# 1920ish Excelsior deluxe project



## theterrym (Sep 27, 2015)

*1920ish Excelsior deluxe project update*

Here is my Excelsior Deluxe project. Still far from complete, but most of the work completed Everything was pretty strait so I didn't have that much body work to do. Of course the fork was a little bent and the fenders had some battle scars. A lot of tapping and tweaking now everything is nice and strait again.  I just got the front wheel spoked up yesterday, I still need to true it up.  
This is by far the most complicated paint job I have ever done. Many hours spent figuring out how to paint tiny black lines. A friend of mine does nickel plating at the university and offered to do all of my pieces for me. I got lucky with that!! 
I have been slowly working on it for the last year and a half. It has taken far longer than I originally thought, but I think that's how every project goes. Once I get the rear hub and the rest of the head set pieces back from being plated I hope to start putting this bike back together. When I took it apart I had to cut some of the bolts off(fender and fender brace bolts) Does any one know a good source for a proper looking replacement?


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## jacob9795 (Sep 27, 2015)

That's a very nice color combo; everything looks perfect so far and I am anticipating the grand finale!
Jake


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## stoney (Sep 27, 2015)

WOW, love those colors. I really can't wait to see this done. Absolutely beautiful. The 1920's 1930's Motobikes are my favorite style bike. Yours is really pushing it too.


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## tech549 (Sep 27, 2015)

that's nice work


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Sep 28, 2015)

Looked bad ass with the original paint...

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## theterrym (Sep 28, 2015)

The original photo I made sure to take from the best angle. The rest of the bike where someone had sanded it to bare metal back in the day didn't look very bad ass... it just looked like a lot of rust. I enjoy an original bike that is in good savable condition, but this bike had been abused and when it just stopped it was just left outside. I tried cleaning it up, but much of its original glory was long gone. When I originally posted photos talking of my intention of a restoration (I realize that's a sensitive word around here with many different ideas of what that means) I had PMs letting me know how awful I was for destroying history. 
Thank you for those people who were willing to ship parts to Canada and those who have enjoyed my work. At the end of the day everyone is entitled to their own opinion how an item should be preserved or restored and I just happened to really want a shiny new Excelsior Deluxe so that is what I am building to the best of my ability. I found parts where the paint was thick enough for a good polishing for a accurate color match. I would have loved to do all of the pin stripes by hand, but turns out im just not that good at it so it was my old friend fine line to the rescue.


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## markivpedalpusher (Sep 29, 2015)

Great project! I can hook you up with some cad plated slotted round head screws if you need any for mounting the fender to the frame etc. I think I have some screw rivets as well but it would be nice if you could find someone to rivet the fenders on. PM me if your interested.


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## Dale Alan (Sep 29, 2015)

Obi-Wan Schwinnobi said:


> Looked bad ass with the original paint...
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk




Looks much more bad as now....

theterrym,you did your bike justice. It looks marvelous,congrats .


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## catfish (Sep 29, 2015)

Very nice!


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## sleepy (Sep 29, 2015)

Very nice indeed, beautiful!

Original is always nice but when a bike is too far gone finish-wise, a restoration allows us to see the bike as new which was quite a site back in the day, gleaming gems and works of art these bikes were at the time.


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## bricycle (Sep 29, 2015)

That's not a bike.... that's ART!


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## theterrym (Sep 29, 2015)

Thanks everyone. A year and a half ago when I posted this bike I just assumed (we all know what happens when you do that!) everyone would be excited to see a bike be redone so it didn't occur to me to list details of what was wrong with the bike. Wrong rear wheel cracked front wheel, heavy pitting in much of the plating and on. One other reason I really wanted to do this bike was because I LOVED the colors and could imagine what the bike looked like new. I have seen many Schwinn bikes looking like new, but never an Excelsior Deluxe. I love projects that are just a little different and unique.


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## mike j (Sep 29, 2015)

"...a little different and unique." Works for me. Those that are worth saving, get saved. Those that are gnarly enough to remind me of those extremely annoying anti smoking commercials, get restored. Your's seems like a good candidate, looking great so far, can't wait to see it all together.


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## theterrym (Oct 17, 2015)

*Assembly started!!*

I finally had a free Saturday afternoon and managed to get a bit of assembling done. Im going to redo the blue on the head badge. Its not very close to the original. Everything fit together very well and I didn't break anything!! A while back I picked up a re pop battery can. I never did a test fit and if it was a inch longer it wouldn't have fit into the frame. I know they came in different sizes maybe a smaller can would have been a better choice.
Hopefully this week I get the wheels fully built and the front fender put on.


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## dave the wave (Oct 17, 2015)

looks great,send a pic to the guy in Neb. when you get it completed.


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## chucksoldbikes (Oct 17, 2015)

and i wana see it all  done  chucksoldbikes on the cabe  or  cpcsps@yahoo.com  thank u  nice work


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## theterrym (Oct 18, 2015)

dave the wave said:


> looks great,send a pic to the guy in Neb. when you get it completed.



I bought the bike locally here in Canada. From what I understand the guy I bought it from owned it with his father who is a truck driver. He is always going from Canada to the U.S and considers himself one of those pickers bringing stuff back with him to Canada.
Thanks for the compliments


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## cyclingday (Oct 18, 2015)

Magnificent!


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## Joe Buffardi (Oct 18, 2015)

Great group of contrasting colors! Great build!


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## rustyspoke66 (Oct 18, 2015)

Very nice work on the nickel! Not over done like most re-plating jobs we see.


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## whizzer_motorbike_fan (Oct 18, 2015)

Awesome work and sweet paint job! I wouldn't listen to the people that say you should have left it original because some bikes should be left untouched but I think you definitely did this bike justice.


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## larock65 (Oct 29, 2015)

Love the colors on this one!


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