# Hiawatha Arrow



## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

Suspect this is a 1938 or '39 ? Not in mint condition by any means but it's intact for the most part. Tank, rear carrier, chain guard and handlebars are there, even the headlight lens. Tires will be fine with new tubes. Chrome isn't great. Fork is bent back and will need to be straightened. There's a dent in the front fender which corresponds to the fork bending and the fender hitting the frame. Rear reflector and front fender ornament are missing. Pedals need new parts or to be replaced. Front fender braces need attention. No rear drop stand or the clip to hold it up. Most of these items are out there. It's a one owner Wisconsin bike. Man got it at age eleven (born 1927). Serial number on the bottom barrel is R618445. Plan is to make it a rider for now. Overall a neat find. Appears to be a rare bicycle that was expensive considering it was produced during the depression.


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## rollfaster (Jun 7, 2017)

@Freqman1


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## Freqman1 (Jun 7, 2017)

I'd give that thing an OA bath, service, and ride the tires off it! A fairly desirable bike and I'm sure more than a few will shoot offers your way. Enjoy the ride. V/r Shawn


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (Jun 7, 2017)

Nice bike, that looks like it will clean up great! Needs a chain front fender braces, and to straighten the front fork. But you'll have one great riding bike! Keep us posted on it!


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## bicycle larry (Jun 7, 2017)

yes I a gree with fregman and goldengreek clean it up and ride it !!!! what a find!!!! from bicycle larry


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## Jay81 (Jun 7, 2017)

:eek: Very nice find!


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## 56 Vette (Jun 7, 2017)

That's one all of us hope to find at a neighbors barn or garage sale!! Clean it up and ride the crap out of it!! Awesome find! Joe


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## stezell (Jun 7, 2017)

I don't think any bikes were cheap during the depression. Very cool bike!


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## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

My reason for posting this bike here was to share the bike itself and story of finding it. A friend discovered it at a farm near his cottage in Shawano County, Wisconsin. He's recently taken an interest in getting an old bike after riding one of mine and experiencing how fun it is. He showed me some pics asking if I thought it was a good one to get ? I said absolutely just because it looked cool and appeared to have the hard to find parts (rear rack, tank, chain guard, etc.) included. Just another cool looking old tank bicycle . . . but something kept me thinking about it as more than just like all the rest ? Then it clicked I'd seen one like it recently that one of my bicycle friends had built up from parts he'd collected. Looked at the pic he'd sent me and wow same bike. Asked him what an original one like he'd built was and he enlightened me. Now I tell my friend that he needs to go get the bike at his earliest opportunity. Also that it isn't a "garden bike" but is very special and if need be he should offer good money for it. By the weekend when he drives up to the cottage it turns out there's an estate auction at the farm and the bike will be sold on the auction. Uh oh. Well if it's meant to be it will be ? So I tell him if anyone else that knows old bikes sees it and understands what it is the price could soar ? Pretty likely at an auction. Tell him I'll put up my "bicycle money" towards the bidding. (he's yet to ask me for any $ so ?) Well it didn't sell as a $50 "garden bike". The seller and two other bidders there knew exactly what it was. Didn't even end up going as a $500 collectible old bike  I feel it was worth it because of how special the bike is, how complete it is and just the opportunity to have discovered it plus my friend becoming the owner of such a bike. As I said plan is to get it into riding shape. He's undecided if it will go up for sale as of now ? Either way I thought it was a bit of a crazy story worth sharing and posted it here.


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## XBPete (Jun 7, 2017)

Love the back story to some of these neat finds!

TY for sharing Shawn!


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## cyclingday (Jun 7, 2017)

What a cool survivor.
Heck, I'd even be tempted to leave the training wheels on it.
Tell your buddy, we all said congratulations, and welcome to the old bike hobby.


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## Buckeye17 (Jun 7, 2017)

Cool bike!...clean it and ride it


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## Robertriley (Jun 7, 2017)

cyclingday said:


> What a cool survivor.
> Heck, I'd even be tempted to leave the training wheels on it.
> Tell your buddy, we all said congratulations, and welcome to the old bike hobby.



Maybe we can get the training wheels for @Jarod24


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## Jarod24 (Jun 7, 2017)

Robertriley said:


> Maybe we can get the training wheels for @Jarod24



Hahaha, I knew you were going to say something


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## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

There are two pairs he got with it. You'll need both as the rubber is gone off two of the four wheels


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## rickyd (Jun 7, 2017)

Congrats to your buddy on the find, and to you for being the type of guy to help him get it ride ready!


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## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

Spent a little time after work tonight cleaning out the seat post tube, little polishing on the post and the seat went on fine. Steering stem bolt loosened easily, a few whacks on the bolt head with a wooden mallet and it freed right up. Stem lifted easily with a little twisting while pulling up on it. Seems like a pretty short stem ? Pinch bolt for the handlebars had been slightly abused with a pliers or vise grip at some point but it came loose after tapping a six point socket onto it. Handlebar moves up and down now. Chain guard is missing the bracket that goes around the front downtube so we'll have to fab one after finding a pic of what it should look like. The rear bracket w/screw and center clip are affixed properly.  Cool how they incorporated the little window in the guard at the rear to allow access for the axle adjusting screw. Thus far everything I've tried has unscrewed without even needing penetrating oil, impressive for the age. Was told it lived indoors all it's life so probably true ? Noticed both wheels say Lobdell on the hoops. Hoping to pull the wheels later this week so that a friend at the local bike shop can disassemble them and order all new spokes. Would do it myself but work is busier than it's ever been for me so no time. Hubs will be gone through too. They've also got a chain and master link they said we can get. Our bike shop guys are the best, so generous and helpful. I stop on a Saturday now and then just to drink coffee and hang out to talk bikes and they put up with me  If you're ever in Appleton, Wisconsin do stop by Active Bike & Fitness. Mark and Chuck are awesome. Few more pics before the sun went down, looks more like a bike now that the pieces are attached rather than just stuck or hung on. Oh, and if anyone happens to have the rear (straight) stay/brace for the front fender we could use one ? PM with what you'd like for it if so. Thank you all for your interest in the Arrow and the kind words/compliments. My friend is grateful.


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## Robertriley (Jun 7, 2017)

It would be cool to keep the original spokes and just tru it.  Those spokes are probably better then any of the new one out there.


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## Robertriley (Jun 7, 2017)

Shawn said:


> There are two pairs he got with it. You'll need both as the rubber is gone off two of the four wheels



I was just giving Jarod a hard time.  The last two times that he came to visit us out here on the west coast, he bailed.  He wiped out pretty darn bad this last time.


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## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

Ouch, sorry to hear of Jarod's mishap. Until we get a rear drop stand on there those training wheels are coming in handy. The front wheel is entirely missing 3-4 spokes in a row, rear is missing some too, also a number of bent ones in both wheels. Being the owner is a senior citizen intent on riding it I feel it's best to have good spokes. We'll save any good ones. We don't scrap anything useful from old bikes because they don't make the stuff anymore, not even ladies/girls frames ! I personally don't part out the girls bikes either, pass them on intact, new owner can do as they please when it's theirs.


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## Nickinator (Jun 7, 2017)

great story and an amazing bike! I would do a bit of fine tuning to it such as straitening the fork and new tires. I also notice something odd with this bike it has a strait downtube. 

Nick.


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## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

Fork needs more than a bit of fine tuning  it's bent back a fair bit. Front fender took a punch in the nose from the downtube as a result. I can only imagine the rider involved in whatever incident caused this boo boo went flying like Gumby ? Hope they didn't suffer a groin injury :eek: I've a plan in mind to turn a tube in our lathe at work like the head tube to install the fork into. Clamp it in the vise at one end of our welding table while pulling on the fork with a ratchet strap hooked to the other end. With a spare hub installed to keep the fork legs in place it may work ? Don't wanna use heat and ruin the patina or the press which could kink or dent the legs. We'll see ? The straight downtube is present in plenty of pics of these bikes I've looked at.


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## Nickinator (Jun 7, 2017)

the strait downtube is on most airflows which is why i said its weird. are you sure your not seeing restored bikes with them?. this is one of the first few i have seen with a strait downtube.

Nick.


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## Shawn (Jun 7, 2017)

The nicest ones I've seen certainly look to be restored. Hard to imagine bikes that old and nice aren't ? Maybe the others I'm seeing are built up from parts ? A few had wooden parts I didn't notice until reading some. It's been an unusual find and acquisition up to now so may as well have an unusual downtube too ? You'd know better than me because a week ago I didn't know anything about an Arrow except that they existed


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## cyclingday (Jun 8, 2017)

Yeah, by the looks of that front impact, I'd say the rider got launched pretty good.
Shelby forks were pinned together just above the fork crown, so inspect that joint to make sure it hasn't been compromised and is safe to ride.


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## Robertriley (Jun 8, 2017)

cyclingday said:


> Yeah, by the looks of that front impact, I'd say the rider got launched pretty good.
> Shelby forks were pinned together just above the fork crown, so inspect that joint to make sure it hasn't been compromised and is safe to ride.View attachment 478563



That looks just as bad as my 38 Bluebird looked before Joe fixed it.  The impact actually cracked the top bar underneath the tank.


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## Shawn (Jun 8, 2017)

After some bartering within my "bicycle friends" network and an Ebay purchase I've got some well worn and patina'd teardrop pedals, crusty rear drop stand, NOS Torrington spokes w/nipples and a rear reflector coming. Still working on the fender clip for the rear drop stand and front fender brace (straight one) to make it complete. I'm hopeful we'll get those items. Next to get the wheels off and apart for a little cleaning and maintenance before installing the new spokes. We're working on it


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## Rides4Fun (Jun 8, 2017)

Cool looking bike and great story!  Good luck in completing the restoration back to riding condition!


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## Shawn (Jul 19, 2017)

Took longer to gather some of the pieces than I'd planned. Longer to get it together as well. Work and life got busy. It's a rider again thanks to a few members here and a couple Ebay purchases. Rode it around the parking lot at work a few times. Rides nice and is pretty comfortable too. Plan on taking it to a local show/swap this weekend. Just so folks can see it. Word to the wise don't purchase/use Goodyear inner tubes that are made currently. They're of a very poor quality. Inconsistent cross section when inflated. Makes for a lumpy tire until a few days pass. Then they seem to smooth out.


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## Phattiremike (Jul 20, 2017)

Now that was a great score!  I like the progress you've made getting it to the point where it's rideable, The training wheels were funny to see on that bike!


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## partsguy (Jul 20, 2017)

I would also inspect the bottom of the headtube, I have seen the bottom lip around the bearing cup get bent in a hard impact.

Awesome ride!


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## Marc's Classic Chrome (Jul 28, 2017)

Wow!!!!!!


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## Shawn (Apr 29, 2018)

I reckon there'll be a number of folks who're disappointed they didn't end up with this bike but . . . my friend sold it. So many individuals on here PM'd me expressing interest in buying it. Not a single one included a dollar figure. I'd been riding it here and there with it getting lots of attention and even more interest in buying it. Took it to a local show/swap meet and got more interest. I even took the tank off and showed the inside to a bunch of interested folks oogling it. Same story "I want that bike, here's my contact info", yet no actual dollar figure given as to what they're willing to pay for it ? A guy that lives in my hometown saw it at a local bike shop I brought it to. He checked it out real good, I even offered to let him ride it but he declined. Well a week or so later he made an actual dollar figure offer that he was willing to pay. Relayed the offer to my friend who said let me think it over. Few days later he asked me what I thought about it. Told him I think he should sell it to this guy. He did. The buyer just loves the bike. The Arrow lives less than 50 miles away from where it was bought new. Where it spent it's entire life on a farm. The man my friend got it from was the son of the original owner. Now please understand I don't post this here to rub anyone's face in it. I wish there had been enough of these for all of you to buy one. There was only one and only one person offered what they were willing to pay and gave it over. Also please understand I cannot discuss the sale price out of respect for both my friend and the buyer. If I were to speak my opinion on the experience as a whole it would be to say that if you truly want something then think it over well, make as good an educated decision as you're able to and make an honest offer to the owner of what you want with what you're sincerely willing to pay for it. Had I wanted the Arrow for myself I surely would have paid the selling price to have it. Truth is no matter how sought after or valuable it was I just didn't "love" the bike. I could live without it. Was it the opportunity of a lifetime as a bicycle enthusiast just to experience my friend getting it, him letting me put new tubes in the tires and pedal it around ? You bet it was and I thank God for it. I can tell folks I rode around on a Hiawatha Arrow one summer


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## Robertriley (Apr 29, 2018)

Just saying that you owned and rode one is too cool and getting it into a persons hands that feel the same as you did is great.  Congrats and off to the next cool purchase.


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