# Weekend Silver Streak project



## volksboy57 (Mar 27, 2020)

Since there is no way I could easily find, or afford getting this Wards Silver Streak to be correct, I'll just make it a rider to get it back on the road. So, here is my weekend plan:



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I have a nice silverking that will be donating parts until original parts are found. I'll be keeping all the parts in case I want to rebuild the silverking down the line.
I know that this bike might be an abomination to some people, and I am ok with that.
Here are some more photos of the frame. Thanks @silverking surfer !


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## 1motime (Mar 27, 2020)

Good starting point.  Have fun!


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## Balloonatic (Mar 27, 2020)

That's a fine idea, do it!! Please post pix when you have her up and riding?


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## volksboy57 (Mar 27, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> That's a fine idea, do it!! Please post pix when you have her up and riding?



You bet! Oh, I love your M1 by the way, I hope you don't part it!


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## volksboy57 (Mar 28, 2020)

Just getting started! 
Let's get those out


Here is what we are gonna do



Getting stuck in.



Hmm, not the best fender, up close...



Heyaaa! Boom, the bike exploded



Here is my serial, if you were curious



Hmm, first real snag. This bearing cup pourith over. I'll try to save it. Good thing I didn't lose any bearings! This grease in here is like glue! Bleh!



Now, it is lunchtime  gonna clean these bearings up, soak the chain a bit, and start back up!


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## 1motime (Mar 28, 2020)

volksboy57 said:


> Just getting started!
> Let's get those outView attachment 1162980
> Here is what we are gonna do
> View attachment 1162983
> ...



Cool project!  Loose bearings are available at a good hardware store.  A bit pricey but it makes a huge difference.  I know.  Pulled them apart twice after trying to cut corners!


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## volksboy57 (Mar 28, 2020)

Cleaning mode activated!









Tucked the wire inside the housing, for later.






Had to drill a hole to mount the reflector...  



Um, the rear fender holes dont line up to the frame, so I'll have to drill another hole... :'(
Also, looks like a bolt is broken off in the frame. I'm going to attempt some light surgery; wish me luck!


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## 1motime (Mar 28, 2020)

Good luck!


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## volksboy57 (Mar 28, 2020)

Snapped off a drill bit going in there! Luckily I got that out, and now have a hole. Will have to tap this when I get back to it. May Mickey mouse something just to get this thing together tonight.


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## volksboy57 (Mar 28, 2020)

Another snag! The bearing cups are different in the head tube, so I swapped them out. Dont worry, I didn't ding up the frame.



Also this is intersting... the width of the bottom bracket is narrower than the other silverking. I was worried I'd run out of threads!



So, it is together, but not tight and rideable just yet. Was doing a test fitting. Will have to tap holes for the fenders. I had a hard time getting the rear fender braces over the rear hub axles. The geometry of the frame forced me to run them inside the rear fork... here is the best pictures I could get, as I lost the daylight.






I'll get more pictures tomorrow.


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## Just Jeff (Mar 28, 2020)

Love those frames!


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## Hammerhead (Mar 29, 2020)

Very cool, nice lines on those frames. Looks great!
Hammerhead


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## Sven (Mar 29, 2020)

Wow..
Great job


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## Rides4Fun (Mar 29, 2020)

Your effort really paid off, looks very nice!  Can’t wait to see more pics.


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## volksboy57 (Mar 29, 2020)

Just a quick double check that things were tight, swapped out the grips and took it for a spin around the neighborhood. I even honked at a neighbor and made him laugh.


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## Balloonatic (Mar 29, 2020)

Came out great, nice job! Lovely to see that frame up and running. 

I was going to sell my M1 complete, but I think the timing is off with this lockdown thing... so going to hold onto it for now. I'll try my best not to part it, it's a nice orig. bike, but we'll see. I really don't have room for it... maybe will post for sale on the CABE for a sweetheart price and someone will snap it up and keep it together. 

My first idea was to try and find a bare wingbar frame like yours to put all the parts on, just like what you did, but couldn't find a bare frame. 

I do have an original wingbar already though, so abandoned that idea when I couldn't find a frame. 

Thanks for sharing your project @volksboy57, nice to see it come together. 

I'm guessing by your handle you have or love a '57 Volkswagen? I had a nice oval window ragtop many years ago, but replaced it with this...


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## volksboy57 (Mar 29, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> Came out great, nice job! Lovely to see that frame up and running.
> 
> I was going to sell my M1 complete, but I think the timing is off with this lockdown thing... so going to hold onto it for now. I'll try my best not to part it, it's a nice orig. bike, but we'll see. I really don't have room for it... maybe will post for sale on the CABE for a sweetheart price and someone will snap it up and keep it together.
> 
> ...



Holy smokes! What a beautiful car! I probably would've made the same trade!
Here's my lil bug:



Good to hear you are keeping the M1, it is sweet for sure. Show me your wingbar


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## mrg (Mar 29, 2020)

Ya, went thru the same thing with my 38 Mahowald Silver King, was using a different SK crank and the outer bearing nut screwed all the way in past the threads inside the crank, talk about a pain trying to get nut started back on threads which was dangling on the center of the crank inside bottom bracket ( if that makes sense ), never had to measure crank thread or BB widths, oh well, Great bike, I would love to get one of those frames to build!, I'll throw in my VW also


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## volksboy57 (Mar 29, 2020)

mrg said:


> Ya, went thru the same thing with my 38 Mahowald Silver King, was using a different SK crank and the outer bearing nut screwed all the way in past the threads inside the crank, talk about a pain trying to get nut started back on threads which was dangling on the center of the crank inside bottom bracket ( if that makes sense ), never had to measure crank thread or BB widths, oh well, Great bike, I would love to get one of those frames to build!, I'll throw in my VW also  View attachment 1164480
> 
> View attachment 1164481



Yikes, I better check how far that nut is screwed in, because that problem sounds really tough.
Yes, send a pic of your bus! I saw it at the last long beach swap. You have great bikes!


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## mrg (Mar 29, 2020)

Thanks, just added the VW pics. you better ck, when I laid the cranks out you could see the difference in thread length ( I never noticed that before ) a shorter space between the 2 threads on the crank!


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## Balloonatic (Mar 31, 2020)

My wingbar... all original. I managed to get the original seat back for it too but haven't had time to take new pix... orig. paint fenders, and lights/horn work too.. I got very lucky getting this one.

Nice oval @volksboy57! And nice bus @mrg.. love them bugs.


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## volksboy57 (Mar 31, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> My wingbar... all original. I managed to get the original seat back for it too but haven't had time to take new pix... orig. paint fenders, and lights/horn work too.. I got very lucky getting this one.
> 
> Nice oval @volksboy57! And nice bus @mrg.. love them bugs.
> 
> ...



wow! what a beauty! It is so perfect! Did you put the hole guard on it since you got the bike? I was thinking of using a hole guard, but haven't seen one of these using one.


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## Balloonatic (Mar 31, 2020)

No, the hole guard was on it... they were an upgrade in the catalog. The bike is as found, except it had a repro rack on it, otherwise I'm told it's as it left the store.  I'm in touch with the collector who found it originally, he said he only added the NOS G3 whitewalls,  the rest was untouched as he found it. The original seat was swapped out with a restored one by a second party who I actually got the bike from, he also added the repro rack, but he was known for doing that kind of stuff... I removed the rack and was eventually able to repatriate the original seat with the bike... will get some photos of it soon.

Unlike the Silver King M137, the Wards Silver Streak didn't come with a rack. It's shown in ads and the catalog without it. Like the chain guard, I'm sure you could add the rack but as shown in the catalog and from Wards they came without it. Here is a period photo @fordmike65 posted with a SIlver Streak and the hole guard. It's set up just like mine, even with the finned front hub. Who knows why the bars and headlight are covered, maybe he was going to ride it in the rain?


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## volksboy57 (Mar 31, 2020)

That is very cool. I think ill upgrade my bike 
I noticed that the Wards version didn't have the rack. Because my bike is so far from stock, if I found a rack, I would probably put it on, because they are good looking. If I built the bike up stock, I would not have a rack. Thanks for the info, and the cool picture! What a lucky kid!


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## Balloonatic (Mar 31, 2020)

Fur sure... I like the hole guard on it too. The racks look killer on most wingbars and silver kings, you're right; had it been an original though and not a repro on my bike I would have left it on, but since it was clearly a repop I pulled it off of there to show off that beautiful original paint fender and showcase the wings at the rear dropouts, the rack stays cluttered the back and distracted from those wings. Removing it also highlighted the teardrop tail light, suddenly it looked like it was floating back there all by itself. I ended up putting the rack on my M1 and it really looks great. 

Your wingbar is looking great now and best of all you can ride it and it looks complete. It's so nice to see that frame as a complete bike rather than hanging in the shed... bravo! It was the right call.


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## cbustapeck (Jun 10, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> Came out great, nice job! Lovely to see that frame up and running.
> 
> I was going to sell my M1 complete, but I think the timing is off with this lockdown thing... so going to hold onto it for now. I'll try my best not to part it, it's a nice orig. bike, but we'll see. I really don't have room for it... maybe will post for sale on the CABE for a sweetheart price and someone will snap it up and keep it together.
> 
> ...



Is that a Tatra ?!


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