# Picked up a 1906 Yale



## scrubbinrims (Jun 9, 2015)

*Picked up a 1903 Yale*

Made by Kirk Manufacturing, Toledo,Ohio 
Skinny 2-tone painted wood wheels, adjustable stem, Corbin hub I think, brooks saddle.
Original blue paint with pins visible, but faint.
The owner did some research and I have a 1906 ad pic...looks all correct, but the tires.
Any thoughts?  Was this a racer? Value?
Thanks, Chris


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## bikiba (Jun 9, 2015)

Looks in great shape! The Corbin hub is cool!


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jun 9, 2015)

Looks like a 1903.


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## dave the wave (Jun 9, 2015)

looks like $1000 racer.


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## Freqman1 (Jun 9, 2015)

Nice find Chris. How about some better pics of the down tube decal and headbadge. Would a racer have a brake? V/r Shawn


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## redline1968 (Jun 9, 2015)

Roadsters do and optional for racers. Nice bike


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## hoofhearted (Jun 9, 2015)

scrubbinrims said:


> Made by Kirk Manufacturing, Toledo,Ohio
> Skinny 2-tone painted wood wheels, adjustable stem, Corbin hub I think, brooks saddle.
> Original blue paint with pins visible, but faint.
> The owner did some research and I have a 1906 ad pic...looks all correct, but the tires.
> ...





*Wow - that machine is beautiful.  For as many bicycles as the company was supposed to have
made .. these are scarce, at best.  

Chris ... may we see a foto of the badge ?  Kirk and Snell consolidated in late 1903 .. maybe 
early 1904.  (Me has fuzzy thinking right now - been in the sun too long, today.)

The Consolidated Racer .. including the Yale Racer ... the Yale-California Racer (of 1907 - only) .. and
the Snell Racer had 7/8-inch tubing (o.d.) and lugged seat-cluster .. crankcase and steering-head fixtures.  

The Yale-California was equipped with Thor racing hubs .. fore and aft.  If my memory were a bit 
more-willing to assist in this moment .. I could indicate the company that made the crank/ring 
units for the specialized Consolidated racing crankcases.    ( D&J ... that's the ticket .... Edited 9-8-2015. )

These racers also-had The Hussey adjustable bar-stem ...  long-used by Consolidated. 

My 1907 Yale-California is now in the capable hands (and collection) of a Dayton-area collector ...
(a trade ensued and each of us am plenty happy).*

Your Yale sports remarkable paint.  I know the machine will be well-cared for in your hands.

...... patric





























 

*Badge Components no longer in my collection ...
They are placed on the racer -- gone .. but not forgotten.*


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 9, 2015)

Thanks for the help and comments.
I will post a close up pic of the badge on Friday when I get back home (I don't believe there is any mention of Snell or Consolidated, just Kirk manufacturing) and the down tube decal (which is multi-color painted to appear in 3D).
The paint is pretty nice in a bright cobalt blue that will convey better in the sun after a light coat of high grade gun oil.
Bought today thinking flip, but might take it slow and think on it some...would look out of place in my ballooner collection, but I was going to eventually branch out. 
Chris


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## dfa242 (Jun 10, 2015)

That would be a very nice way to start a new branch - good for you.


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 15, 2015)

I am really liking this racer the more I work on it and research.
Nickel is coming out very well, outstanding I'd say considering age.
I am taking it slow so next batch of photos probably in a couple of weeks.
The brooks saddle is newer and the grips are worn, so I'll go dig around Sam's for an upgrade here soon.
Could be an Ann Arbor contender...








Chris


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## SirMike1983 (Jun 15, 2015)

Great hub on that bike, and nice color blue. I wish more blue bikes had been made in the early years, instead of just red or black.


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 30, 2015)

*updated pics*

So I finished this bike, adding matched us special racer tires that hold air, a period racing saddle, upgraded the grips, and gave it a real good, but slow and careful scrubbing to maintain the pinstripes.
So its a 1903 or earlier, but I cannot change the thread title.
Love the blue color and the nickel came out well.
Chris


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 30, 2015)




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## Freqman1 (Jun 30, 2015)

Great job on an awesome bike Chris! V/r Shawn


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## robertc (Jun 30, 2015)

As said before, great job on that one Chris. Awesome bike.


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## boardhoarder (Jun 30, 2015)

Oh man...that thing is PERFECT. Great score.


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## Rambler (Jun 30, 2015)

In the photo it looks like the bike may have a Hussey handle bars stem. There is someone on the Wheelmen site looking for a Hussey stem. http://www.thewheelmen.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7523


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 30, 2015)

Rambler said:


> In the photo it looks like the bike may have a Hussey handle bars stem. There is someone on the Wheelmen site looking for a Hussey stem. http://www.thewheelmen.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7523





It is a Hussey and original to this bike and model, so that wheelemen can keep on lookin' and they need threaded bars as well btw.
The bars really help make the bike.
Chris


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## dfa242 (Jul 1, 2015)

That's beautiful!


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## Rambler (Jul 1, 2015)

scrubbinrims said:


> It is a Hussey and original to this bike and model, so that wheelemen can keep on lookin' and they need threaded bars as well btw.
> The bars really help make the bike.
> Chris




Thanks for that confirmation. I suspected Hussey may have required a special threaded handle bar because I too had a Hussey handlebar stem and it appeared to be threaded inside but I had nothing to use it on so sold it. I guess the Hussey stem wouldn't do that Wheelmen member any good with his wood handlebars.


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## Wcben (Sep 4, 2015)

I'm the guy on the Wheelmen site... Here first, there second.... Hussey offered the stem both along with their bars and, for others bars threaded or not (at least two different bar clamp sections!) I'm ok with making a new clamp section if I need to but, I'd prefer to keep the stem and extension at least original....


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## gtdohn (Sep 7, 2015)

scrubbinrims said:


> So I finished this bike, adding matched us special racer tires that hold air, a period racing saddle, upgraded the grips, and gave it a real good, but slow and careful scrubbing to maintain the pinstripes.
> So its a 1903 or earlier, but I cannot change the thread title.
> Love the blue color and the nickel came out well.
> Chris
> ...






Chris, I realize this has been discussed before, but I wanted to get your story on this one. What process did you use to restore the paint?
Thanks.


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## Wcben (Sep 7, 2015)

Hey Chris, if you could, would you please tell us what the engraving on the stem extension reads, I can't quite make it out.


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## olderthandirt (Sep 7, 2015)

hate that she was my size ,boo hoo  dang it dern all over the place and back three times ?


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## olderthandirt (Sep 7, 2015)

all kidding aside this was a great bike and she is my size ,anyone have a similar bike 4 sale


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## scrubbinrims (Sep 9, 2015)

I approach each bike differently depending on the degree of oxidation discoloration, but there are only 2 methods of bringing back the original paint...physically sloughing off the top layer (steel wool/oil) or chemically (oxalic acid or what I use with Whink rust remover...brown bottle containing hydrofluoric acid).
I like Whink because I don't have to have soaking vessels and can be done in one step, rubbing small sections at a time with either a terry cloth or steel wool and pressure to control the process.
Afterwards and quickly, I wipe down the section with gun oil.

As to the Hussy stem, it is a Patent Number I believe, but that bike is buried in my collection, hanging upside on an A frame...closer to Trexlertown, I will get to it when I have room to re-shuffle.

Chris


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## shoe3 (Sep 15, 2015)

I have a photo copy of this Yale bike,  pdscott@woh.rr.com


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## shoe3 (Sep 15, 2015)




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## shoe3 (Sep 15, 2015)




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## filmonger (Sep 16, 2015)

Hi Chris - Is it possible to get a couple of photo's of the wood rim brands ...I would like to add the pictures to the wood rim thread. Very very nice bike and great job on pumping life back into it.


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## scrubbinrims (Sep 16, 2015)

I appreciate the scans decathlete! 
So I guess I have a roadster vs. a racer...that's a drag although I have the racer bars.
What year is this catalogue?
I'll get some pics of the stem and logo on the rims in a bit and thanks for the interest.
Chris


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## pelletman (Sep 18, 2015)

Use WaxOyl for cleanup.  http://www.thewheelmen.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7530&SearchTerms=waxoyl

You will get great results with 0000 steel wool and WaxOyl


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