# 1937 Schwinn motorbike



## NNNTX (Sep 22, 2010)

After purchasing a 1937 Schwinn motorbike on eBay, I thought I would probably just go through it and get it in good riding condition and leave it at that...didn't really want to fool around with seeking parts for a restoration. However, I kept watching eBay and started accumulating more and more parts until I realized that I've spent an additional $500.+ on original parts for the bike!  In fact, I'm now to the point where the only thing left to acquire is a tank. Is this an impossible quest? I've searched high and low and it seems that there simply are none available. 

I have quickly discovered the truth to the fact that it is far cheaper to buy a complete bike than to try to piece one together. I'm now kicking myself for not purchasing a motorbike with a tank that went for under $1000. a few weeks ago. I could have bought that bike and snatched the tank off of it and then resold the bike minus the tank. Would have been far easier and cheaper than trying to find a tank for sale, I'm sure!

Anyhow, since I'm completely new to this and just decided to restore this bike on a whim, I'm hoping some of you guys might share your knowledge with me and give me an idea of how difficult its going to be to find the correct tank. I suppose there's no need to get in any sort of big hurry to find a tank, given that a big hurry would seem to be a waste of effort, but I do intend to keep a lookout until I locate one. Any suggestions or comments from those of you who have had experience with seeking this particular tank?  thanks!


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## markivpedalpusher (Sep 22, 2010)

You have 2 options part out your project and hold out for a complete bike or continue to patiently look for a tank. As you said it's always a great thing to get a complete bike vs. parting one together. Typically 2 -4 tanks show up per year sometimes more. Good Luck with your project!


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## slowroller1842 (Sep 23, 2010)

NNNTX I feel your pain.  I've been piecing together a 1938 Motorbike for a few years now myself.  The key is patience when comes to finding a tank but they are out there.  I've often thought about how much cheaper and eaiser it would have been to buy a complete bike from the get go.  However, I've found that the hunt for parts and the anticipation of putting the bicycle together and resurrecting this great piece of machinery to far outweigh just instantly having a complete bike.  I'd at least say it's good to do with one bike project.  I've ended up learning a lot more and talking to a lot more cool people in the hobby by having to track down some of these parts.  I always thought finding a tank would be the hardest part but it wasn't.  For me it was the fenders.  I learned that you need to make a list of every single part you'll need, including nuts & bolts, and when you see one of them... jump on it.  I saw several sets of fenders come and go, thinking, I'll get those down the road, only to find them unavailable when I was ready.  It sounds like you've got the rest of your parts but make sure.  Everytime I think I've got all I need, I find out that I'm missing some nut or clip or bracket.  Good Luck in your quest!


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## OldRider (Sep 23, 2010)

Well said SlowRoller. Wheres the fun in buying a restored ready to roll cruiser? The thrill is in the hunt


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## supper15fiets (Sep 24, 2010)

..i agree with Oldrider, the thrill is the Hunt, i live in Holland and i collect a Rollfast 1936 motobike together and yes the hardest part was the tank, in the end was a cheap rollfast frame from ebay ($25) became a bike of $500+ all together but having fun to search for the parts and met some great people, the same thing i do now with a rare Huffman streamline bike....so keep up the hunt!
cheers!


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## NNNTX (Sep 26, 2010)

Yes, I completely agree with you guys...the thrill of the hunt and the process of detailing every piece of the bike is definitely what makes this so entertaining. It would certainly be cheaper to just buy a complete bike, but then I would not have the satisfaction of knowing that I personally brought my old bike back to life. I have even considered buying an entire bike that is in better condition than mine, just so I could swipe the tank off of it and then resell the bike without its tank. 

I paid $300 for this bike with shipping, and have spent another $600 on parts and paint supplies, so I'll have put quite a lot of time and money into it by the time I finally finish it off with a tank. In fact, the tank is really not the last part need...I don't have the rear rack either. In addition to that, there are a couple of parts that I may get re-plated and I'm probably still in the market for some better handlebars and a better seat, so this project is still far from over. It should keep me well entertained for some time to come!

I'm glad to hear that tanks are out there somewhere. I'll be watching.


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## PCHiggin (Sep 27, 2010)

Sent you a pm


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## cyclonecoaster.com (Sep 29, 2010)

*Patience -- You'll find a tank when you least expect it*

We have all been in your shoes at some point in the hobby -- I tried to piece together a Black Phantom & it eventually happened -- but at a cost -- & then I noticed all the parts had different wear tear & patina - it bothered me so much that I parted it back out & eventually found a complete bicycle which I still own to this day --

     The hobby is a small world -- I have a rolling inventory in my head of what I need to finish off some of my projects -- Well - I was at a local swap meet here in California & I ran across a 1936 Schwinn motorbike tank at around 8:30 am -- so I snapped it up -- that afternoon around 1:30 pm I had a call from a guy in Chicago who needed a tank for his project ( he heard that I found one at the swap ) -- WOW what a small World -- I kept it for my project - but it made me realize how difficult it could be to find some parts -- patience is the key -- Good Luck on the quest --


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