# I Relocated And Bought Back My1940s Hawthorne Comet



## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

When I was a kid, I was very much into antiques. With help from my mother, I purchased a 1941 Hawthorne Comet bicycle for $300 at a garage sale. When I got it home, I gave it a quick cleaning, and opened up the tank. I took out some batteries that looked as old as the bike, and put in 4 new D-cell batteries. The headlight was ruined, so I put one on that I had laying around. I had to replace the original war surplus tubes because the valves were ripped off, and they were full of beetles. The wheels wouldn't turn, nor would the pedals or chain, so I sprayed them with WD40. It was really rusty, but I still rode it a lot. 








I painted this picture for art class. I loved my bike!




After a year of riding, the New Departure coaster brake started slipping. The rear wheel wouldn't move when pedaling, and the brakes became ineffective. I used to lay in bed at night imagining someday restoring it piece by piece. But, in reality, I knew I wasn't able to restore it, so I sold it to Dave Stromberger of Nostalgic.net in 1997. Here it is at his place:










I sure did miss that bike, and for the next three years, I had no idea of its whereabouts. I assumed that I would never see it again.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

One day I went to Nostalgic.net because I hadn't been there for some time, and I noticed there was a new thing called "Bike of the Month." I was excited to see a 1941 Hawthorne Comet that looked just like the one I used to have--only this one was restored. I thought, "Could it be...?" I clicked on it, saw the before pictures, and instantly recognized that it was indeed my old Hawthorne! I was so happy. I thought I would never see it again, and there it was; restored to better-than-new condition.













Here are pictures of it during the restoration process:










It was restored exactly the way that I wanted to do it; just the way I imagined it in my mind. At some point the Hawthorne was in the possession of Craig Morrow of Bicycle Heaven.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

I liked that Hawthorne so much what when I saw another one for sale (only a few months after selling the last one), I had to have it. This one had original maroon paint, and even the original Wards Riverside Mate tires that still held air. I worked the summer at the airport and saved up $600 to buy it. My friends thought I was crazy to spend so much money on an old bicycle. I got it from Zack Sudderth (dlxjaguar) at Musclebike.com/Second Time Around Bicycles in 1998. As pictured, it did not have a seat, and the handlebars were from a different bicycle. The tank was not in the box when the bicycle arrived, but Zack got it to me a week or two later.

Here are pictures of it from the website from which I bought it:



















I installed a larger set of handlebars and bought a seat from Jerry Peters of Chestnut Hollow, through the mail-order catalog. I also installed a vintage license plate, which was an antique store purchase. I cherished the bicycle and put many miles on it every day. I didn't let anyone ride it, but once I made an exception. I let my friend ride it, and he immediately rode it through a puddle. I yelled at him to get off! I installed a working horn, and my father helped me get the headlight to work. It was VERY bright! I remember riding it in the Swiss Days bicycle parade in Midway, Utah. I had so much pride in it. I would also ride it to church and park it next to a 1950s Murray Strato Line that the original owner still had from his childhood (he showed me a picture of it when it was new, and he had his baseball uniform on, in front of a barn where he still worked).

The maroon one was by far the most favorite bicycle I've owned, but when I was 14, I spotted a 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 limousine in someone's back yard, and wanted to drive it when I turned 16 (I already had a 1923 Model T Ford that the farmer next door gave me, but it was far from being drivable). So, I asked about buying it, and the old lady at the door said I could take it and all of the other cars on the property for free. Then an old gentleman came to the door and said, "No, no, she is just joking. I think I would take $2,000 for it." I told him that I had an old bicycle that was probably worth about $1,200, so I would sell it to try to come up with the money, but the man accepted the Hawthorne Comet as a trade. The man owned a gas station, a Buick Dealership that had been in the family since 1909, a towing company, and a motel. He wanted the bicycle for the front window of the Buick dealership, which was now full of vintage cars and memorabilia from the 1930s and 1940s. So, I got the Cadillac, and he got the Hawthorne. (I still have the jacket that I'm wearing in the pictures.)













My father wasn't too happy about the Cadillac, and ultimately talked me into selling it, saying it would never run without a full engine rebuild. The person who bought the Cadillac put a battery in it and drove it away. The power divider window still worked, and the rear seat still had the plastic over it. As for the Hawthorne, the last I knew it was still in the window of that dealership, but the owner passed away in 2004 and it looked like the place was boarded up for a while and then renovated (with tinted windows, so I couldn't see inside on Google Maps). I'd been wanting to see the bicycle again and hopefully someday buy it back because it has great sentimental value.

The bicycle was in Utah, and I moved to Washington, and then to Arizona. But, I didn't know if it was still around or if I could afford to buy it back. That's the one bicycle I wish I still had. That and an MTD Hi-Lo collapsible bicycle with 16" wheels that I never should have sold. I had many, many bicycles in my younger years. They have come and gone, but the maroon Hawthorne tugged at my heart strings.


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## Evans200 (Mar 5, 2015)

That's a great story. We should all be so lucky. Congrats!


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

When I grew up and had to live on my own, I struggled and ended up having to sell every bicycle and part I had. The only exception was the bicycle my mother had as a child; an early 1960s lightweight Western Flyer that oddly enough had a tank and rack as a balloon-tired bicycle would. I saved up some money once I had stable work, and was able to buy a new Schwinn Cruiser 3. It got stolen. So then I bought another one and still have it. I got a CDL and now have a job as a Truck Driver. So now I at least earn a living wage. 

I was still thinking about that maroon Hawthorne, and how much I regretted letting it go. I had seen very few that were anything like it. Recently, there was one similar, but without the springer fork for sale on eBay:




I was ready to bid on it, but decided to look up the phone number for the family of the deceased owner of the maroon Hawthorne. The bicycle was now in possession of the son. He said that he still had it. I asked him if he would sell it back to me, and he said, "Probably not." I told him that the bicycle had a lot of sentimental value, and it would mean a lot to me to have it back. I offered him $600, which was what I paid for it, and said that I was willing to drive to Coalville, Utah from Phoenix, Arizona to pick it up. He said that he would think about it over the weekend, and would call me back on Monday (which was right before the auction for the one on eBay would end).

I had butterflies in my stomach all weekend. He didn't call back on Monday, so I called him. He said that right after he talked to me on Friday, he forgot all about it, but needed another couple days to think about it. I sat down that evening, watching the auction for the one on eBay. I sat there depressed as I saw the minutes counting down. Then, out of the blue, the guy with my old bicycle called me back and said he talked it over with his wife, and she said that if I was willing to drive all the way out there from Phoenix, that I must really want it. He said I could have it back for the $600. I was SO excited! I told him that I would be there on Thursday.

On Thursday morning at 3 AM, I drove my biodiesel-powered Mercedes-Benz up to Utah, getting there in the early afternoon (11 hour drive).




I met the man who had my old Hawthorne. He told me that it was in the front window of the Buick Dealership for a couple years, and he was constantly turning down offers to buy it. Then his father passed away, and the entire contents of the dealership (containing many new old stock parts back as far as the teens) were sold to some guys in Tennessee for $2,000. The buyers asked the man how much he wanted for the Hawthorne. He said it wasn't for sale. Then they argued that it was included in the sale, and they said they were taking it. So, at midnight the man snuck in through the back door and took the bicycle and hid it away. Later, he got a call from a lady who worked for the company that bought the dealership, asking where the bicycle was. He told her that her guys must have taken it. So, he saved the bicycle for me! He said that I am the only person to whom he would ever sell it, but if I had called a year earlier, he would have told me no.  I told him that I was very grateful.

I paid him the $600 and gave him an extra $20, saying dinner was on me. Then I took off the handlebars and fork and put it in the trunk of my car. I slept for a few hours and then left at 3 AM Friday morning so I could be at work Saturday at 1 AM.




I am extremely happy to have my favorite bicycle back after 17 years. I feel very fortunate that it worked out.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

Here are pictures of it, just like I remember it. Somehow the pedals got stripped out. I plan to detail and preserve the original paint and use it as a rider. Some incorrect parts will be replaced, and I would like to install a New Departure WD front brake and DD 2-speed.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

It still even has my wing-nut that I used to install the tank.


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## vincev (Mar 5, 2015)

Great story.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 5, 2015)

Isn't it beautiful?

























I am going to love and cherish the Hawthorne for the rest of my life and will never sell it. Once I refurbish it, I am going to ride it a lot and enjoy it.


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## silvertonguedevil (Mar 5, 2015)

Cool bike. Wanna sell it?


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## GTs58 (Mar 5, 2015)

Amazing story for sure. And welcome to the Valley of the Sun!


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## Alienbaby17 (Mar 5, 2015)

Funny, I have the exact same bike (minus the springer fork). I bought mine at a garage sale last summer. I didn't even have to put air in the tires and I rode it that day.

Since then I have installed correct grips, seat and put the original rack back on.







I think they're great bikes!


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## Balloonatic (Mar 5, 2015)

*Relics from our youth...*

Nice story, thanks for sharing. I have to say one of my favorite parts of the story is the painting you did of the yellow bike for art class... that put a smile on my face.

The very first balloon tire bike I ever bought was a pieced together AMF Hiawatha with mismatched parts, but the very first bike I ever _restore_d was a Hawthorne just like yours. I did it in maroon and cream and it came out so nicely, a guy I met saw it and offered me REAL money for it, so I sold it to him and used the funds to restored my Hiawatha. The guy who bought my Hawthorne turned out to be a lifelong friend and we worked together for 30 years restoring antique carousels. He became one of the premier restorers and experts of carousels in the country. 

And yes, I still have the Hiawatha... it had the wrong tank and was pieced together so I did a "hot-dog" custom restoration on it. I will post photos of it here someday soon. Most of the bikes in my collection today are correct, original bikes, but I kept this one as it's the first bike I did for myself and rode it in numerous parades and for fun for many, many years. It's over restored and funky, but it's a relic from my youth. 

Cheers to those relics from our youth!

Congrats on tracking down your old bike!


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## theyankeedoodler (Mar 5, 2015)

Reunited! Awesome!


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 5, 2015)

I'm really glad you got your bike back, sad you didn't buy mine, and hoping by "refurbish" you mean clean and lube, please do not restore that bike, it's great the way it is.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 6, 2015)

Alienbaby17, your bike does look like mine. They had many really neat designs, but the Hawthorne Comet/Western Flyer equivalent is still a favorite. 

Nice story, Balloonatic. I'd love to see that Hawthorne you restored. And the Hiawatha.

37fleetwood, I thought really hard about buying your bike. It was my backup plan. My plan for the Hawthorne is to find some close-matching spray paint at the dollar store here (because it's cheap) and paint over the original paint, using the original graphics as a guide. I used a similar method to restore this really old painting I had, with pretty good results:




I'm just kidding! I plan to very carefully sand down any heavy rust and brush down a water-based rust converter on the rust areas and bare metal, wiping it off before it dries. This will turn the rust and bare metal black. Or, I may just soak the painted parts in Evaporust, carefully monitoring the paint. Once I have completed either of those steps, I plan to very lightly and carefully polish the paint with a product like Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish, avoiding the pinstripes. Then I will wax it.

The plated parts will be soaked in Evaporust and then polished and waxed. I may wipe silver paint over the parts so it fills in the pits and flaked areas, then wiping the paint off of the plating. The rubber parts will be cleaned and treated with 303 Aerospace Protectant. The bearings will be repacked with fresh grease, probably the synthetic Teflon stuff made for bicycles.

I want to preserve the original finish as much as possible, while also removing rust and bringing back the color and shine. I much prefer a bicycle with original paint and some flaws over one that's been repainted and done to less than factory standards.


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 6, 2015)

look through the site before you make any decisions about how to proceed. there are lots of posts about cleaning and rust removal. do a search for oxalic acid, you'll be amazed at some of the results.


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## John (Mar 6, 2015)

I like the part
“it would never run without a full engine rebuild. The person who bought the Cadillac put a battery in it and drove it away”
Damn parents always knew what was best….. ohh yeah… I am a parent now. I better remember this when I am thinking what’s best for my kids.


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 6, 2015)

John said:


> I like the part
> “it would never run without a full engine rebuild. The person who bought the Cadillac put a battery in it and drove it away”
> Damn parents always knew what was best….. ohh yeah… I am a parent now. I better remember this when I am thinking what’s best for my kids.




when I was 15 my Dad made me pass on a 55 Chevy 210 2dr sedan with a 409 and a T-10 4 speed for $400!


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## randallace (Mar 6, 2015)

Great story - I have the Shelby my grandmother taught me to ride a bicycle on - I will never part with it --


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 9, 2015)

silvertonguedevil said:


> Cool bike. Wanna sell it?



I wouldn't sell my bike for all the money in the world. Not for a hundred billion, million, TRILLION dollars!


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## rustjunkie (Mar 9, 2015)

Squiggle Dog said:


> I plan to very carefully sand down any heavy rust and brush down a water-based rust converter on the rust areas and bare metal, wiping it off before it dries. This will turn the rust and bare metal black. I much prefer a bicycle with original paint and some flaws over one that's been repainted and done to less than factory standards.




Just as an fyi: I've used rust-converters that turn metal/rust black (Loctite Extend), inside the tubes and on the frame. Seems inside the tubing is a good idea, but I didn't care for it on the frame: visually it stood out against the paint because of the color and thickness it added.
I've been using patina solutions from SculptNouveau with good results, then waxing to seal.
Here's a couple shots of the Deep Brown solution applied to some shiny sanding spots on The Green Machine. These will continue to darken until cleaned off. I sometimes use a baking soda solution. 
Sorry for the focus, just couldn't get it right this AM:


















Works on brass too:


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 9, 2015)

Thanks for the tip, rustjunkie. I want to make the bicycle look its best while preserving it.


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## ccmerz (Mar 9, 2015)

These bars are from a 1948 Roadmaster (girls) Does that matter? that I parted sometime late last century.
I suspect this is the type you are needing for your bike along with the stem. If you like them they are yours free, just pay shipping, that's it.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 9, 2015)

The stem is a yes. The handlebars are narrower than what I need. Thanks so much for your generosity!


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## ccmerz (Mar 9, 2015)

Done....


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 19, 2015)

One feature that my first Hawthorne had that I liked was the lighted carrier. I decided I wanted one on this Hawthorne, too. Ccmerz just happened to have one in maroon. In person, it appears to be a perfect color match (it looks a little off in the photos due to lighting and oxidization of the paint on my bicycle). I'm really excited about it. 







This is one actually from a women's bicycle since it has the light switch on the side (the men's bicycles had 2 extra batteries and a light switch in the tank). But, this works in my favor since my postwar bicycle doesn't have a light switch in the tank.







This carrier doesn't have the lovely curved braces like the original one has, but the braces are the same length, so I can pop out the rivets and swap out the legs.


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 19, 2015)

there are people with rivet presses who might be able to re-rivet your lags, ask around, it will look better than putting screws in it.


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## Squiggle Dog (Mar 19, 2015)

37fleetwood said:


> there are people with rivet presses who might be able to re-rivet your lags, ask around, it will look better than putting screws in it.




The rivets in the postwar carrier legs are hollow, and I think I can compress them from the back, push them out, and then reinsert them and widen them again with a punch. The alternative plan was to use smooth fender brace rivet bolts. But, re-riveting would be nice. I will probably have some spray paint color matched so I can paint the replacement seatstay bracket, rivets, and any other parts that are bare metal and supposed to be painted.


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## Squiggle Dog (Jan 12, 2016)

I rode the Hawthorne tonight. The reason was to make sure that my ankles wouldn't hit the new old stock Wald baskets I installed. The 70-year-oid tires and tubes held up. I still need to go through the bearings--that's why I'm not riding it. But I plan to take it apart and use oxalic acid and polish to make it look its best.


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## Vintage Paintworx (Jan 13, 2016)

Very cool story, thanks for sharing!!


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## jimbo53 (Jan 15, 2016)

Squiggle Dog said:


> I rode the Hawthorne tonight. The reason was to make sure that my ankles wouldn't hit the new old stock Wald baskets I installed. The 70-year-oid tires and tubes held up. I still need to go through the bearings--that's why I'm not riding it. But I plan to take it apart and use oxalic acid and polish to make it look its best.
> 
> View attachment 265090
> View attachment 265091
> ...





I have a red Monark Rocket I'm contemplating a OA dip but have heard that red bikes don't do too well in the OA. Does anyone else have experience soaking red bikes in OA?


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## Squiggle Dog (Jan 17, 2016)

I decided the rust-bucket seat was driving me crazy, so I dipped it in oxalic acid and dyed the vinyl so it was a uniform color. The chrome springs came out surprisingly well. I painted the rest of the parts in gloss black and silver, which came out looking like bright cadmium plating. I just wish the parts weren't so pitted, especially the nose spring (which probably can't ever be chrome plated).


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## Squiggle Dog (Jan 17, 2016)

jimbo53 said:


> I have a red Monark Rocket I'm contemplating a OA dip but have heard that red bikes don't do too well in the OA. Does anyone else have experience soaking red bikes in OA?




Good to know. Though my bicycle is maroon in person, but it could still be a risk as it has red in it.


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## Squiggle Dog (Feb 22, 2016)

Here are some better photos:


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## sleepy (Feb 24, 2016)

Super cool story, thanks for sharing.

That's a beautiful Comet but I really liked that Cadillac!


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## BICYCLE HEAVEN (Apr 8, 2018)

Yes the bike is still at the BICYCLE MUSEUM OF PITTSBURGH   BICYCLE HEAVEN     its a FANTASTIC bike


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## BICYCLE HEAVEN (Apr 8, 2018)

Squiggle Dog said:


> When I was a kid, I was very much into antiques. With help from my mother, I purchased a 1941 Hawthorne Comet bicycle for $300 at a garage sale. When I got it home, I gave it a quick cleaning, and opened up the tank. I took out some batteries that looked as old as the bike, and put in 4 new D-cell batteries. The headlight was ruined, so I put one on that I had laying around. I had to replace the original war surplus tubes because the valves were ripped off, and they were full of beetles. The wheels wouldn't turn, nor would the pedals or chain, so I sprayed them with WD40. It was really rusty, but I still rode it a lot.
> View attachment 200228
> View attachment 200229
> 
> ...



Your bike stands tall at the Bicycle Heaven Museumnin Pittsburgh PA looks just like the day i bought it from Dave Stromberger


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## Roadkill (Apr 8, 2018)

Great story. Love the bike. I've had good luck using Meguires rubbing compound, then polishing compound, then spray wax. Just use caution near any pinstripes. And another Phoenix member too. Cool. Here is the tank on my last bike I used this on.


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## Roadkill (Apr 8, 2018)

Roadkill said:


> Great story. Love the bike. I've had good luck using Meguires rubbing compound, then polishing compound, then spray wax. Just use caution near any pinstripes. And another Phoenix member too. Cool. Here is the tank on my last bike I used this on. View attachment 785160



The bottom one I had already done, and the top has not been done.
Ride on 
Sean


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## PCHiggin (Apr 9, 2018)

Great story,Good for you getting back your bike. I once sold a car and regretted it,thought I'd buy it back if I ever had the chance. Well,after 13 years I saw it advertised for sale. The owner remembered me and how I hated to sell it. (divorce sale)  The wife (new) and I took it for a spin,it was cool but just not the same as before,I passed on the deal and realized I really wouldn't it or any of my old toys back. They were fun @ the time but things change.


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## Squiggle Dog (Apr 15, 2018)

Bicycle Heaven, thanks for the posts! I really hope to visit Pittsburgh and see my old bicycle one of these days. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures. About a year ago I was browsing your website and found my old Hawthorne, so I took a screenshot of it. I ended up working at a video rental store with the daughter of the person from whom I bought it, and I showed her pictures of the restored bicycle. I wanted her father to see it, but it turned out he had passed away from cancer.



 

Roadkill, it's nice to hear from you. I have also had great results using Meguiar's products. I want to also neutralize the rust and protect bare steel. I don't plan to have it out in the rain, but want to preserve the bicycle's original paint and plating as much as I can. I'm hoping to finally get around to taking it apart and detailing it within the next few months if it's not too hot.

PCHiggin, I suppose finally getting to see cherished items from the past can either make you realize how much want them back, or can help let things go as you realize that though you've had good memories with them, they are no longer a good fit. I've had maybe 33 cars and hundreds of bicycles during my lifetime, and while they were all pretty cool, I feel no need to have them back. With regards to this Hawthorne bicycle, I am definitely happy to have it back and will keep it my entire life. Even though it will make a great display item, I intend to ride it lots and make more memories on it once I have it truly rideable. I plan to get an appropriate bicycle rack on my car and take it to Utah to ride through my old neighborhood and go sight-seeing.


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## ayrhead (Apr 18, 2018)

I really enjoyed your story/history.  


Squiggle Dog said:


> I liked that Hawthorne so much what when I saw another one for sale (only a few months after selling the last one), I had to have it. This one had original maroon paint, and even the original Wards Riverside Mate tires that still held air. I worked the summer at the airport and saved up $600 to buy it. My friends thought I was crazy to spend so much money on an old bicycle. I got it from Zack Sudderth (dlxjaguar) at Musclebike.com/Second Time Around Bicycles in 1998. As pictured, it did not have a seat, and the handlebars were from a different bicycle. The tank was not in the box when the bicycle arrived, but Zack got it to me a week or two later.
> 
> Here are pictures of it from the website from which I bought it:
> View attachment 200242
> ...


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