# 1947 CWC Comet clean up



## DonChristie (Feb 5, 2021)

This is a late 46/Early 47 CWC Comet in original paint. I got it from a lady who was selling it for the original owner. I drove 8 hrs to get it. He bought the bike new when he was 15, for his paper route in Chicago. It was his pride and joy! It looks like its all original. All I plan on doing is cleaning it up, grease it and make it roadworthy. And of course, ride it! So I thought on this resto I would log how I prefer to do it it through a post. Heres pics of how she looked when I got her.


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## DonChristie (Feb 5, 2021)

I know some would say, just remove the basket and leave it. I just cant do that! I have to meticulously clean everything! But she does look way better without it!


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## DonChristie (Feb 5, 2021)

She is complying with me getting to know her better. She gladly gave up her pedals and gland nut on her crank! Rims almost fell of by themselves!


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## jimbo53 (Feb 5, 2021)

DonChristie said:


> I know some would say, just remove the basket and leave it. I just cant do that! I have to meticulously clean everything! But she does look way better without it!
> 
> View attachment 1352401
> 
> View attachment 1352402



That is a BEAUTIFUL original bike! Nice get!


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## CWCMAN (Feb 5, 2021)

Original paint? Looks like the underside of fenders are a maroon color. Also the chain guard screw visible in the picture above is painted over.


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## 1953BelAir (Feb 5, 2021)

Very nice Don, well worth the drive to pick it up. Can’t wait to see it cleaned up.


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## DonChristie (Feb 5, 2021)

Yep! Upon closer inspection, it is indeed a repaint. Kinda bummed about that. Looks like it was redone awhile ago. Still going to clean it up and ride her!


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## Rides4Fun (Feb 5, 2021)

Awesome find and I bet the drive to and fro was smiles for miles!   To me, the repaint shows just  how much the bike was valued in the past.  Seems like that is often overlooked with modern-day stuff!


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## DonChristie (Feb 7, 2021)

I always like to cleanup the painted parts first.


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## tacochris (Feb 8, 2021)

I was talking with someone about that just yesterday....Sometimes when the repaints are old enough, they develop a patina and character of their own so I find that helps me make peace with that.  In your case, by what red is showing, it doesnt look like they prepped it very well before the repaint so you may be able to remove the blue and have a semi-decent original paint foundation to blend and work with.  Its always a gamble though...it could be solid under there or rough and patchy.  My old Columbia paperboy special had 4 thick coats of paint but it took me a week and I had it back to the original black and even brought out the chain guard decals....


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## DonChristie (Feb 9, 2021)

A little more suckcess cleaning painted parts. This is kind of like being stuck in hell, nice bike to work on but its a repaint!


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## ozzie (Feb 9, 2021)

DonChristie said:


> A little more suckcess cleaning painted parts. This is kind of like being stuck in hell, nice bike to work on but its a repaint!
> 
> View attachment 1354548



Appreciate it for what it is. Can’t find classic usa bikes in Australia. The three i have i had to pay a heap to get them here and they were only frames. You guys have got it too good! Enjoy it mate, its a unique killer bike i would love to own .


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## all riders (Feb 9, 2021)

I have seen ONE of these that was green from the factory- -all others were either black/white or, like my '46, the wine/white combo that yours appears to have been. In '47 there would have been a "dart" on the top bar emanating from the steerer and the detail on the fork blades would be thee lines with the middle one being longest. ---I would have bought that bike in a second; the paint doesn't bother me one bit


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## Oilit (Mar 2, 2021)

DonChristie said:


> A little more suckcess cleaning painted parts. This is kind of like being stuck in hell, nice bike to work on but its a repaint!
> 
> View attachment 1354548



Sheesh! You thought it looked great until you realized it wasn't original. I still think it looks great, if it made a kid happy 70 years ago then good for him!


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## DonChristie (Mar 2, 2021)

Thanks @Oilit Joel, its coming along pretty nicely! I am just leaving it but all cleaned up. I believe this repaint was done with a brush! Atleast the Blue. Look under the rack, you can see the original color and what appears to be brush strokes. If only bikes could talk!


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## GTs58 (Mar 2, 2021)

Damn nice brush job! Not to many can brush paint a bike in oil and make it look that nice.


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## REC (Mar 2, 2021)

One of the coolest repaint bikes I've seen. Cleaning it up is only doing it justice! Bad to the bone!! 
REC


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## Superman1984 (Mar 3, 2021)

@DonChristie At Least It's Not Red! Glad to see you didn't strip it back. I like it & if it was a Good job assembled for a Decent price you can live with for the quality of the bike; jus' run a magnet over it & continue to make a cleaned up Rider/Roller.


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## DonChristie (Mar 29, 2021)

Well here she is all done and looking good. Such nice lines on her! Enjoy!


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## Oilit (Mar 29, 2021)

DonChristie said:


> Well here she is all done and looking good. Such nice lines on her! Enjoy!
> 
> View attachment 1381961
> 
> ...



Those bikes do have nice lines! Excellent work!


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## Superman1984 (Mar 29, 2021)

@DonChristie I know there was some disappointment but it turned out to be a nice looker & I bet it rides well.


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## kentercanyon (Mar 29, 2021)

Keep in mind the original owner needed the headlight to deliver the morning papers.  I remember what a chore that was, wrapping the papers with the rubber bands, riding the 'hood and tossing them out.  Then the worst part, collecting the money from stingy people you'd busted your tail to serve.


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## Oilit (Mar 30, 2021)

kentercanyon said:


> Keep in mind the original owner needed the headlight to deliver the morning papers.  I remember what a chore that was, wrapping the papers with the rubber bands, riding the 'hood and tossing them out.  Then the worst part, collecting the money from stingy people you'd busted your tail to serve.



Do you think that's what the basket was for? I hadn't thought of that.


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## DonChristie (Mar 30, 2021)

Oilit said:


> Do you think that's what the basket was for? I hadn't thought of that.



I bet thats what he filled in the basket! I did a paper route as a kid for a short while. What a pain that was rolling, rubber banding and filling your bags full. I remember the bags swaying while riding and the empty bags catching in your wheels. Oh, and the dead beat paper readers not wanting to pay monthly! Ugh! Good times! lol


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## kentercanyon (Mar 30, 2021)

Oilit said:


> Do you think that's what the basket was for? I hadn't thought of that.



Of course! There's a reason non-bike people still call generic 26" bikes "paper boy bikes."  On Sundays you would do half the route and then have to come home for the second round of papers. That basket would have been overflowing.


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## Royalflushmz (Mar 31, 2021)

That's Sweeeeeeet!!!


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## skiptooth (Mar 31, 2021)

Super nice 3 gill comet very nice!! enjoy..


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## tacochris (Mar 31, 2021)

Honestly, i think in this case the repaint gets a pass because it somewhat gives the bike its own character.  Its almost like a finger print from the owner and part of its history.  
Came out really awesome!


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## Ernbar (Apr 16, 2021)

Amazing brush work indeed and the bars cleaned up incredibly. That is one head turner.


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## The Carolina Rambler (Apr 16, 2021)

DonChristie said:


> I bet thats what he filled in the basket! I did a paper route as a kid for a short while. What a pain that was rolling, rubber banding and filling your bags full. I remember the bags swaying while riding and the empty bags catching in your wheels. Oh, and the dead beat paper readers not wanting to pay monthly! Ugh! Good times! lol



Hey, you know I saw you and that bike at the Denton Antique Show.  I saw you riding it, and that thing is awesome!  When I came across this thread, I recognized the bike, it really is a head turner, probably one of the nicest bikes I saw there that day.


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