# Deciding the fate of my Shelby.



## TeamCF (Sep 11, 2008)

So I aquired this old Shelby out of my Grandparent's garage.
It had been parked in there since the early/mid 50's.
Looking for info on it (as is another member for thiers)
But I'm also looking for opinions.

When I saw it I knew I wanted to just cruise it around town. 
Now I'm wanting to know how I should go about this.
I'm going to start by cleaning it up. And see how I feel about that.
Not so great on the $$ front so rechroming and all that is a little out of my reach at the moment. (bills bills bills)
I had a thought of olive drabing the frame and fenders. And blacking out everything else. (keeping the "Shelby" on the seat tube, and the emblem on the head tube untouched. Possibly also leave the forks as is.)
Kind of a Army bike look.

But if it's a rarity that needs to be kept original and restored. Then I'll leave it alone. Just clean it up. Enjoy it and possibly pass it on to someone who can give it all the TLC it needs. (I'll give it the TLC, just proly won't keep it original looking in the end)

In the end I want a good old cruiser (they make the new ones, but they just don't have that special something). And I love this bike and would enjoy it original or not. (Rides so smooth)
And it's really not in that bad of shape as is. A nice petina. (And a few nasty rust spots)
Pics:


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## old hotrod (Sep 11, 2008)

Obviously, it is your bike and up to you. My opinion and my preference is to leave them as they are, find the little missing pieces to finish them off, replace what needs to be replace or what I don't like and ride the snot out of 'em. Your bike is not "rare" model or brand but it is rare in its condition which is very good original paint and complete. It has been been said before and I will say it again...they are only original once.


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## rjs5700 (Sep 11, 2008)

Your bike is in great condition considering its age. You will be surprised at how well it will clean up. The chrome will never look new again but a lot of that corrosion and surface rust will come off and look 100% better. Water and 0000 steel wool works great at cleaning up chrome. With that much good paint I would definitely not repaint it.
John


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## Fltwd57 (Sep 11, 2008)

Looks amazing the way it is!! Clean it a little and ride it. Just my 2 cents.


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## Flat Tire (Sep 11, 2008)

Fltwd57 said:


> Looks amazing the way it is!! Clean it a little and ride it. Just my 2 cents.




I agree! That bike should clean up real nice


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## Brentville (Sep 11, 2008)

*nearly unanimous*

I agree that you should clean it up and ride it.  You obviously have the tinker/rebuild gene that is itching to break down the bike and re do it as a resto/rat rod style bike.  But you can quench that urge by taking the bike apart and cleaning it.  It's still a lot of work just doing that.  You have to take apart the bottom bracket and head set and re-lube them, lots of scrubbing etc.

And you'll have a sweet bike that rides like new with it's original paint and patina...priceless!


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## JR'S MONARK (Sep 11, 2008)

I don't know about anybody else... and I too feel the pinch of the economy.. But I'd put my boys to work in one of the strawberry fields with the migrant workers before I'd sell an old bike I got from my grandparents house. that bike has a history, you know it, and it's Your Family's history... That would make the bike near priceless in my eyes.  

   It is in such great shape, you are very fortunate... Clean it, put on the missing parts, and ride it. Then ask your Father, Grandfather, or who you can more about it... 

   If you are still interested in giving it a good home.... I want to buy it.


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## TeamCF (Sep 11, 2008)

Well it looks like it's staying just the way it is.  

Gonna just clean it up and enjoy it.

Thanks guys.


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## PCHiggin (Sep 11, 2008)

*Dont Paint it!*

That is one sweet bike! You'll certainly regret doing anything, but cleaning-up that nice old paint. Give everything a good cleaning and fresh grease/oil and have a ball. Is that a 2 or 3 speed rear hub? A Bendix or S/A? Thanks and have fun. Pat.....P.S. Sent you a P.M.


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## TeamCF (Sep 11, 2008)

PCHiggin said:


> That is one sweet bike! You'll certainly regret doing anything, but cleaning-up that nice old paint. Give everything a good cleaning and fresh grease/oil and have a ball. Is that a 2 or 3 speed rear hub? A Bendix or S/A? Thanks and have fun. Pat.....P.S. Sent you a P.M.




It's a single speed. Not dug into it enough to tell which type though.
I only recently got it off of the truck.
It came from Michigan.

I know my grandfather traded it for a mirror back in 52 or so. Rode it some and then my uncle and mom were born and it got pushed into the garage and somewhat forgotten. He never got rid of it cause he loved how it rode but was too busy with the kids to go over it and ride it again. (From what my grandma said)
He passed away several years ago and I went to the house this past spring to help my uncle clean out the garage. Way in the back was the bike. half taken apart. I kind of fell in love. Only things missing are the tail light and the left half of the tank. I have the headlight still with the lens in it. And the tank half that has the horn mounted to it. (personaly I like it without the tank though anyway).

As much as I would like to see it fully shined up and restored.
As was said it's only original once. And it is part of some of my family's history. Especialy my grandfather's, who I miss alot. 
Even if it was in the back corner of the garage for most of the time. It seems it was never truly forgotten.

And after sharing what I know about it and getting the responses. I love it even more.
I can't wait to take it on it's first real ride after sitting for 50 or so years.  

If I ever do decide it needs to be passed on to a new home. I'll put it up here first.   (but it's part of the family now)


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## militarymonark (Sep 11, 2008)

i have two like that and I ride them when i can and i wouldn't trade those bikes for anything, one of them is my fathers which will be given back to him some day when I finish it. but yeah great bike


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## Adamtinkerer (Sep 11, 2008)

I'm glad you're "doing the right thing" and keeping this one original. Sometimes a tank half will show up on ebay, though I can't recall seeing any Shelby ones. You should find an old frame and build _that_ as your 'Army/hotrod/Rat Bike'! You can check out Ratrodbikes.com for inspiration! ~Adam


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## TeamCF (Sep 11, 2008)

Adamtinkerer said:


> I'm glad you're "doing the right thing" and keeping this one original. Sometimes a tank half will show up on ebay, though I can't recall seeing any Shelby ones. You should find an old frame and build _that_ as your 'Army/hotrod/Rat Bike'! You can check out Ratrodbikes.com for inspiration! ~Adam




Yeah. I'm pretty excited to have it just cleaned up and rollin' around town. 

Like you say I can always find some parts and build up an "Army Bike".


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## TeamCF (Sep 11, 2008)

Pulled the front Schwinn brake off. Some rattles are gone. (May still have a use for it though.)
Put some new beach cruiser tires on it with some new tubes.
Fixed up the coaster hub and front hub with greasy goodness. (used some Bull Shot I had from my MTB days)
Some oil in the port on the coaster and it works great. Gave me a loud chatter the first time I tried to stop after unpacking the bike.
Straightened out the fenders some more. (Just about all rattles are gone)
A little more wiping down.

Rides nice. So smooth.  
Now I just need to get it into town for some cruising. Out where I live there are no good roads for a bicycle to safely ride on, mostly twisty narrow highways. Hope to get it into Portland sometime this weekend.
Work in progress ride. 

Still needs some more cleaning. And is missing a rear spoke. All the others are soaking up some PB Blaster to free up the threads in anticipation of an adjustment.


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## ballooman (Sep 21, 2008)

*good idea*

Thats a really great story and you have the right idea clean er up an ride the little details will all come together later whats important is that its all there and rideable now not in a year or so after you do a resto like some of the basket cases Ive re-done . Like big Daddy sez kruze it or loose it!!


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## balloontirecruiser (Sep 21, 2008)

"they are only original once."

Oldhotrod is right; I'm glad you've decided to keep it original.


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## gperigo (Sep 21, 2008)

I think your Shelby is great just the way it is! Give it a thorough cleaning...I'm always amazed at how well these old things spiff up with a little elbow grease ... throw a leg over the top tube and have fun!

And I agree with the poster above: They're only original once. And what a history your bike has!


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## gperigo (Sep 21, 2008)

by the way, what are you going to do with the old goodyear tires? I have an old goodyear bike that I'm trying to find some goodyear rubber for!


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## TeamCF (Sep 22, 2008)

gperigo said:


> by the way, what are you going to do with the old goodyear tires? I have an old goodyear bike that I'm trying to find some goodyear rubber for!





Sent ya a PM reply. 

I'm not sure at this point. Was thinking of keeping them with the bike just not have them be the daily tire.
IF I ever decided to sell it. (proly never happen  ) Would be kinda nice to pass the original tires on to the next owner.

I'll let ya know.


======================

Still have not gotten out to ride it yet.   Only up and down the driveway.
Pretty much rained all day sunday here. And saturday was absorbed by another hobby, lifting and off-roading Subaru's.
Running out of nice weather.

Got more chrome cleaned up. Still have to go get my headlight out of the truck. But it's downtown for repairs.
My wheels Will proly stay real close to how they look already. Tried hitting them with some steel wool and cleaner and they do not appear to have any chrome on them under there. Gonna proly clean them some more and accept non chrome wheels.
Gotta protect parts like the top bracket on the springer forks. Most of it the chrome has peeled right off.  It's coming along though.

Looks like batteries were left to explode at one point in the tail light (which I don't have) and the headlight. There are eaten, bubbled drip marks in the paint out from under where they mount. Nothing too serious though. Cleaned up enough you hardly notice from a distance.

Glad the decision was made to keep it original.  

I'll post more pics after a few more cleanings and I have the headlight on.


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## TeamCF (Jun 24, 2010)

Not a huge update but I have been getting it ready to ride for the summer (which just this week has finally hit the PDX area) And got the headlight back on it and such.
Cleaned out and repacked the coaster hub. Ect. Even found some old dice valve caps in the toolbox. Though they would be better in black or maybe red. hehe






Hope to get a ride or two in this weekend. Might even throw it on the rack and run down into Sandy or Gresham  tonight for a ride. (the roads around me are asking for death to ride on. No shoulder, blind corners, 55mph limit)
Would really like to find a 3spd rear wheel for it to make cruising around the hills of Portland a bit easier. Thought of getting a hub and replacing it into the current wheel but kinda want to leave that alone.
Might just pick up a slightly smaller front sprocket (and new chain so I don't have to shorten the original one) for the time being.

I like it as original as possible. But also want it to be fully ride-able where I live.  A few small tweaks for hilly terrain with the original parts safely stored at home I think is reasonable.
I've been off riding bikes daily for several years so I don't have the big as tree stump legs I used to have.....


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## higgens (Jun 24, 2010)

Go back to the garage and rip it apart till you find the rest of the tank. Cool bike


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## TeamCF (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks! 
That garage was completely emptied and a new concrete floor was poured in. The other half was never found.
The tail light wasn't located either.
I still enjoy it though!
Had a decent little ride on it this evening.


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## chriscokid (Jun 25, 2010)

great looking bike


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## TeamCF (Jun 25, 2010)

Thanks! 
It's a bit rougher in person. But I love it. A bunch of nice folks around here convinced me to just clean it up a bit and ride it.
Couldn't be happier. 

Has a few rough spots to smooth out, couple rattles and such. But it rides really nice for just a clean and regrease.

The best part is the double takes I get when I got bombin' on by someone on it.


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## JLarkin (Jun 26, 2010)

Check your local goodwills.  I have found plenty of parts bikes there.  Here is one local to me for $10 with a 3-speed coaster wheels.  Heck if you bid it and buy it I'll help pack the wheel and whatever else you want to ship to you if you want.  

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=6363719


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