# Barn Finds



## JLF (Aug 10, 2020)

The family farm is being sold and some rafters / out buildings are being emptied for the first time in decades.

I am excited by what I see here but confess I am no expert.  Not sure what the boys 26 is in the back?  

I plan to pick them up this weekend.  More detailed photos at that time.

Any expert help with what CABE members may see here would be much appreciated!


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## catfish (Aug 10, 2020)

Nice


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## Brian (Aug 10, 2020)

Good finds!


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## JLF (Aug 10, 2020)

My mother in law sent me a few photos of head tube badges.  Only the girls bikes had them.

The first one is a Shelby Traveler.

Bad photo, but the next one looks to be a house paint Rollfast

Some history, the boys bike was bought, used, in 1947 from the neighbor.


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## Rides4Fun (Aug 10, 2020)

That’s a very cool discovery.  It would be helpful to know what your intentions are with the bikes.  Are you planning to keep them, sell them, or fix them up since they are family related?  This information will help in getting some good advice


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## JLF (Aug 10, 2020)

Rides4Fun said:


> That’s a very cool discovery.  It would be helpful to know what your intentions are with the bikes.  Are you planning to keep them, sell them, or fix them up since they are family related?  This information will help in getting some good advice




Thank you. I do plan to keep the boys 26”.  Most likely I will keep the patina and give it a tune up and new tires and tubes.

I want to take a good look at that front brake hub on the girls Rollsfast.  

I will most likely sell or part the girls bikes and am happy to do so if CABE members have a need for something.


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## JRE (Aug 11, 2020)

I need that Shelby badge for my Boys project bike.


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## JLF (Aug 11, 2020)

I’ll take better (and more) photos of this discovery when I pick them up this weekend.  

Just in time, I had an itch for a new project!


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## JLF (Aug 15, 2020)

Finally, the weekend!  Able to pick up the Barn Find’s.

Can an expert CABE member help me ID the boys 26”?





Girls 26” Shelby Traveler





Girls 26” Rollfast





Girls 20” ‘Unknown’


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## JLF (Aug 15, 2020)

Also found this ‘Radio Line’ scooter.  Or what’s left of it.


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## WetDogGraphix (Aug 15, 2020)

JLF said:


> Finally, the weekend!  Able to pick up the Barn Find’s.
> 
> Can an expert CABE member help me i.d. the boys 26”?
> 
> View attachment 1247923



Late 30's or early 40"s Colson?


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## JLF (Aug 15, 2020)

Thank you @WetDogGraphix I appreciate it.  I’ll look for a serial number once I get back home and unload.


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## WetDogGraphix (Aug 15, 2020)

JLF said:


> Thank you @WetDogGraphix I appreciate it.  I’ll look for a serial number once I get back home and unload.



Don't take my word for it, but the chain ring & chainguard are Colson.......


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## JRE (Aug 16, 2020)

I'd be interested in buying the crank and chain wheel out of the girls Shelby if you decide to part it out.


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## Robertriley (Aug 16, 2020)

can I see the greyhound fender ornament?


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

@Robertriley By request.  I had a quick look on line.  This appears to be from a 1930’s Lincoln automobile?  

It has broken legs as you can see.  I plan to remove it.  Although I do go back and forth on how ‘clean’ I should make bike this once ridable.


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

I am tempted to use this front brake from the Rollfast, I think it’s cool, but then I imagine keeping the original Colson build as complete as possible is the right thing to do.

Any chance the speedo was original to any particular Colson?  I bought a Colson book online last night to do some research.

I can not decide if I want to remove the house paint (looks to be maroon underneath), or clean and leave as is?

Also, has a few ‘barn yard fixes’ I find humorous. Wood and chain for the brake arm!


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## Robertriley (Aug 16, 2020)

I've a similar one on my 36 Ford. They changed from year to year my 35 and 36 ornaments are not interchangeable


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

That’s interesting.  In my search I didn’t see one exactly like this one.  Funny they changed them every year back in the day.


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

I had mentioned to @JRE the pedals on the Colson were toast, so he delivered a set and the drop stand clip I needed!  Thank you!  CABE for the win!


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## JRE (Aug 16, 2020)

Thanks for the trade was good meeting you today. NOW I have everything but a lower truss rod bracket for my 35 Shelby Non wishbone bracket


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

Barn Find updates:

It’s been a busy day.  Colson was given a quick bath.  Taken apart, nothing was stuck (!) and oddly, it’s covered in caked on grease.  Will take some scrubbing to get clean.

Speedo removed.  I may get it repaired?
Grey hound fender ornament removed.
Coke bottle grips installed.  From Shelby.
Destroyed pedals swapped for a good pair.
Seat post reversed.
Upper rear fender brace moved to lower position to hold the fender better.
Colson rear reflector removed (it’s in bad shape) and replaced with Shelby glass jewel reflector.
Front and rear mud flaps removed.
Side kick stand removed.

I may strip it back to original maroon paint?
Both hubs need service & repair.
Need rear fender brace.
Find a drop stand, I have the fender clip.
Tubes, rim strips, tires on order.


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

Rollfast will be next.  I won’t do much.  Hubs (front brake) need to be serviced and repaired.  Do the forks  look bent to you?  



The unknown 20”.  I might get it ridable, and I might just pass.



The Shelby Traveler gave so that others might roll on...


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## JRE (Aug 16, 2020)

I can bring this to work with me tomorrow if you want to meet up before I start work in the afternoon


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## Archie Sturmer (Aug 16, 2020)

The unknown girls youths looks like a CWC, maybe early post war.


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## JLF (Aug 16, 2020)

@JRE Definitely!  Thank you!  

@Archie Sturmer Thanks for the I.D. help!  I greatly appreciate it!  It was my mother in law’s bike so you are correct in the era too (No head badge).


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## JLF (Aug 17, 2020)

Tubes and rim strips arrived today.  Installed them with some white wall tires I had in the parts stash.

Needs some caked on grease removed and hubs rebuilt. I’ll have to farm that job out.

Replaced the original fenders with a peaked (similar to the originals) set of 1950’s era off a Murray I believe (Not fully installed yet in the photo).

Original fenders need work. Rolled, holes filled, paint removal. Will eventually return to the bike.


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## JLF (Aug 17, 2020)

Finally had a look at the Colson serial number...

C2 76 1 18

I haven’t received my Colson book in the mail yet, can someone help decipher?


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## JRE (Aug 17, 2020)

Wow looking good.


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## JLF (Aug 18, 2020)

Decided to mess around with the mini CWC.  

Installed a new set of KINK BMX white wall tires I had, size 20x2.3. 

Removed the front rack and adjusted the bars. 

Crank is bent, might need a replacement? 

Needs a new chain and grips. I may switch to a straight MTB handle bar so I can actually ride it.

I might be crazy but I think it looks so cool!


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## fordmike65 (Aug 18, 2020)

JLF said:


> Finally had a look at the Colson serial number...
> 
> C2 76 1 18
> 
> ...



Thinking Mar of '42


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## Barto (Aug 18, 2020)

Love these front brakes!!


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## JLF (Aug 18, 2020)

Thank you @fordmike65 I appreciate your help!


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## JLF (Aug 21, 2020)

Finally, I can see what speedo was on the Colson.


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## JRE (Aug 25, 2020)

If you want to leave the Elgin front fender with me I can get the extra holes in the front fender welded up for you.


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## JLF (Aug 25, 2020)

Thanks!  I’ll keep that in mind.  I stripped the house paint off the Colson fenders yesterday.  

My first plan of attack was to get the hubs rebuilt.  Still looking for a direction there.


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## JRE (Aug 25, 2020)

Nice how much of the original paint is left


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## JLF (Aug 25, 2020)

Not a lot.  About half.  Got the wheel set to Greenphantom today for a complete work over.


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## JRE (Aug 25, 2020)

sweet


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## JLF (Sep 1, 2020)

Picked up the Colson wheelset from @greenephantom today with both hubs rebuilt and wheels sorted.  Left the grease until I decide how far to clean it.  Rolling nice and straight! 

Took it for its first ride in 69 years.  It was put up in the rafters in 1951 when my wife’s uncle got his drivers license. He had bought it used from the neighboring farm in 1947.  Date code suggests March 1942 build.

I have to say, it was an amazing first ride.  Feels very quick and any kid on one of these back in the day probably won every drag race.  It feels so much faster than my 1936 Shelby as an example.  Maybe due to less weight?  Side by side it is a smaller bike overall.  Very stable too, and best of all, not one creak, rattle or noise.  Super happy!


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## JRE (Sep 2, 2020)

Looking good. We need to go for a ride.


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## JLF (Feb 7, 2021)

While revisiting the family farm house (where I discovered these 4 bikes in an out building summer of 2020) I had a look through old family photo albums.  

Found this photo showing the girls Shelby Traveller and boys Colson.  Note you can see the speedometer on the Colson.  

Glad to have found this!


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## JRE (Feb 7, 2021)

Nice. Love the 1935/36 Ford Humpback Sedan in the picture also


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## Hukah (Feb 8, 2021)

JLF said:


> While revisiting the family farm house (where I discovered these 4 bikes in an out building summer of 2020) I had a look through old family photo albums.
> 
> Found this photo showing the girls Shelby Traveller and boys Colson.  Note you can see the speedometer on the Colson.
> 
> ...



That's a really cool picture to have.


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## JLF (Feb 10, 2021)

Update on these barn finds.

Colson has had some paint removal.  I found a head badge and drop stand.
Original fenders back on and fat 26x2.35 tires.  Original handle bar was too narrow so I replaced it with a 30” Torrington’s and repop coke bottle grips.  Hubs rebuilt by Greenephantom. 

I am undecided on which way to go with it.  I would like to find a Colson rack and truss rods!





The Rollfast is currently getting its fork straightened at a machine shop.  1950’s era fenders as the originals were toast.  Has fat 26x2.35 tires, and handle bar off a mountain bike with repop coke bottle grips.  Hubs rebuilt by Greenephantom. 

I don’t plan to restore this one.  Maybe look for a rack and chain guard.





20” CWC is garage art and the Shelby Traveller was parted to help other CABE Shelby’s stay on or return to the road


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