# 1947 Huffman La France



## sbusiello (Jul 31, 2013)

I accidentally started a rust-oration thread in the other chat. I didnt realize there was one here.

I picked up a Huffman for about $60 splitting the difference with another bike i bought. I am really just seeing what i can do with it, how the condition is and will try to get it up and running again.

I couldnt find any serial numbers on the bike, i am sure either i dont know where to look or the rust has covered them. Any suggestions?

*Day 1 : taking apart the bike*


----------



## sbusiello (Jul 31, 2013)

*Day 2*

*Day 2 : more dissembly*

took the back tire off, took apart the seat [ cleaned out the decaying leather trapped between the plates ]

i dont have one of those cool bike arm vise things, can anyone reccommend one? i need a third hand and when i asked my wife to hold the bike she walked out of the garage


----------



## Euphman06 (Jul 31, 2013)

Park tools is the standard in bike repair tools however they are (of course) more expensive. There is one on ebay that sells for like $40 but it's an off brand that they claim is better than the rest... Park tools also makes one that mounts right to your work bench that doesn't cost as much as a standard floor model. There is also the school of making your own with wood or thick pvc piping.


----------



## sbusiello (Jul 31, 2013)

Euphman06 said:


> Park tools is the standard in bike repair tools however they are (of course) more expensive. There is one on ebay that sells for like $40 but it's an off brand that they claim is better than the rest... Park tools also makes one that mounts right to your work bench that doesn't cost as much as a standard floor model. There is also the school of making your own with wood or thick pvc piping.




Thanks Euphman06. Ill check it out. If i build one more contraption my wife is going to make her "Steve to do" list even longer.


----------



## sbusiello (Aug 2, 2013)

*vinegar*

i gave the seat a soak for about 24 hours in slightly diluted vinegar and the rest on the top is NOT budging! th spring however is almost completely derusted. i went to Lowes and bought a $3 wire head for the drill. **awesome**

i also derusted the hawthorne seat which was complete rust, but not to the bone like the la france...

below is the spring and the frenchy seat and up above is how the spring started


----------



## sbusiello (Aug 5, 2013)

*progress*

Managed to get the front fender off. I actually couldnt undo the nut/bolt, but the slit in the fender was wide nough for me to shift, angle and slide off the fender. I am goign to have to use a larger nut when i reattach and probably a good washer.

cleaned the seat springs, brace nuts/bolts the seat is soaking on and off. the rust is pervasive on the two plates and i am kind of leaning towards leaving it rusty and just recovering it with material. or just adding another seat all together

i did one pass on the handlebars with 0000 and brasso. Is there a better metal cleaner?


----------



## EmmaLee (Aug 17, 2013)

Very difficult to save that! If you pull it off that will be a miracle.


----------



## sbusiello (Sep 5, 2013)

Emma is that a challenge???


----------

