1965 (!) Columbia Rambler

[Wildcat]

I don't know what year that bike with the headlight tank is, but here's a page from the 65 Columbia catalog:

 

[Jude Ephesus]

A little bit of progress today.

It was nice going into a store that hadn’t been attacked and raided by psychotic Coronavirus doomsdayers and seeing actual inventory on shelves!!!!

-Chain guard was white and rusty.

I hit it with a wire wheel, washed it, then shot it with the closest red rattle can I could pull off the shelf at Autozone!!!

The color is pretty close actually for a grab and go. The paint was a little pricey, like $11.00 for an 8 oz can. I was hoping to get something for like $5 or $6. This is supposed to be a Dodge automotive matchup color which I’m guessing drove the price up.

In any regard, it’s a lot closer than white!!! Lol

 

[Jude Ephesus]

I don't know what year that bike with the headlight tank is, but here's a page from the 65 Columbia catalog:

Well, I stand corrected!!! After a vinegar scrub, your SN chart and now this catalog, this looks like a ‘65!

Thanks for your help on this wildcat!!!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Got the rust off the chain and got it lubed up as well.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Pretty stoked on this: had an old headlight laying around. -no lens or lamp pieces though. Just the body / shell.

I have a drawer full of old flashlights I basically never use. Found one that fit perfectly with a homemade rubber grommet.

Rigged It up and mounted it with some zip ties in about 15 minutes: worked perfectly!

That NEVER happens!!!!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

 

[Jude Ephesus]

So, the rear 2/3rds of my rear fender was pretty shot.

Not even close to the frame color due to rust.

I got a little crazy and decided to hit it with some vinegar and foil to see what would happen. The paint couldn’t really get much worse.

The foil scrub whipped the rust and faded the paint slightly. As the rust was way better, the paint was still a Brownish dark pink.

As this thing is really just a beater, the patina on the back part of the rear fender was not in line with the rest of the bike.

I just hit it with a coat of paint; not near spot on, but way closer than brownish pink!!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

A little closer; front side of chain guard done.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

So uh..... found a rack.

My friend with a gazillion old bikes sold this to me for $5.

It fits, but is going to take some messaging.... and uhg sanding and PAINT!!!

 

[Wildcat]

It would be even more work to save the graphics. They almost match the white on the tank.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

It would be even more work to save the graphics. They almost match the white on the tank.

Thanks wildcat. So, I hate to bring another color into the bike.

With that said, those graphics are epic and I’m going to do everything I can to save them.

I’m going to try covering them with packing tape then try to razor blade the graphics..... I was also thinking of leaving the blue and white middle section, doing the sides and supports in red, then maybe adding some blue stars to the white accents around the head tube to try to pull it together.

We’ll see what I come up with this weekend.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

I don’t think my red would cover the blue very well; I had some white laying around so I wire wheeled the rack, washed it down then hit it with my old white spray

I had in the paint cabinet.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Brought the rack in from the cold to cure; I’m going to let this dry at least 2 or 3 days.

Snazzed up the wrong chain guard to try to make it look right. lol

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Meh; sprayed the rack. Not wild about adding a color, but I hated to dump the graphics,

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Added some pinstripes to the chain guard.

They’re a shade off the sidewalls..... it’s sort of the theme of this bike. Lol

Just get it close....

 

[Wildcat]

It's looking good!

I can't leave anything alone. I would get a little bottle of acrylic craft paint in glossy red and a small brush and paint over the blue on the rack, keeping the graphics. It would take me awhile because I don't have a steady hand like a pinstriper, but I would get it done in a day or two. I like the acrylic because it's easy to wipe off while wet and also to clean up. Once it's dry, it's good. I once painted my whole bike in green and yellow to see how it would work.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

It's looking good!

I can't leave anything alone. I would get a little bottle of acrylic craft paint in glossy red and a small brush and paint over the blue on the rack, keeping the graphics. It would take me awhile because I don't have a steady hand like a pinstriper, but I would get it done in a day or two. I like the acrylic because it's easy to wipe off while wet and also to clean up. Once it's dry, it's good. I once painted my whole bike in green and yellow to see how it would work.

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Thanks wildcat! So, that green klunker/cruiser is pretty epic!

You did that with a brush???? Wow!

I’m with you. I can’t leave well enough alone. I definitely am not a fan of adding the blue to the red, white, khaki color combo....

So, do you think that acrylic would cover the blue in one coat?

 

[Wildcat]

Thanks wildcat! So, that green klunker/cruiser is pretty epic!

You did that with a brush???? Wow!

I’m with you. I can’t leave well enough alone. I definitely am not a fan of adding the blue to the red, white, khaki color combo....

So, do you think that acrylic would cover the blue in one coat?

I used two or three coats on things I've painted. When I used the matte colors I needed to wax them down twice to look good. On the glossy paints, it looked good after a few coats. One little bottle will be way more than enough.
So I think a couple coats would do it, but it's easy enough to add another layer. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to set, and I give it a day to dry completely. You'll need to sand down the rough spots, but the paint seemed to fill in little blemishes.

 

[Rat Pilot]

I’m liking the direction of this build!

 

[Jude Ephesus]

So, the seat cleaned up better than I thought.... still pretty pink.

I put some tire shine on it that made it a little more red after I took this picture.

Anyone got any cheap, easy hacks to get this red again without having to buy vinyl spray paint?

I have some old cordovan shoe polish.lol.... think that would do anything???