When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Before and after

#eBayPartner    Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
282b2c8cef43a97426bd5e7a28d91d4b.jpg
1948 Hawthorne before


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
1153640


This is my circa 1984 Raleigh Olympian as it appeared when I first acquired it
An Olympian is nowhere near the top of the Raleigh line, but it is a nice bicycle
A friend spotted it among many bicycles for sale on someone's front porch
Since I already have 2 Raleigh Olympians of the same era, it struck my interest
After a few weeks of indecision, I went and got it for 20 dollars, brought it home (hid it in the shed where my bride wouldn't immediately see it :)
Lots of surface rust and in need of some major TLC -- it was solid and straight and the wheels spun true
Amazingly, the original swoosh wheel reflectors were still on it
The rear rack was interesting, later found such a rack was standard of Huffy's back in the '70's
The guy assured me the tires would hold air -- right! -- and thats about all they would do -- dry rotted beyond belief


1153646

The stem proved to be a major issue to get loose -- lots of WD. ATF and acetone finally did the job
Round out the allen bolt head and it would have been game over

1153647


1153649


Lots of cleaning up to do but discovered the derailers were in perfect adjustment
Complete overhaul of hubs and bottom bracket found the grease still in good condition, although it appeared this bicycle spend a lot of time outside

1153651


Beginning to take shape
Different wheels were added at this point just to make it rideable
What was once known as Color Magic brought the blue paint back to reasonable condition
1153652


Most of the deteriorated original decals were removed using an old credit card for gently scraping
No attempt was made to return the bicycle to pristine original condition, just improve its appearance
The Raleigh letters are stick-ons from Hobby Lobby
1153654


Also stick on lettering for Olympian

1153656

Now. nearly 3 years later it pretty much appears as it did in '17

1153657


Added some stick-on automotive pin striping on the fork, seat tube, and stays and called it good enough
Clearly, this was not the exquisite restoration that you guys do (you would give the highest end automotive resto shops a run for the money)
Im actually fairly pleased with it, and it rides really nice






 
Last edited:
View attachment 1153640

This is my circa 1984 Raleigh Olympian as it appeared when I first acquired it
An Olympian is nowhere near the top of the Raleigh line, but it is a nice bicycle
A friend spotted it among many bicycles for sale on someone's front porch
Since I already have 2 Raleigh Olympians of the same era, it struck my interest
After a few weeks of indecision, I went and got it for 20 dollars, brought it home (hid it in the shed where my bride wouldn't immediately see it :) )
Lots of surface rust and in need of some major TLC it was solid and the wheels spun true
Amazingly, the original swoosh wheel reflectors were still on it
The rear rack was interesting, later found such a rack was standard of Huffy's back in the '70's
The guy assured me the tires would hold air -- right! -- and thats about all they would do -- dry rotted beyond belief


View attachment 1153646

View attachment 1153647

View attachment 1153649

Lots of cleaning up to do but discovered the derailers were in perfect adjustment
Complete overhaul of hubs and bottom bracket found the grease still in good condition, although it appeared this bicycle spend a lot of time outside

View attachment 1153651

Beginning to take shape
Different wheels were added at this point just to make it rideable
What was once known as Color Magic brought the blue paint back to reasonable condition
View attachment 1153652

Most of the deteriorated original decals were removed using an old credit card for gently scraping
No attempt was made to return the bicycle to pristine original condition, just improve its appearance
The Raleigh letters are stick-ons from Hobby LobbyView attachment 1153654

Also stick on lettering for Olympian

View attachment 1153656
Here is how it pretty much looks today, 3 years later

View attachment 1153657

Added some stick-on automotive pin striping on the fork and tubes and called it good enough
Clearly, this was not the exquisite restoration that you guys do (you would give the highest end automotive resto shops a run for the money)
Im actually fairly pleased with it, and it rides really nice






Nice job. It still has a lot of soul left in it.
 
Back
Top