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38-39 Hiawatha Arrow Help Please!

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Sounds like you have a strong plan GTOS: great to see! I would also question replacing an original-to-the-bike seat (in very solid shape) on a bike so unusual to begin with. You will end up freeing up a ton of funds by keeping it and finding a matching paint correct fork, proper Shelby headset hardware and of course the chain guard. Fender may not surface in the same color for, well, maybe ever but you never know.
 
Shon:

You are exactly correct on the frame "options". I was born, raised, and still live in Shelby, where your bike was built. I spoke with many former employees of the factory, and they often used whatever part was sitting around to finish a bike if they ran out of the correct parts.

Tim Newmeyer


Thanks for the reply Tim! That’s about as close to getting it directly from the horse’s mouth that anyone can expect to get👍

Shon
 
Shon:

You are exactly correct on the frame "options". I was born, raised, and still live in Shelby, where your bike was built. I spoke with many former employees of the factory, and they often used whatever part was sitting around to finish a bike if they ran out of the correct parts.

Tim Newmeyer

Good option, I hadn’t thought of that.🤔 I guess I’ll just hold off on sending any of it out until I get the painted stuff cleaned up and decide from there. Thanks Tim.

Shon
 
Shon,
As I said in an earlier post I believe the seat on the bike is probably what it came with. Also like I mentioned a good many of these have been ‘collectorized’ and the Lobdell seats have been added. I’ve also seen many of these, as found, with regular steerhorn bars. Your call though. V/r Shawn

Thanks for the reply Shawn. I’m not at all opposed to using the original seat. I’m 99% positive it is the seat the bike came with and other than the leather it really is in GREAT condition! I it is a Mesinger I think but it is just a little different in the way the horizontal bars attach to the spring support than all of the other Messinger seats that I have been able to find. I would like to ask you a few things as I am here to learn and you know FAR more than me.

(1) What would you do if it were yours?

(2) I’m not all that tall 5’8. Would the Lobdell offer any advantages being able to go down further because of its spring arrangement? I’ve never ridden one of these so…?

(3) MOST importantly. I’m going to be RIDING and putting miles this machine on a regular basis. What is the most comfortable option I have, be it Lobdell, Messinger, or something else while still preserving the style of her and not looking out of place?

Regardless of what I put on the bike, I will have the original seat recovered and it will stay with the bike.

I will post some more detailed pics of progress and the seat tomorrow, we’ll today actually 🙄 I intended to earlier but we had our grand babies over for the evening 😁

Thanks for your help!
Shon
 
Thanks for the reply Shawn. I’m not at all opposed to using the original seat. I’m 99% positive it is the seat the bike came with and other than the leather it really is in GREAT condition! I it is a Mesinger I think but it is just a little different in the way the horizontal bars attach to the spring support than all of the other Messinger seats that I have been able to find. I would like to ask you a few things as I am here to learn and you know FAR more than me.

(1) What would you do if it were yours?

(2) I’m not all that tall 5’8. Would the Lobdell offer any advantages being able to go down further because of its spring arrangement? I’ve never ridden one of these so…?

(3) MOST importantly. I’m going to be RIDING and putting miles this machine on a regular basis. What is the most comfortable option I have, be it Lobdell, Messinger, or something else while still preserving the style of her and not looking out of place?

Regardless of what I put on the bike, I will have the original seat recovered and it will stay with the bike.

I will post some more detailed pics of progress and the seat tomorrow, we’ll today actually 🙄 I intended to earlier but we had our grand babies over for the evening 😁

Thanks for your help!
Shon
I’d keep the original seat and have it professionally recovered and you can always knock it back a little to match the bike but it isn’t really necessary if you leave the chassis alone. The Lobdell offers no height advantage and you have plenty of room with these frames for your height. I personally feel the Mesinger B1 to be the most comfortable prewar saddle generally available. Jus my 2c. V/r Shawn
 
It is great news to hear you wish to save the original paint!
If you want better chrome I would recommend finding period correct parts that have chrome to your standards and swap them out with your originals. The only pricey chrome piece will be the bars and you are already missing them.
Good luck!
I think the bars he has are correct. Just looked at the first page of the post 😎
 
Finally here are some update pics.
Shon

B7273B93-BC7C-45D1-AB38-52276217694F.jpeg


8FF9CA29-8794-44B5-9C9D-960E3490E975.jpeg


3B62BC9A-4673-4DA9-8D51-9141B04F0867.jpeg


65493103-31D2-428C-8F5F-45BBE04265DA.jpeg
 
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