Hi all,
Another new guy here - the guys at Memory Lane pointed me toward this forum. I am in Santa Cruz, CA.
What a fun place you all run here!
I just got ahold of an Indian Princess bicycle from the original owner, now a grandma. It appears to be of Phillips manufacture.
It's one of the late-40s to early-50s English middleweights, but is different than the others I've seen here and elsewhere in that it is a single-speed, with a Perry rear hub and coaster brake. Anyone else ever seen an Indian Princess in this form?
I would like to either restore it, or perhaps do a "kustom" paint job and some modifications since it isn't worth much money even fully stock and mint. My wife, whose bike it will be, is in favor of the latter.
What I would like to ask is whether it would make sense to the English bikeheads here to repair the dented, bent fenders, or replace them with better examples? And if repair is better, how best to do it?
It has the hockystick chainguard that also needs straightening. Are these commonly available as spare parts?
Also, I need decals. I cannot tell just what decals were originally on the bike, since it was painted over decades ago with house enamel. I know it probably had the "made in England" decal on the top tube, and there is a decal on the seat tube which I have partially uncovered with paint stripper; It looks like it might be similar to others I've seen posted on the net-a large red/gold crest, but I have no clear detailed pictures to post. I cannot find evidence of any "Indian" logo decals on the tubes. I do not think it had the "Indian Princess" decal on the chain guard; I've only seen those on the 3-speeds with the llarger guard. It'd be nice to have, though.
Does anyone have clear pictures of these decals they could share? I can make artwork for repro decals If I can get good examples of the originals to start with.
Anyway, here are some pics. The bike is now back together and mostly functional. The seat is not original; the rest apparently is. It will wear a Brooks B-66 when finished.
Thanks for any ideas or answers anyone may have!
Corey K
Another new guy here - the guys at Memory Lane pointed me toward this forum. I am in Santa Cruz, CA.
What a fun place you all run here!
I just got ahold of an Indian Princess bicycle from the original owner, now a grandma. It appears to be of Phillips manufacture.
It's one of the late-40s to early-50s English middleweights, but is different than the others I've seen here and elsewhere in that it is a single-speed, with a Perry rear hub and coaster brake. Anyone else ever seen an Indian Princess in this form?
I would like to either restore it, or perhaps do a "kustom" paint job and some modifications since it isn't worth much money even fully stock and mint. My wife, whose bike it will be, is in favor of the latter.
What I would like to ask is whether it would make sense to the English bikeheads here to repair the dented, bent fenders, or replace them with better examples? And if repair is better, how best to do it?
It has the hockystick chainguard that also needs straightening. Are these commonly available as spare parts?
Also, I need decals. I cannot tell just what decals were originally on the bike, since it was painted over decades ago with house enamel. I know it probably had the "made in England" decal on the top tube, and there is a decal on the seat tube which I have partially uncovered with paint stripper; It looks like it might be similar to others I've seen posted on the net-a large red/gold crest, but I have no clear detailed pictures to post. I cannot find evidence of any "Indian" logo decals on the tubes. I do not think it had the "Indian Princess" decal on the chain guard; I've only seen those on the 3-speeds with the llarger guard. It'd be nice to have, though.
Does anyone have clear pictures of these decals they could share? I can make artwork for repro decals If I can get good examples of the originals to start with.
Anyway, here are some pics. The bike is now back together and mostly functional. The seat is not original; the rest apparently is. It will wear a Brooks B-66 when finished.
Thanks for any ideas or answers anyone may have!
Corey K