# Huffy Mainliner mini resto



## tifun (Apr 30, 2009)

Not going to do a full resto on this bike. So much of it's great character would be lost. Plans are to clean it up and update some things.

Stg 1 will be a complete disassembled, cleaned, and all bearing replaced with sealed.

Stg 2 will be using my automotive body dolly kit to perform some paintless dent removal around the bell assembly tank thingy or whatever it is called.

Stg 3 will be sandblasting the wheels, bars, stem, cranks and all other original chrome parts and get them replated. 

Stg 4 get headlight fully operational, find missing parts or complete replacement, which ever is easiest/cheapest. 

Stg 5 Enjoy letting my wife ride it on one of our many many bike rides. 




As of right now I am under the impression that this is a 1956 females model. It has 26" wheels an electric bell and an electric headlamp. No generators. Everything seems original. Possibly even the tires. This bike doesn't appear to have been ridden much in it's like as the chain and all other components appear to be OEM. However....this bike is old so without having any knowledge to this I can't really give an educated opinion. 

After this is completed, I will be searching for something similar in a male frame for myself


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## tifun (Apr 30, 2009)




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## 37fleetwood (Apr 30, 2009)

usually the horns can be coaxed to work with a little fiddling with them. start with cleaning the contacts and wire connections. here is a pic from the 1955 Huffy Customliner catalog. I have a 1954 boys Customliner if you're interested later.


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## tifun (Apr 30, 2009)

Is the customliner the older version of the mainliner? I'm kinda bummed it didn't come with whitewalls after seeing that picture haha. It has Sears tires on it right now. Any idea what the OE ones were???? Also I sprayed some contact cleaner in side and worked it a little and it works. I'm pretty shocked how loud it really is lol. Also, when was the year they switched over to just straight "Huffy" verse Huffman. I'm still shocked about the heritage of these bikes and it's hard to think that Huffy's were once really nice bikes to boot.


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## pedal alley (Apr 30, 2009)

why would you want to sandblast, & rechrome 
proper cleaning does wonders.


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## tifun (Apr 30, 2009)

I send stuff out for plating with my job, so blasting and chrome work cost me next to nothing. seems like a good move since it will be a minmal investment.


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## pedal alley (Apr 30, 2009)

tifun said:


> I send stuff out for plating with my job, so blasting and chrome work cost me next to nothing. seems like a good move since it will be a minmal investment.



 if you do the chrome.......
you will need to repaint the bicycle too.
why put fresh chrome w/old paint ?
it looks good like it sits , man.


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## tifun (Apr 30, 2009)

I should maybe introduce myself a little more. I have about 12 bikes total and she has about 6. I've got a variety of classic BMX bikes and was a racer back in the day. Playing with bikes has been a hobby of mine for many years. I genrally ride everyday that it isn't raining or snowing out, what can I say I love to ride haha. As for rebuiling this one, it will be similar to other builds I've done like my Skyway TA. The paint of this bike isn't really that bad and with some mild cutting I can make it really shine. I've also got a friend who is amazing at matching colors for me(which I have done in the past and has worked really really well) As for the wheels, I'm not worried about that, nothing new to me. I've got enough exerience lacing up my BMX and roady wheels haha. I can totally understand your point about the chrome. Most likely I wont have it done to a high luster, I think that mixed with fresh cut paint it will match pretty well, worst case it looks funky, then I will spend lots of time playing with painters tape and throw it in the booth for a respray. Which is fine by me too, but I would rather make the OE paint work. 

I've almost got the dents out of the bell tank thing. You can still see it a little on one side but it's 100% better. It appears as though the fork doesn't have any form of a bump to keep it from hitting the tank. I may actually alter this so this doesn't happen anymore since we plan on taking this bike with us on trips and such.


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## akikuro (May 1, 2009)

Nice bike! I'd keep it the way it is. You would be surprised how a little TR3 polish over the paint would remove the oxidation and bring the colors back to life....go easy over the decals and pinstripes though....


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## 37fleetwood (May 1, 2009)

tifun said:


> Is the customliner the older version of the mainliner? I'm kinda bummed it didn't come with whitewalls after seeing that picture haha. It has Sears tires on it right now. Any idea what the OE ones were???? Also I sprayed some contact cleaner in side and worked it a little and it works. I'm pretty shocked how loud it really is lol. Also, when was the year they switched over to just straight "Huffy" verse Huffman. I'm still shocked about the heritage of these bikes and it's hard to think that Huffy's were once really nice bikes to boot.



Mainliner used to be the top of the line name in the Dayton. the Customliner was the top Huffy in the "50's I would say the Customliner is simply a higher end model. even then there was a whole line of Customliner bikes. I don't have any info on the Mainliners. as for white walls I'd say go for it put them on. different models had them and it will make no difference in value. the mid '50's Huffy's have little value as is, and girls bikes almost none at all, so you won't hurt value if that's your concern. it looks to be a middleweight which kills value further. Huffman changed to Huffy just after the second World War. the early badges say "Huffy Byke" they went to the Huffy badge like yours in the early '50's. it was in the mid '50's that Huffy's quality started to slip, the early Customliners were really top notch bikes and by the end of the '50's they were pretty much all inexpensive middleweights.
feel free to ask any more questions.


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## 37fleetwood (May 3, 2009)

here's your chance at another one!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Huffy-Customliner-Bicycle_W0QQitemZ290312444485QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4397f85a45&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A2|294%3A50


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