fordmike65
Riding a '37 Colson Imperial
When a picker in MN posted a picture of this bike, it instantly caught my eye. I have a thing for weird frames, and these Hawthorne Twin Bars do not disappoint. He was fishing for offers and info, so of course I helped with both. After sharing pics and details about his new find, I found out my offers were blown away by a collector in another country. I was bummed to say the least...until I see him post it up again a few months later. I messaged him right away...It was still available! He had issues trying to get it packed and shipped, and the potential buyer backed out of the sale. Luckily, he accepted my previous offer, but did not want to pack and ship. I put my feelers out and within a couple of days @ratrodz had a friend lined up who was more than happy to help out.
Before it arrived, I had planned to do a thorough clean up, polish, and a lil de-rusting. Well, upon unboxing it, I changed my mind. I decided to "leave it be"...completely(except for adding the missing dropstand, clip and grips). Who was I to molest what Mother Nature had created? Nope. All it would get is a full mechanical service. That's it. No outside cleaning was done. Most of the Minnesota dirt, grime and dust are intact. Even remnants of MN air remain in the original tubes and Wards Riverside Mates. She rolls surprisingly smooth and stops on a dime. Eventually I may swap in some more modern rubber, but only the cotton cord in those prewar tires knows if that will be sooner or later.
Before it arrived, I had planned to do a thorough clean up, polish, and a lil de-rusting. Well, upon unboxing it, I changed my mind. I decided to "leave it be"...completely(except for adding the missing dropstand, clip and grips). Who was I to molest what Mother Nature had created? Nope. All it would get is a full mechanical service. That's it. No outside cleaning was done. Most of the Minnesota dirt, grime and dust are intact. Even remnants of MN air remain in the original tubes and Wards Riverside Mates. She rolls surprisingly smooth and stops on a dime. Eventually I may swap in some more modern rubber, but only the cotton cord in those prewar tires knows if that will be sooner or later.
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