I picked this up a few years ago along with a slew of other parts, the seller said "It's all there except for the front wheel".
I tried checking the serial numbers, but they don't fit any on the chart here? (J810484)
The frame was stripped of all but its crankset and kickstand when I got it, I found the chainguard in one box, the forks in another, a green 'S' saddle tagged 'American', and a chrome rear S7 wheel with an RB1 hub, plus two Bendix cable shifted 2 speed hubs also in the box with the fork.
I soaked the whole frame in Evaporust and polished it up the best I could, the paint is rough but I'm not big on repainting my bikes unless its a total mess covered in house paint or something.
In the lot I also found a set of blue painted fenders and a set of chrome fenders, both are four brace fenders that the last owner had tagged "American".
On problem I'm having is that the 'American' chainguard, which appears to match color wise, don't fit the frame. The front and rear tab holes are 17 13/16" apart, the chain guard will only span about 16 1/8" max.
I also have an early, same style Tiger chain guard and that won't fit the frame either, nor will one from a newer, 65ish Typhoon. The later CG sits proud of the entire chain by about 1/4".
On the CG I have, seen in the pics below, if I attach it to the front hole, the entire CG sits above the chain and too far forward, as if its set up for a huge chain ring not the 46t on it now.
If I attached the rear bracket to the rear tab, the CG sits correctly but the front hole is roughly 3/4" too far rearward for it to align with the frame. (If I redrill a new hole further forward on the CG front bracket, it would work and sit correctly).
The frame has a flat raised rear brake bridge, how did that attach to the rear fender on these? The painted fenders have no mount or hole there, the chrome set have a single hole similar to a later Typhoon.
I had assumed it to be an American when I found the chain guard and the fact that its got the checkerboard style seat post decal to match a 56-57 American. But it appears to be set up for a rear caliper, meaning it would have had a 3 speed hub, but I see no marks from that bracket every being used or were there any shifter guide or pulley marks on the paint.
The forks and frame are slightly wider than my 65 or 72 Typhoon, with a pair of S2 coaster brake wheels with 26x2.125 tires, I have plenty of room, even with fenders. With the balloon tires, there's 1.5" between the brake bridge and the tire all the way back, there's 9/16" of space on both sides of the tire at the chain stays, much more at the seat stays. The forks have about 9/16" or so on each side with about 1" to the surface of the fender retainer bolt in the bottom of the steer tube.
Maybe this isn't a middleweight? If not, what is it?
From what I can tell looking at the 56-57-58 catalogs, its decaled like a 57 American, and it appears that all American models were kickback two speeds, and didn't have a rear caliper, this frame seems to have been made for a caliper. Did they use this brake bridge on bikes with coaster brakes?
Any idea on the serial number? It don't seem to match anything, its closest to a 1958 but I eliminated that because they don't show an American in '58.
The blue paint is the newer blue, with a silver base coat and red primer, so from what I can tell that puts it after 1956 when they changed the color listing in the catalogs from Opal Blue to Opalescent Blue.
Any ideas as to what this may be if it indeed isn't an American?
Did earlier middleweights have wider frames and forks than those in the 60's?
Here's a few pics:
As found
After cleaning
Serial number on left dropout
I tried checking the serial numbers, but they don't fit any on the chart here? (J810484)
The frame was stripped of all but its crankset and kickstand when I got it, I found the chainguard in one box, the forks in another, a green 'S' saddle tagged 'American', and a chrome rear S7 wheel with an RB1 hub, plus two Bendix cable shifted 2 speed hubs also in the box with the fork.
I soaked the whole frame in Evaporust and polished it up the best I could, the paint is rough but I'm not big on repainting my bikes unless its a total mess covered in house paint or something.
In the lot I also found a set of blue painted fenders and a set of chrome fenders, both are four brace fenders that the last owner had tagged "American".
On problem I'm having is that the 'American' chainguard, which appears to match color wise, don't fit the frame. The front and rear tab holes are 17 13/16" apart, the chain guard will only span about 16 1/8" max.
I also have an early, same style Tiger chain guard and that won't fit the frame either, nor will one from a newer, 65ish Typhoon. The later CG sits proud of the entire chain by about 1/4".
On the CG I have, seen in the pics below, if I attach it to the front hole, the entire CG sits above the chain and too far forward, as if its set up for a huge chain ring not the 46t on it now.
If I attached the rear bracket to the rear tab, the CG sits correctly but the front hole is roughly 3/4" too far rearward for it to align with the frame. (If I redrill a new hole further forward on the CG front bracket, it would work and sit correctly).
The frame has a flat raised rear brake bridge, how did that attach to the rear fender on these? The painted fenders have no mount or hole there, the chrome set have a single hole similar to a later Typhoon.
I had assumed it to be an American when I found the chain guard and the fact that its got the checkerboard style seat post decal to match a 56-57 American. But it appears to be set up for a rear caliper, meaning it would have had a 3 speed hub, but I see no marks from that bracket every being used or were there any shifter guide or pulley marks on the paint.
The forks and frame are slightly wider than my 65 or 72 Typhoon, with a pair of S2 coaster brake wheels with 26x2.125 tires, I have plenty of room, even with fenders. With the balloon tires, there's 1.5" between the brake bridge and the tire all the way back, there's 9/16" of space on both sides of the tire at the chain stays, much more at the seat stays. The forks have about 9/16" or so on each side with about 1" to the surface of the fender retainer bolt in the bottom of the steer tube.
Maybe this isn't a middleweight? If not, what is it?
From what I can tell looking at the 56-57-58 catalogs, its decaled like a 57 American, and it appears that all American models were kickback two speeds, and didn't have a rear caliper, this frame seems to have been made for a caliper. Did they use this brake bridge on bikes with coaster brakes?
Any idea on the serial number? It don't seem to match anything, its closest to a 1958 but I eliminated that because they don't show an American in '58.
The blue paint is the newer blue, with a silver base coat and red primer, so from what I can tell that puts it after 1956 when they changed the color listing in the catalogs from Opal Blue to Opalescent Blue.
Any ideas as to what this may be if it indeed isn't an American?
Did earlier middleweights have wider frames and forks than those in the 60's?
Here's a few pics:
As found
After cleaning
Serial number on left dropout