales (about 6) furniture , diner booths , counters , vintage signs , doors , you name it.

My 10 year old Son loves American Pickers...so he kept on picking up pieces of junk and asking the gentleman "What would you have to have for that?"

After about a half an hour my Wife had amassed a small collection of pieces and it was getting about time to go.

But there...in the very back was a stack of......bikes!

I found three frames that looked about right and asked the gentleman for a price.

We struck a deal and here they are.

I am hoping that at least one of them will be suitable for my Klunker Build. Are any of them the coveted ...pre-war era?

Thanks for your expertise.

This is a Shelby Flying Cloud. These any good? Any idea of vintage?

This is a Columbia. These any good? Any idea of vintage?

Finally...this is my Mystery Frame. I am keeping my fingers crossed on this one. Looks solid and it ismy size. Might make the perfect candidate for my purposes. And unlike my previous frame from six months ago...no cracks!)

Does anyone have any idea?

Sorry about the long post.....

BTW...I donated one of those first bikes to Trips for Kids and still have the one with the crack? Does any one here have a use for it?

 

[Walker]

which one is cracked? and where about's on the frame?

Thanks

 

[greg66]

WELCOME.

 

[jannypan]

wELCOME! thats a nice score! and yes you should have stripped off some twentys for the tank bike.. :roll: