# Yeah - I got it bad. can you help?



## chuckspeed (Jul 28, 2008)

Guys - 

Been into bicycles since Pop brought home a straight bar Spitfire when I was six for me to learn on; graduated to a Sears Spyder when I mastered the Spitfire.  I know - priorities in the wrong place. Damned near killed myself on Mom's Rollfast on a gravel road; the result is the marque sticks 

Anyway - by the time I was 15, I had a bike business going on out of the barn behind the house - had enough parts on hand to build a couple dozen vintage bikes - cantilever frames, truss forks, springers - you name it.  

Wish I had that stuff now.  

Fast forward - I'm moving to Key West, and a bike isthe preferred way to get around down there. Soo...I'm rebuilding my collection, working back from the 70's. Have lightweights and middleweights from Schwinn, but really wanted another Rollfast.  Had a specific one in mind - a balloon tank bike from the 50's - a Rollfast, of course!  Lo and behold, one came up on Ebay recently...its on its way home very soon.

Can you help with identification?  Fender light does not match anything I've seen on a Rollfast - nor does the springer.  Fenders look like they were chrome once; since this bike is going to the land of salt spray - I'm thinking painted fenders would be okay - or should they stay chrome?  Chainguard is the right stamping - but wrong color scheme.  Any assistance on the graphic would be appreciated. 

finally - what year?  I'm guessing between '52 and '57; the parts that throw me off are the chainring and the fenders. Seems like later stuff, but I can't find any examples.  

This will be a rider - I average about 60 miles a week on the island, rotating the current stock, but I really wanted a springer Rollfast, which means others are gonna be lonely soon...

thanks in advance, 

Chuck.


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## suhrsc (Jul 29, 2008)

i can't help ya chuck
  but that sure is a nice looking bike! 

you know these old things look good parked beside roadsters


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## Gordon (Jul 29, 2008)

*Rollfast*

Here is a bike that looks something like yours. Mine is badged as a Hawthorne, but has the typical Rollfast chain ring. I have identified mine as being a 1958 from catalog reprints.


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## chuckspeed (Jul 29, 2008)

Gordon -

Nice bike!

What's throwing me on mine is the headlamp, the tricolor on the tank and the chainring. Saddle colored seat and brass nameplate look to be early 50's; graphic and chrome fenders late 50's. 

Sine the bike is going to the land of salt - is it sacriledge to paint the fenders with an earlier Rollfast paint scheme - like black with white darts and red border pinstriping?



Gordon said:


> Here is a bike that looks something like yours. Mine is badged as a Hawthorne, but has the typical Rollfast chain ring. I have identified mine as being a 1958 from catalog reprints.


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## suhrsc (Jul 29, 2008)

chuck
i guess this is your "all around" thread???
so, is this what your after for a custom build?


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## Aeropsycho (Jul 29, 2008)

*Yes I can!*

Here are pics of the Rollfast that is pretty darn close to yours!  

It was at our ride last April.

Your is pretty correct the fenders are right too it should be late 40s check in the Evolution of the Bicycle ad pages as well... 

Hey, suhrsc! Now Your Showing Off!!! 


J...


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## Aeropsycho (Jul 29, 2008)

*Whoops!*

Pics!!!

This forum pics settings...SUCK!

J...


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## Aeropsycho (Jul 29, 2008)

*Again!*

More BLA BLA BLA...


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## chuckspeed (Jul 29, 2008)

Don't blame Zach - I asked him for that layout; he used this thread as a place to post it.  Proportions look a bit odd; would prefer the top bar and second bar to be level if at all possible. 

As for the Rollfast - Thanks!  That's what I have, save for straight chrome stays on the luggage rack and a curved star pattern on the chainring.  there are differences - but it's pretty close!



Aeropsycho said:


> Here are pics of the Rollfast that is pretty darn close to yours!
> 
> It was at our ride last April.
> 
> ...


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## chuckspeed (Jul 29, 2008)

FWIW - I bought one of Zack's cars about a year ago and finished it off - while off topic, here's a pic of it.  All parts are prior to 1950.


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## suhrsc (Jul 29, 2008)

thanks chuck,
   sorry....didnt mean to show off...
  I'll try to p-m the drawings from now on


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## Aeropsycho (Jul 29, 2008)

*You Can Post what you Want!!!*

Zack,  I was just teasing you SORRY 

I really think you could make some money doing this metal stuff... No Joke! 

That is a beautiful Car!!! :eek:


J...


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## suhrsc (Jul 29, 2008)

haha, ok.... glad all is well


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## Aeropsycho (Jul 29, 2008)

*Hmmmm*

I wish you lived out here these want a be Hot Rodders could learn sumtin!

I have a belly tank hanging in my garage...  I know you could do a few metal tricks on that... 

J...


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## chuckspeed (Jul 29, 2008)

There are many parallels between traditional rodders and classic bicycle enthisiasts; we are cut from a similar cloth. 

One of my early memories is Pop repainting an old Huffman as he could't afford a 'new' bike. If I recall right, he tossed the tank to make the bike more modern - HA!  

I'm always surprised at how well these old bikes ride - not at all like the cheap chinese crap pushed by Wally world. Quality of materials plus fit and finish do not compare. 

Rode a chinese rental cruiser in Del Mar today - pedals shot, bottom bracket loose and the fork so tweaked the bike pulled a hard right the moment I took my hands off the bars. My Typhoon can damn near jump curbs no - handed. The rental guy's excuse?  'Eh - it's a cruiser - whaddya expect?

A tight, electric motor smooth, arrow-straight ride is what I expect. If a 37 year old bike rescued from oblivion can deliver that, then a Wal-mart wonder should, too. 

But wait - I forget - they have no soul.


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## suhrsc (Jul 30, 2008)

guess i'll post the current rendering here again
  its close to a 30" stroke length extended
8" high BB and about 45-3/8" wheelbase


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 30, 2008)

your kink in the top tube is kinda tight here is something for reference.















Scott


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## suhrsc (Jul 30, 2008)

thanks 37....i knew it looked tight
   does this look better?


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## chuckspeed (Jul 30, 2008)

Works for me!  37 - thanks for the pics; was trying to describe the tank in the pic below the Henderson ads, as this would be the correct 'look' for the bike.  Handlebars aren't right, either - I saw a set on a 1920 velo model Pope which are what I have in mind - not much setback, grips nearly vertical. 

No I have to figure out how to build the Indian springer from scratch - was thinking of using a Hawthorne vertical springer, but the bike looks 'right' with the Indian config.


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## suhrsc (Jul 30, 2008)

i think possibly a snowmobile leaf spring cut in half?

with a threaded bung inside the steertube to pull it tight then just weld the legs off the bottom
pivots and all the moving bits wouldn't be bad to make either

i've been thinking of trying it on mine
  im sure alot of time would be involved but it would be cool when its done!


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## chuckspeed (Jul 30, 2008)

If U look closely at the springers on PowerPlus Indians, there's a loop to the spring at the pivot end; the loop provided a low initial spring rate to make the ride quality of a leaf- spring suspension less harsh. Omitting the loop - especially with the rear weight bias of the design - would make the springer virtually inoperative. That's why the Hawthorne vert springer is a viable option; looks like a Harley JD fork - kinda.  



suhrsc said:


> i think possibly a snowmobile leaf spring cut in half?
> 
> with a threaded bung inside the steertube to pull it tight then just weld the legs off the bottom
> pivots and all the moving bits wouldn't be bad to make either
> ...


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## suhrsc (Jul 30, 2008)

well, inporable might be a viable option with the pedals so low to the ground!  
something will work though....just need to find it


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