# My Rollfast project - Completed



## Ernbar (Nov 1, 2020)

Picked up this 46 Rolfast in original untouched condition. The tires are US Royal Chain and look to be in new condition. Unfortunately the front tire has a partial tear on the sidewall. I took the bike apart and used 0000 steel wool and WD 40 to clean 74 years of gunk.




The paint was dark almost burgundy on some areas  but the paint cleaned up and the red color came back after the steel wool and WD40 rubbing.












I applied some blo and wiped off most of it leaving a thin satin coating which revived the paint. The blo was dry by morning the next day.
The Torrington pedals were taken apart and soaked in Evaporust for a couple of days. They cleaned up very well and will use Flitz to polish them up.




The Diamond skiptooth chain had a ton of gunky thick dirty grease so I soaked it kerosene for 3 days and cleaned up really good.




The bearings in the headset and lower bracket look to be in great shape after cleaning with kerosene.



The stand had rust and gunk but cleaned up ok.




I couldn’t clean the headbadge any more without disturbing the paint on the lettering so I stopped here.




The chain cover has the most chipping and wear


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## catfish (Nov 1, 2020)

Nice


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## OZ1972 (Nov 2, 2020)

Going to turn out great  nice work !!!!


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## Ernbar (Nov 2, 2020)

The grips had about a 1” tear and used a bumper repair epoxy product that bonds rubber and is black so it blends in perfectly.


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## Ernbar (Nov 2, 2020)

The fork was a very dark red/brown and did not clean up to show any red or white diamonds so it appears to have been primer on a replaced fork many moons ago judging from the crud the steel wool and WD 40 removed. I decided to match the paint and diamonds then the paint was weathered to match the fenders. The red color match looks to be identical so I’m happy with the results.
Before




After


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## JLF (Nov 2, 2020)

Great clean up!  Nice bike!


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## Hammerhead (Nov 6, 2020)

Great work. Coming along nicely. 
Hammerhead


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## Ernbar (Nov 6, 2020)

I got around to do some more work on my project today. It’s simply amazing how well the plated chain ring and pedal arms look after cleaning and polishing with Flitz.








I re greased all the bearings and assembled things . I also replaced the original tires with a cream and clay color set, The US Royal Chains are good for display or show bikes. Unfortunately one has a damaged sidewall so I wouldn’t ride on it. I might be able to use the same material I used to repair the grips to bond the sidewall and make it more presentable.
I have it almost done



The New Departure D coaster is working very smoothly but will eventually want to break it down to clean and re grease. The front hub was in very good shape too but I did clean it up and re packed the bearings.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Nov 6, 2020)

that's a nice looking bike you have there.


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## Ernbar (Nov 6, 2020)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> that's a nice looking bike you have there.



Thanks ! She’s coming along. I also need to clean up the Troxel oil cloth seat.


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## Ernbar (Nov 7, 2020)

She’s done and had her first short ride around the hood. Smooth rider too.


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## Frank and Pam Skid Kings (Nov 7, 2020)

Successful cleanup on that one...very nice!


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## Nashman (Nov 7, 2020)

REALLY NICE. GREAT JOB...Cool ride!!


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## Ernbar (Nov 8, 2020)

Thanks for all your comments.

Forgot to mention  that I want to add the correct truss rods for it so please let me know if you have a set for sale.


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## razinhellcustomz (Nov 14, 2020)

Ernbar said:


> The grips had about a 1” tear and used a bumper repair epoxy product that bonds rubber and is black so it blends in perfectly.
> 
> View attachment 1295293
> 
> View attachment 1295294



That's a good idea on the epoxy for the grips. I'll have to try that on some of my old split grips. One beautiful Rollfast bike. Enjoy your new ride. Razin.


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## razinhellcustomz (Nov 14, 2020)

Ernbar said:


> She’s done and had her first short ride around the hood. Smooth rider too. View attachment 1297594
> View attachment 1297596
> 
> View attachment 1297595



Really love the red brick white walls. They really POP on this really cool Rollfast. Razin.


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## srfndoc (Nov 14, 2020)

Amazing preservation, nice job!

I recently did the wd40/steel wool thing on some OG paint fenders/chainguard with good results as well.  I left mine with more patina to match my non-shiny bike but the process works well.


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## OZ1972 (Nov 15, 2020)

Another piece of bicycle history saved , very nice job !!!!!!!


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## rollfaster (Nov 15, 2020)

Great work in this revival, your rewards pay off huge!!


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## John D. Williams (Nov 15, 2020)

Awesome work (from another amateur restorer)! Nice work on the front fork. If it was me, I would mask around the rear fender reflector and lightly spray white to cover the scratching; this can be blended in. And I've restored headbadges by cleaning and then using sharpies to detail the paint; I think they make burgundy. Anyway, the bike looks great!


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## John D. Williams (Nov 15, 2020)

Actually, I take it back about the headbadge-- too intricate to mess with.


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## Ernbar (Nov 15, 2020)

John D. Williams said:


> Awesome work (from another amateur restorer)! Nice work on the front fork. If it was me, I would mask around the rear fender reflector and lightly spray white to cover the scratching; this can be blended in. And I've restored headbadges by cleaning and then using sharpies to detail the paint; I think they make burgundy. Anyway, the bike looks great!



Thanks John for your input, really appreciated. I think the scratches and dings tell a story and add character so I decided to leave them. The steel wool and WD40 removed years of crud and oxidation and the light wiping with boiled linseed oil returned life and sheen to the paint.


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## Ernbar (Nov 20, 2020)

Now I can call it really complete. I located the truss rods and rear fender decal from fellow cabers szhthmarig and sm2501 so thanks to both. It’s a shame the original fender decal was a good 98% gone, just showing a hint of the bottom corner.


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## JimRoy (Nov 27, 2020)

Nice work.  Love it.


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## 1817cent (Nov 27, 2020)

Great job on a very, very nice bicycle!


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## Bike from the Dead (Nov 27, 2020)

That Rollfast is looking good once more! Great job!


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## PLERR (Nov 29, 2020)

That's really outstanding. A wonderful bike and I agree that the tires really set it apart. I never would have guessed that you could use steel wool on paint. I'm assuming a light touch and patience? I find the linseed oil really interesting. Does it leave a coating on the paint? Does it fill in fine scratches the way a polishing compound would? Is it something that needs to be reapplied from time to time? Does it rub off on hands or clothes? Sorry for peppering you with questions, but it's a solution that I can really relate to. The sheen on the paint in that last pic is really eye catching.


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## Ernbar (Nov 29, 2020)

PLERR said:


> That's really outstanding. A wonderful bike and I agree that the tires really set it apart. I never would have guessed that you could use steel wool on paint. I'm assuming a light touch and patience? I find the linseed oil really interesting. Does it leave a coating on the paint? Does it fill in fine scratches the way a polishing compound would? Is it something that needs to be reapplied from time to time? Does it rub off on hands or clothes? Sorry for peppering you with questions, but it's a solution that I can really relate to. The sheen on the paint in that last pic is really eye catching.




Thanks for the positive comments. Like you I was surprised when another member suggested steel wool and WD40 for cleaning up the paint. Yes a light touch and nice and easy as the wool will polish things smooth and the WD40 helps in removing the gunk and surface rust. I would not use it over decals cuz the steel wool may damage them but not painted pin stripes.
The blo is wiped on liberally then using a clean rag remove most of it by wiping till you get the desired effect. It dries in a day or two and leaves a protective clear film. As far as re application, I don’t see a need if the bike is kept indoors.
A word of caution when disposing of rags used to apply blo, they may ignite the cloth as the blo dries and generates heat so it’s best to soak them in a water bucket or burn them. I use an old coffee can to place the small rag pieces to be burned. Better safe than sorry.


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## GTs58 (Nov 29, 2020)

Very nice resurrection! You are the third member that I know of (not counting myself) that's not against doing a BLO coating. All the nahsayers think it comes out looking to oily. LOL  Great job Ernbar.


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## Ernbar (Nov 29, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> Very nice resurrection! You are the third member that I know of (not counting myself) that's not against doing a BLO coating. All the nahsayers think it comes out looking to oily. LOL  Great job Ernbar.



Thanks GT. I really like how the blo brings back the paint and how it protects both plated and painted metal. Leaving a very light coat on doesn’t make it look oily or too shiny, less is more.


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