# Is this as bad as it looks?



## Stinky_Sullivan (May 21, 2013)

Supposedly a Columbia 500. I don't have a serial number yet.

Sometimes a piles of trash is worth it just for the parts. Is this worth $30?


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## partsguy (May 21, 2013)

In parts, yes. If that sissy bar is solid and in one piece, that may triple your money and that seat (if in good shape) is worth a pretty penny, too!


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 21, 2013)

The serial number makes it a 1969. I'm waiting to find out if it still has the head badge. I can't imagine those forks are anything but modified.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 21, 2013)

I think this might be worth playing with. I'm gonna have to do some research. Here's the head badge.


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## MrColumbia (May 22, 2013)

These were a cheaper variation of the 1969 "Mach 20/16" having the same frame but lacking the "steering wheel" handle bar and drum front brake. I think they were sold in Firestone dealerships.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 22, 2013)

I found an ad for the Mach bike. I think this seat is original since it's the same style. Being the cheaper version, would it have had the back rest?





The fork modification isn't permanent. Another set of forks have been jammed onto the bike to extended the forks. That's the way it was done when I was a kid.

The rear tire is a slick and says TRELLEBORG in bold red letters. I think the bike will clean up pretty good. It's just missing the front fender and chain guard.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 22, 2013)

A brief eBay search suggest parts will be hard to come by. I'd have to buy a more expensive bike to cannibalize parts from. That would be like taking parts from a Mustang to fix a Pinto. Ain't doing that.


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## MrColumbia (May 22, 2013)

If you found a Mach 20/16 in nice condition it would be worth quite a bit. I'm sure you are correct that the 500 would be worth less. In my opinion 60's muscle bikes are not worth restoring. Fix this one up the best you can but it's not worth spending tons' on the exact seat it had from the factory. Get a good fork for it, clean it up and have fun with it. These were pretty cool bikes back in 69 with the smaller front wheel and the elongated frame. 


Take a look at the new "Muscle Bike" page  http://vintagecolumbiabikes.com/id119.html I have on my site. There were a bunch of variations with this frame.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 22, 2013)

I've concluded that the seat on this bike is original. It's one of the styles used and it matches the grips. All of the Mach bikes had a padded back rest. I would not be surprised if this model never had it since it's a lower end model. I can undo to fork modification. No need to replace the fork as long as the front drop outs are OK. I'm betting they are. It's missing the chain guard, front fender, and coaster brake bracket. I expect all the rust will clean off well enough. The chrome suffered but all the pieces are sound. New tubes and tires is all it will need to be ridable again. I'll get a chain guard and front fender if I can get them cheap and it doesn't matter if they are correct for the bike as long as they fit.

I'll be in Daytona this weekend so it will be 3 weeks after that before I get to do anything to the bike. I'll shotgun the repairs. I'll take the bike completely apart and clean all the grease off. I'll fill the tub with water, add in powdered oxalic acid, and put in as many pieces as I can. That should take care of the rust. With luck, I can take it from rust bucket to rider in about 36 hrs.


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## MrColumbia (May 22, 2013)

I've been looking and can't find any documentation on the 500. I did find an ad for the Christmas Special for 1969, the "COLORWHEEL" which was a Playbike with green tires on the boys and blue tires on the girls model. They would try just about anything to make a sale. 1969 seems to have been the pinnacle of the muscle bike wars with just about every combination conceivable having been tried.   

Still, we all tried more modification like your fork mod. If we were lucky someone had an older brother or father to weld up fork tubes backward on the existing fork. If not we would drill holes and bolt them on. The longer we could make the fork the better. Choppers rule!

Good luck with your chopper.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 22, 2013)

I found a picture of a 1964 Columbia 500 road bike.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/boysrus/salvage finds/198_9878.jpg


I'm inclined to think there was a 500 version of each style. Since the economy bikes didn't bring big profits, they wouldn't have wasted money printing literature for them.


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