# would you dip this 1947-8 B-6 in Oxalic Acid or just leave it?



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 23, 2022)

I have had this for a little over a year now. first pic is when I got it. it is a bit more together now with proper vintage tires, tank (red tank on a maroon bike) and the chainguard back on. all I did was clean and grease everything, rebuild the forebrake as well as the coaster out back, and evaporust the chain and chrome. rides as it should. 

not sure what I want to do. Maroon B-6 is my favorite bike, but this crusty old dude speaks to me in this condition. 

dip it or leave it alone?? what would you do?


----------



## Junkman Bob (Aug 23, 2022)

Coin flip


----------



## kreika (Aug 23, 2022)

Lookin good as is but I’m partial to patina. I say leave er be.


----------



## Kickstand3 (Aug 23, 2022)

Leave it


----------



## 1817cent (Aug 23, 2022)

Leave it...


----------



## Jaxon (Aug 23, 2022)

You cant buy rust! Leave it and buy a minty one to put next to it.


----------



## all riders (Aug 23, 2022)

As has been stated by many others and, as experienced by me, oxalic can be kinda hard on reds--turning them light pink.


----------



## gkeep (Aug 23, 2022)

I'd suggest leave it, and I'd suggest you leave it in the vicinity of my driveway! 😂 The salt air here will even out that rust in no time!


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 23, 2022)

bike is actually maroon. only the tank I currently have for it is red. I also am of the belief that the dreaded red destruction is candy red with the silver base, as I have experienced that myself on a candy bike that was worth less than the kiddie pool and OA I bought to try it. took the red and left the silver base. Imma call it a Huffy because if it is 60's and not obviously something else it may as well be a Huffy. 

a candy Schwinn frame survived in the same mix, but the fenders did not fare as well. frames have better paint than the bolt-ons.


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 23, 2022)

gkeep said:


> I'd suggest leave it, and I'd suggest you leave it in the vicinity of my driveway! 😂 The salt air here will even out that rust in no time!



 they should have passed a law in Alameda in the 70's stating "NO LONG-TERM STORAGE OF BICYCLES IN DIRT FLOOR BASEMENTS"

remember this one? 45 years in an Alameda basement. she even told me the story of when her grandfather last rode it in 1976.


----------



## buickmike (Aug 23, 2022)

I would say redo the whole thing. It sounds like the tank is in better shape+ i believe you're qualified to bring it to a righteous state.  There are plenty of rusty bikes around already to look at.


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 23, 2022)

look at those pinstripes. just took these a bit ago.


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 23, 2022)

I bought a kiddie pool and OA to do this bike several weeks back but did a couple crummy bikes just to see what would happen. 

yeah, I think I am going to leave this one alone.   good thing I am not one of those high energy people who make a plan, get up early and get things done.

there seems to be a lot of paint on this thing, I bet the paint would have come out real nice.

this was a donation to the Marin Bicycle Museum in Fairfax. I got it at the swap meet. Joe Breeze himself took my money.


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 23, 2022)

I do have the pedals somewhere. I need a tank that matches this bike now


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Aug 23, 2022)

Like have always said everyone needs a crusty patina rider in their collection....it's a survivor so long as you don't leave it outside in the rain ....I think it looks 😎


----------



## keithsbikes (Aug 28, 2022)

Leave!


----------



## tacochris (Aug 29, 2022)

I think considering the bangin look this bike has (one of my favorites), and the advanced state of said patina...I would leave it mainly because its look has almost become its best character trait.  
When I see that bike, even if I dont see your name I always know its yours.


----------



## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Aug 29, 2022)

I say leave it alone it has earned its scars. I'm tired of seeing pristine re painted 80 year old bikes it makes no sense. It reminds me of what happens to people who get a bunch of plastic surgery and they just are difficult to appreciate because that is not the way things should look. Sly Stallone is a perfect example, it just does not look right.


----------



## Misterclassic (Aug 29, 2022)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> look at those pinstripes. just took these a bit ago.
> 
> View attachment 1684655
> 
> ...



I’d vote leave it. It’s only original once.


----------



## tacochris (Aug 29, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> I say leave it alone it has earned its scars. I'm tired of seeing pristine re painted 80 year old bikes it makes no sense. It reminds me of what happens to people who get a bunch of plastic surgery and they just are difficult to appreciate because that is not the way things should look. Sly Stallone is a perfect example, it just does not look right.



I just imagine God sitting back with his legs up, sipping tea, watching you turn yourself into a plastic lizard person and chuckling.


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 29, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> I say leave it alone it has earned its scars. I'm tired of seeing pristine re painted 80 year old bikes it makes no sense.




I have no plans on painting it. I have 2 other B-6's with no original paint left. probably paint one or both of those.


----------



## DrRumack80 (Aug 29, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> Sly Stallone is a perfect example, it just does not look right.



Yo!


----------



## DrRumack80 (Aug 29, 2022)

Misterclassic said:


> I’d vote leave it. It’s only original once.



Same here.  Unless a restoration is well-documented, how does a future buyer know if it was a bike that has been together for 80 years vs something built out of spares? Restorations can hide repop parts too.  Just my 2 cents


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 29, 2022)

the bike will never be "restored" while in my possession. the plan was to just bring it back to its possible best with all its flaws.. like I did to my 50 Traveler.


----------



## A.S.BOLTNUT (Aug 29, 2022)

I don't know man...I've had bad experiences with acid mann.....not a good idea mon...

Rafael


----------



## COB (Aug 30, 2022)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I have had this for a little over a year now. first pic is when I got it. it is a bit more together now with proper vintage tires, tank (red tank on a maroon bike) and the chainguard back on. all I did was clean and grease everything, rebuild the forebrake as well as the coaster out back, and evaporust the chain and chrome. rides as it should.
> 
> not sure what I want to do. Maroon B-6 is my favorite bike, but this crusty old dude speaks to me in this condition.
> 
> ...



If it "speaks to me", I would listen.


----------

