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1948 JC Higgins

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Very nice bike-hard to believe that batwing light survived in such good shape. Always like those rear reflectors on the front fender-a unique Higgins touch!!
 
Progress on the rear rim. Lots of heavy rust to remove even after the OA bath.
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The lower bearing cup for the fork has dimples in the race from the ball bearings. It happened when the fork was bent in a crash.
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I do have a nice replacement cup.
 
Progress on the frame after an OA bath. Long process of wiping away rust with WD-40 prior to working with compound on bringing a little more color back.
Edit: These pictures are during the WD-40 wipe down. I still have to do the compound for the color.


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Its lookin good, oh and whats an OA bath?
I use cleaning vinegar to de-rust old parts is it the same thing?
 
Its lookin good, oh and whats an OA bath?
I use cleaning vinegar to de-rust old parts is it the same thing?

OA is oxalic acid. Otherwise known as wood bleach. It's sold in powdered form and is mixed with water. It removes rust. Search oxalic acid on the forum, there are a few threads in the restoration section on how to use it and the effects it has.

Unfortunately the fenders weren't painted as well as the frame by Murray. Doesn't look like any primer was used, and it's real thin. The paint came back well on the frame but the fenders still look brown. The tank also had a poor paint job from new.

Pics coming soon. The frame was waxed tonight as well as the fenders and fork. Wheels are done except for reassembling the hubs.
 
Some folks have said that OA will wash out the red but it looks like this held up pretty good! @New Mexico Brant V/r Shawn

Actually it does wash out the red a little bit. But this one was so rusty it was worth the risk. I just kept an eye on the painted parts while they soaked. The frame held up ok. The tank and fenders not as well. The fenders had little maroon paint left, and stayed kinda brown. The tank graphics didn't hold up well either and I couldn't leave the tank in long enough to remove the rust. Neither the fenders or tank appear to have been painted with any primer. The paint on them wasn't as good as the frame paint.
 
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