Should this be done to this bike?

[Bigcam59]

Well I picked up a motorized bike cheap from Ebay. It's called a Pope, and other than it being made by Columbia, I know little about it. It seems to be all there except for the chainguard, but i cannot even find a serial number on the dropout, which leads me to believe it may be older than 1936. Could this be true? It's got a finned rear hub marked JC Higgins, with a drilled out wheel sprocket and a skiptooth chain. and a ton of rust...

I removed the fenders cause the rear one was rubbing and board tracked it a bit...

Is it possible I have an antique? or just an old bike? Should I be using the motor on it? or is it like adding arms to the Venus De Milo/
just wondering...

 

[deorman]

http://www.vintagecolumbiabikes.com/id79.html

 

[skiptoothjones]

Hey big cam. If you're coming to cruise nite this Thursday I can tell you what I know about it.
-conor

 

[axsepul]

Columbia was the name of the model of the bike like black phantom was to schwinn. Pope was the name of the guy who invented the company like ignaz schwinn invented schwinn. That frame didn't come to be built until 1937 I think so you probably have a columbia built by westfield manufacture co. This bike fully restored is worth well over $600. That is if that engine didn't twist the frame to heck!

 

[Bigcam59]

Hey big cam. If you're coming to cruise nite this Thursday I can tell you what I know about it.
-conor

I'll be there 8)

 

[Bigcam59]

Columbia was the name of the model of the bike like black phantom was to schwinn. Pope was the name of the guy who invented the company like ignaz schwinn invented schwinn. That frame didn't come to be built until 1937 I think so you probably have a columbia built by westfield manufacture co. This bike fully restored is worth well over $600. That is if that engine didn't twist the frame to h***!

as far as restoring, it'd cost more than that just to de-rust it! The headbadge, although faded, does say Pope, Westfield Manufacturing

 

[axsepul]

Columbia was the name of the model of the bike like black phantom was to schwinn. Pope was the name of the guy who invented the company like ignaz schwinn invented schwinn. That frame didn't come to be built until 1937 I think so you probably have a columbia built by westfield manufacture co. This bike fully restored is worth well over $600. That is if that engine didn't twist the frame to h***!

as far as restoring, it'd cost more than that just to de-rust it! The headbadge, although faded, does say Pope, Westfield Manufacturing

How about a picture of the badge? At the beginning the company was named pope manufacturing after that they changed they name several times. Other than that, you have an awesome bike!

 

[spinman]

Knowing Big C's luck with finding diamonds for little money, I'll bet this is a rare antique.