# 1930 Columbia Arch Bar Roadster Model No. H-8 - My 2013 Build Project



## Gary Mc (Aug 17, 2012)

Started this in the Pre-1933 section but moving it here since it will be a long-term build I will be documenting.  

Here she is, fork is wrong and will be changed but this is my next build, a 1930 Columbia Arch Bar.  This bike frame was purchased from Blue Nelson and was part of his "Secret Stash".  This bike will be a very LONG-TERM build but already had 2 hard to find parts for it when I bought the frame.  It will go back to original specs & will be a great match to my 1930 Hartford. BTW: The fork is a 1938-41 Colson fork that will be up for sale shortly & many thanks to Phil Marshall for identifying it. 






Thought I'd share the 2 parts I have so far:

(1) *Columbia Wings Ornament* - Used on new Columbia bicycles mounted on front of handlebar stem from 1929-1931.










(2) *Columbia Pedals* - Columbia used these from 1925 (I believe) through 1930 (am sure changed in 1931 to new style pedal).  They are aluminum frames.  Patent date of Dec. 16, 1924.  The rubber pedal blocks are hard as coal and falling apart.  They are the same exact size as Torrington 10s but completely different in that they had slots on outer edges rather than a shaft down the middle.  They had a square cutout down the middle to be flexible enough to force them in the frame.  Also had Columbia script on them in center of pedal block top & bottom.  They also came in red block versions.  _*Any ideas on how to get reproductions of these pedal blocks?*_ I have a fear these will have to be custom made unless someone has NOS blocks or other ideas.  I have thought of altering Torrington 10 blocks to fit but would rather have exact match.  I am being very careful with the one that is still intact in case molds have to be made but crossing my fingers on other options.














*Finally color & pattern on paint will be original as well.  I will be going with Berkshire Blue with white head & darts on this bike.  Pinstripes will be black where the 2 colors meet.  It also came in the Columbia Carmine color of my 1930 Hartford.  Here's the 1930 B/W version of the catalog page showing the pattern and bike details. *





Here are a couple of pics from the 1931 Columbia catalog which are in color.  The only real changes for 1931 were new saddle, new type pedals, and the Arch Bar got a true Moto-Bike handlebar with the cross brace.  The first pic is the page showing the 1931 Arch Bar in Columbia Carmine color, this is same as color on my 1930 Hartford Camelback.  The second pic is the 1931 Columbia Junior Roadster in Berkshire Blue color.  I share it to show the Berkshire Blue color my Arch Bar will be painted.  This pic also has a good view of the placement of the Columbia Wings ornament.










This bike will also get Ghisallo 700c wood rims if I like them on the Hartford and Electra Amsterdam cream tires. As soon as I finish the Hartford I will start working on this frame getting it prepped probably late this year.  This will be my 2013 project as I need to finish the Hartford first.  Good to have projects.....


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## Adamtinkerer (Aug 17, 2012)

That's gonna be one sweet ride! I think Westfield's truss frame is one of my faves.


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## Gary Mc (Aug 17, 2012)

Adamtinkerer said:


> That's gonna be one sweet ride! I think Westfield's truss frame is one of my faves.




Thanks Adam!!!!!!


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## Freqman1 (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm really digging that winged ornament. I would love to have one of these for my Five Star Super even though it isn't period correct. V/r Shawn


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## Nick-theCut (Aug 18, 2012)

Looks like an awesome project.  I love that your taking your time and seem more concerned with doing it right than doing it in a rush.  I could take a page out of your play book from time to time.  
Keep up the documentary and enjoy the hunt.


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## Gary Mc (Aug 22, 2012)

*EA Labs Klaxon horn - first & only accessory ready for the Columbia*

This  bike will most likely only get one true accessory in order to preserve the clean lines of the arch bar style and it will be an EA Labs Klaxon horn.  I paid too much but it was very clean & had never been on a bike so I jumped on it.  It's the one on the left with the chrome front, the one on the right is NOS and will be going on the 1930 Hartford so both 1930 bikes will get almost matching very clean horns, neither of which have ever been on a bicycle.  I don't know how much truth there is in this but the seller relayed this story on this horn only after I purchased it and I have no reason to doubt the story plus it did come out of the LA area.  The story was not in the description but was only told to me afterwards, he said the horn was purchased & used as a "folly device" for sound effects in old movies & plays and this had never been on a bicycle as that was not what it was originally purchased for. The mounting area is so clean & free of scratches it is obvious it has never been on a bike.  Thought that was a very COOL STORY!!!!!!!!  Anyway it's a good story to add to a bike that was part of Blue's "Secret Stash" that I have no history on until Blue purchased it out of Oklahoma.  If you read my 1930 Hartford thread to date you know by now I like bikes with a story to tell or some history to uncover, I may never know the true history of them, but there's definitely a story in there somewhere.....  Thanks.


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## Gary Mc (Aug 24, 2012)

One more fairly hard to find part found, a very very very good condition pre-1933 Columbia script front hub correct for 1930 Columbia bicycles.  Rear hub would have been a New Departure Model C.

Notice the Columbia script in the center of the hub:





From the 1930 Columbia catalog:


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## 1973rx3 (Aug 24, 2012)

Nice project!!!!!  (I would be interested in the forks when your ready to sell them just PM me).


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## Gary Mc (Aug 24, 2012)

1973rx3 said:


> Nice project!!!!!  (I would be interested in the forks when your ready to sell them just PM me).




Will do, you are the first to express interest.  Thanks.


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## elginkid (Aug 30, 2012)

I don't know if you've checked their site recently or not, but Ghisallo is slowly introducing a Carbon Fiber lining to their wood rims which will allow higher inflation pressures for wood rims.  I consider this quite a valuable improvement, as the wheelbuilder of my wood rims (C.B. Italia, not Ghisallo) threw away the instructions, and I blew off the side of the rim because of overinflation.


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## Larmo63 (Aug 30, 2012)

Cool story, great horns too. Jeez, I thought mine was a pretty clean original;
eBay find, a "buy it now" at a low price, I was at the right place at the right 
time.


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## Gary Mc (Aug 30, 2012)

elginkid said:


> I don't know if you've checked their site recently or not, but Ghisallo is slowly introducing a Carbon Fiber lining to their wood rims which will allow higher inflation pressures for wood rims.  I consider this quite a valuable improvement, as the wheelbuilder of my wood rims (C.B. Italia, not Ghisallo) threw away the instructions, and I blew off the side of the rim because of overinflation.




Thanks Elginkid,  Yes I saw they had added the carbon fiber to I believe the sport profile.  I am close to being ready to order them & plan to ask on the Balloon profile.  I am not a lightweight at 250 lbs so the carbon fiber would be nice.   Thanks again.


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## Gary Mc (Aug 30, 2012)

Larmo63 said:


> Cool story, great horns too. Jeez, I thought mine was a pretty clean original;
> eBay find, a "buy it now" at a low price, I was at the right place at the right
> time.




Larmo63,

Both mine came off ebay too.  One on right I did OK on, one on left was right pricey buy-it-now but too good to pass up.  Glad you are watching this thread since you had a big hand in getting this frame back to LA safely, lost trailer & all, LOL.  Sure it was not funny at the time.  Thanks. - Gary


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