# 1945 CWC Cycle Truck Rustoration



## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

After years of looking for my pal Buddy's CWC Cycle Truck with no luck, I began looking for a CT with the idea of doing a clone restoration of his bike.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

A friend found this very rusty CWC CT barn find that iwas missing a lot of original parts and had a lot of wrong parts installed on it. The CT had a motor installed at some point in the past but had long been removed. That was probably when the Shelby/Colsen parts were installed. After a while we made a trade and the CT was mine.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

I knew it would need a long soak to break up some of the rust before it would come apart so I waited until it got warm to do so. First the rear half got a good soak.  Then the front half next.


A lot of the rust loosened up and most of the major parts came off, but a few of the smaller screws like on the fenders had to be cut off. While it was soaking, I also used a small nylon brush to carefully scrub off the years of dirt, bird poop, & powdery rust.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

As I was getting things broke down and cleaned up I noticed a couple of interesting things. First, I noticed while cleaning and rebuilding the wheel hubs, aside from how heavy duty the front is, was that the hubs were black out hubs. Hadn't given it much thought before because previous owner thought it was 1941 or 42. But when seeing the black out hubs I decided to check the serial number. Turns out it is D01459, which according to the chart I have makes it a war era early 1945.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

Second interesting thing I noticed after getting the frame and fenders cleaned off was that some of the original pinstriping was still present. I'm not sure how this survived since there seemed to be literally NO other paint to be found on the bike anywhere else. A friend did suggest it could have been because the pinstriping paint was a lead based enamel which survived better than the frame and fender paint.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

At this point, I was beginning to think it would be a shame to strip this bike and do a restore/clone as I had originally planned. And along with a few other technical issues with the frame and fork that would have required a lot of body work to smooth out before shiny paint would look good. I decided to switch to plan B and finish this as a Rustoration instead of a Restoration. So the rest of this thread will continue with that in mind.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

By now I had also found a very small bit of Red or Maroon paint left in the inside of the crank area. This would also explain why a lot of the bike was looking more brownish now once I got most of the orangish powdery rustiness off since red/maroon usually fades to brown as UV destroys the red pigment. There were however a few patches of completely bare metal especially under where the motor had been mounted, and a spot on the front fender where it looks like a previous owner had tried to clean off some of the rust with steel wool or other stripper.  So I mixed up a batch of "make rust fast" solution and sprayed it on the bare areas. We will see what happens?


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## catfish (Jun 25, 2020)

Nice work


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## OldSkipTooth (Jun 25, 2020)

I like the direction.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 25, 2020)

The next mystery on this bike was the head badge. When I got it, it didn't have one, and due to the rust and years of setting outside it didn't even have a head badge shadow for a clue.  I assumed it needed a CWC Roadmaster badge as I had seen on most other Cycle Trucks. I had one in my stash so went to put it on, but quickly found out the head badge holes were spaced narrower. A quick post on the CABE and I got several replies and PMs from other more knowledgeable members, that it was probably Western Flyer badged. I found a WF badge with about the right patina, and yes it fit. Now, the mystery is? If this is an early 1945 war era Cycle Truck why was it badged WF, and why was it originally red? I would guess from both of these facts, that it was NOT built as a military bike even though it was early '45 D series pre end of war. I'm just guessing that cycle trucks were probably considered essential vehicle's and thus a small number were still available for sale to civilian businesses that needed them. Can anyone confirm, any of my assumptions?


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## oldfart36 (Jun 26, 2020)

Cool, keep rolling my friend, going to be a neat one!


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## tom koenig (Jun 26, 2020)

Awesomeness!!!! Love them cycletrucks! More More More


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 27, 2020)

Once it was all apart I noticed the fork was bent.  Using a vice and a little muscle I was able to carefully cold bend it back into shape. Once the frame was all cleaned up and straight, the wheel hubs were rebuilt, and once I was happy with the faux rust patina on the bare metal spots I added a light coat of Satin Clear.  I generally prefer using this method over oiling the frame to lock in and darken the color, and keep the powdery rusty dusty feeling off of the metal, or the greasy feeling that the oil gives. I also like using a Flat or Satin Clear which I think looks more natural than a gloss clear. Everyone has their own preferences on which method they prefer, this is just mine. A CWC chainring that already had about the same patina as the rest of bike was add as well as a lazy 7 seat post was bent and faux rusted. Now it is together and almost a rider again.


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## oldfart36 (Jun 28, 2020)

Those "Park Tool" stumps are getting hard to come by!
Looking good my friend!


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 28, 2020)

So I don't have a basket, but I do have an old Hoffman Beverage Beer & Ale delivery box that is from about the right era, and has the right look. Since that is my last name, it seemed fitting to use that for my delivery vehicle theme.


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 28, 2020)

I didn't have the factory basket bracket, but I have seen a picture of two of what they should look like, even saw a repop sell recently but just missed it. I set out to try to make a close to original looking bracket, but while scavenging around the shop I couldn't find any angle iron of the right size. I didn't want to make a special trip to town to Metal by the Foot, so I settled on using an old bracket base off a Metal Glider base that was in my scrap metal pile. Not anywhere close to an original but I didn't even have to clean off my welding table, and it works well with the box for now. If anyone has an original or even a repop I'd be interested in buying it?


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## 10~18kustoms (Jun 28, 2020)

Next on the agenda is the advertising panel. Started with a cardboard templet. Transferred it to an already rusty sheet, and then added some more make rust formula to get it to about the same color/patina as the rest of the bike. After 3 coats of flat clear and a very rough mock up it is off to my go to pinstriper/lettering guy.


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## oldfart36 (Jun 29, 2020)

Really diggin this one!


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## 10~18kustoms (Jul 2, 2020)

So as usual, Bob Bond knocked it out of the park with his lettering on the advertising panel. I wanted the panel to look like it had always been on the bike and wasn't just added this week. While he was doing the lettering to match the Hoffman Beverage logo on the box. I faux rusted the 3 shinny new brackets and screws/nuts to hold it on. I'm pretty happy with the look. Next is trying to find a chainguard to match & possibly a front drop stand.


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## OZ1972 (Jul 3, 2020)

I love it great job  , A ++++++++++


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## oldfart36 (Jul 3, 2020)

Bad to the Bone my friend.


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## REC (Jul 3, 2020)

10~18kustoms said:


> So as usual, Bob Bond knocked it out of the park with his lettering on the advertising panel. I wanted the panel to look like it had always been on the bike and wasn't just added this week. While he was doing the lettering to match the Hoffman Beverage logo on the box. I faux rusted the 3 shinny new brackets and screws/nuts to hold it on. I'm pretty happy with the look. Next is trying to find a chainguard to match & possibly a front drop stand.
> 
> View attachment 1222578
> 
> ...



This is turning out BEAUTIFULLY!!!!!
REC


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## GoodLifeBikes (Jul 3, 2020)

10~18kustoms said:


> I knew it would need a long soak to break up some of the rust before it would come apart so I waited until it got warm to do so. First the rear half got a good soak.  Then the front half next.View attachment 1217874
> A lot of the rust loosened up and most of the major parts came off, but a few of the smaller screws like on the fenders had to be cut off. While it was soaking, I also used a small nylon brush to carefully scrub off the years of dirt, bird poop, & powdery rust. View attachment 1217880



What did you soak it in OA?


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## 10~18kustoms (Jul 3, 2020)

Bjlamb said:


> What did you soak it in OA?



Just plain water to loosen the rusted bolts and screws.


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