# Prewar Speedking Roadmaster back from the dead!



## slick (Feb 24, 2012)

I bought this bike a few months back off a fellow member here who discovered it. Chris (scrubbinrims) also has one that is exactly the same. These are the only 2 I have seen with this paint scheme wearing the Speedking badge, so if anyone knows any info please chime in. I believe it is a 1941. I started off by straightening the rear rack where some big boy must have hitched a ride back in the day? I put it in my shop press and slowly worked out the crater using a few blocks of wood wrapped in rags without disturbing all that gorgeous original paint. I decided to lightly buff the whole bike out piece by piece. It takes awhile but look at the results! Next I had my buddy Mike at Klassic Cycles true both rims because there is nothing I hate more than a wobbly rim! Cleaned all the chrome with 000 steel wool, degreased the chain to find a darn near NOS Diamond chain under all that grease! I put whitewall lightning darts on the bike since the blackwalls that came on the bike were non existant  when I got it. I know they are too new of a tire but the whitewall makes the paint "pop" more and they were all I hade in vintage ww's. I rebuilt both hubs and the BB so I won't have any issues there. The bike was also missing a headlight so I aquired one here from luckykat32. It was red spray bombed so I stripped it lightly with Tulane to find the great OG white paint underneath. Mr. Catfish sold me the reflector housing for the light. So now I just need a Big Delta horn button for the tank and a dropstand and clip (HINT HINT GUYS) and the bike will be complete! So thanks to all my fellow Cabe friends who helped bring her back from the dead! Here's the before and after pictures. Enjoy!


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## Dave K (Feb 24, 2012)

Looks killer!!!!!!


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## Larmo63 (Feb 24, 2012)

That thing is solido!! I like the vibe, too....

check your pm......


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## 1959firearrow (Feb 25, 2012)

I know this word is thrown around too much but that is what true patina is right there, gracefully aged and little or no rust. Beautiful bike and the before and after is just stunning to look at very rare specimen indeed. It's in good hands.


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## jd56 (Feb 25, 2012)

Great job, dang I love that rear rack reflector.
Wonder if Chris's twin looks that good? Knowing Chris, it does. 

Awesome look with the whitewalls!


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## Flat Tire (Feb 25, 2012)

wow! That came out nice!


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## then8j (Feb 25, 2012)

There is a load of work into removing a layer of neglect off of a bike like that, thanks for being true to the bike! I know there is a huge opinion gap between restore vs clean up..... You have chosen well this bike looks beautiful with its history in tact


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## Barkeep (Feb 25, 2012)

Absolutely beautiful bicycle. Great job on the laborious clean up, those white pinstriped black rims completely do it for me.


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## partsguy (Feb 25, 2012)

This reminds me of a bike I did the same kind of job on:





Same colors too!

Great job!


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## scrubbinrims (Feb 25, 2012)

Chris,
Glad you got the bike...in our correspondence I really know you had wanted mine I obtained from ebay from a BIN/best offer (legitimately) and I was surprised another one had turned up because in my research I only found a red one in a past Copake auction (same model), but that was it.
Since mine from central PA and yours just a few hours north in NY, probably was a regional CWC contracted piece, maybe just for 1941.
I could not find any retailers known as "Speed King" and the only clue was the Firestone Champion tires which probably are replacement anyway...now my bicycle has BF Goodrich w/w Silvertowns, but with Carlisle a PA company, your's are probably more approximate.
My bicycle did not come with a dropstand or even remnants for a clip, so I believe you needn't add a dropstand unless you prefer it that way.
Also, mine has a smooth EA light, but the ribbed has more interest.
Nice job on the rack straightening and it looks great...it is twin as to condition with mine, congratulations!
Chris


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## slick (Feb 25, 2012)

Chris, yours has a different style rack right? Does your have the same raised knuckle front fork? Probably the wrong term for it but it has 2 raised bumps on top of each side. It is very kool that we have the only 2 known to exist besides that red one. Somebody posted up a picture of it awhile back when I had a thread going asking what tires I should throw on mine. Phil posted up that the bike would have had U.S. Royal Chain treads originally. Thanks again Chris for turning me on to this one. I'm very grateful. 

I'm not sure if it is supposed to have a dropstand or not? I just figured since it had the ears on the frame it would have? It does have the 2 holes for the clip on the rear fender though? 

Thanks for all the great comments guys! As you can see I do LOVE original paint bikes! Restored is beautiful also but there's just a good feeling about polishing up some original paint from 1941 and it looking this good! Quite amazing actually.


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## antque (Feb 25, 2012)

Great job on the bike, I had a feeling when i bought it it would look great done, but you wanted more than i did and i'm glad you did such a great job on it. Just for your info that bike came from near the NY PA border,


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## slick (Feb 25, 2012)

Thanks for selling it to me. It is my favorite bike at this point. It lives in a carpeted bedroom with the other 38+ biikes that I own. I'm taking it to Long Beach next weekend for the Cyclone Coaster ride so it will definately get some miles put on it!


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## frankster41 (Feb 25, 2012)

*Another Speedking*

I have recently picked up a Speed King bike, I will dig it out and take pic's of it. It has been repainted, tank missing, a Bendix 2 speed rear hub added, and it has a rear stand and clip. And the bars have been changed. Its in WI. Pic's in a couple days. frankster41


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## markivpedalpusher (Feb 25, 2012)

You did a great job love the before and after pics!!!


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## old hotrod (Feb 25, 2012)

slick said:


> Thanks for selling it to me. It is my favorite bike at this point. It lives in a carpeted bedroom with the other 38+ biikes that I own. I'm taking it to Long Beach next weekend for the Cyclone Coaster ride so it will definately get some miles put on it!




You will have to wear a "hi, my name is Chris" nametag since you won't be riding a Shelby...next you'll be sporting a Schwinn like Scott...


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## slick (Feb 25, 2012)

I could bring my 2 tone green B-6 so there will be another schwinn to add to the triple digit count that will be there. LOL!!!!! Figured I would bring something with original paint that I havn't brought before. Karla will be riding the Speedking. I will be riding my Monark Firestone Super Cruiser. It's black and orange OG paint. It's in my album "new additions".


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## Larmo63 (Feb 25, 2012)

Lotsa cross dressers here. 

Just when you think somebody is a Shelby or Dayton/Huffman fan.........

Sheeeesh


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## Lraybike (Feb 26, 2012)

*I think I have the cousin to your Speed king?*

Your bike is closely related to my Fleetwing! Also my Western Flyer is in that pocket.  Great looking bike yours is!


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## Mark Dulabaum (Nov 21, 2020)

I know this is an old post but I just bought this Speed King from a flea market in Florida this weekend


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