I got this bike at the Trexlertown meet last month and it has sat until I could free up the bike stand. Finally got it freed up and slapped this one up there to start work on it.
The story that goes along with it is kind of funny. It was the last vendor I visited on my first trip through the meet. As I was looking at the triple step wheels there was another fellow looking at the bike on the other side. The price tag read $50. As I was about to tell the guy i would take it the other fellow offers $40 and the seller promptly accepts it. I said man, I was about to give you $50. THe new buyer starts to walk away and I offer him $60. He says nah, i really want to bring home a new project. By now there are a few onlookers listening in to the conversation. I start a casual conversation about how I wanted the bike for the wheels. We continue to talk and I offer him $75. He thinks about it and starts to rationalize how he really doesn't "need" another project. He says $80 and it is yours. I couldn't get the $80 out fast enough! The bike changes hands twice inside of 10 minutes. I start to walk away with my new prize when this guy I know asks me if i want to sell the fenders which were the 6 sided aluminum pieces, but are in need of some serious help. Too far gone for me to even use. So, i tell him $20 for the fenders, but he has to remove them. He was happy to oblige. When this task was completed another gentleman asks if I would like to sell the handle bars. I looked at the bars and they were the Torrington's but the cross brace was missing and the neck was rusty and really pitted as it was aluminum. Again, too far gone for my purposes. He asks how much? I tell him $15. He whips out the money pretty quickly. By now I get the feeling i am selling these parts too cheaply! I start walking whats left of the bike down the aisle and I get a few offers to by just the frame. I do the math and figure I paid $5 less than the original price of the bike and I am ahead after only wanting the wheels. I tell them i think i will keep it! It beomes the basis for my new project. The frame desing is like no other i have ever seen. It was made by DP Harris of Rollfast fame. I can tell this from the chain wheel. I pulled the crank which is stamped 1939. THe final clue as to it's origins came from a very knowledgeable collector who informed me that Sam Schwarz is the man behind FAO Schwarz. He contracted with DP Harris to make a specialty line of bikes sold exclusively at the high end toy retailer. i am not sure how many years the contract existed, but until I had seen this bike, Ian had the only other SAMSCO bike I had ever hears of. The original color is that deep maroon and the foork was originally nickel plated. Must have looked pretty slick. The bike did not come with a rack or seat so I have no reference for those pieces. Hope you enjoyed the story and the pics.
The story that goes along with it is kind of funny. It was the last vendor I visited on my first trip through the meet. As I was looking at the triple step wheels there was another fellow looking at the bike on the other side. The price tag read $50. As I was about to tell the guy i would take it the other fellow offers $40 and the seller promptly accepts it. I said man, I was about to give you $50. THe new buyer starts to walk away and I offer him $60. He says nah, i really want to bring home a new project. By now there are a few onlookers listening in to the conversation. I start a casual conversation about how I wanted the bike for the wheels. We continue to talk and I offer him $75. He thinks about it and starts to rationalize how he really doesn't "need" another project. He says $80 and it is yours. I couldn't get the $80 out fast enough! The bike changes hands twice inside of 10 minutes. I start to walk away with my new prize when this guy I know asks me if i want to sell the fenders which were the 6 sided aluminum pieces, but are in need of some serious help. Too far gone for me to even use. So, i tell him $20 for the fenders, but he has to remove them. He was happy to oblige. When this task was completed another gentleman asks if I would like to sell the handle bars. I looked at the bars and they were the Torrington's but the cross brace was missing and the neck was rusty and really pitted as it was aluminum. Again, too far gone for my purposes. He asks how much? I tell him $15. He whips out the money pretty quickly. By now I get the feeling i am selling these parts too cheaply! I start walking whats left of the bike down the aisle and I get a few offers to by just the frame. I do the math and figure I paid $5 less than the original price of the bike and I am ahead after only wanting the wheels. I tell them i think i will keep it! It beomes the basis for my new project. The frame desing is like no other i have ever seen. It was made by DP Harris of Rollfast fame. I can tell this from the chain wheel. I pulled the crank which is stamped 1939. THe final clue as to it's origins came from a very knowledgeable collector who informed me that Sam Schwarz is the man behind FAO Schwarz. He contracted with DP Harris to make a specialty line of bikes sold exclusively at the high end toy retailer. i am not sure how many years the contract existed, but until I had seen this bike, Ian had the only other SAMSCO bike I had ever hears of. The original color is that deep maroon and the foork was originally nickel plated. Must have looked pretty slick. The bike did not come with a rack or seat so I have no reference for those pieces. Hope you enjoyed the story and the pics.
