I have recently become obsessed with Columbia Built bicycles and I am hoping someone can answer a couple of questions for me.
I have been working on this bike I scored from Facebook:
She is a 1953 bike, I believe in Mohawk red. She came with everything but handle bars. Everything else is all original.
Does anyone happen to know if this is a juvenile bike? I have been searching and searching but I cannot place the model.
Here is a better view of the chain guard if that is helpful:
When I took the horn out to work on it I realized the prior owner had rigged a doorbell push button to get the horn to work. I soaked the horn in evaporust and tested the circuit with a friends’ circuit checker. I need a replacement horn push button (doesn’t have to be a real delta) if anyone knows where I can find one (I check ebay often) or has any other ideas I would be very grateful for the input.
Here are the pics of the horn:
Lastly, for this bike the torpedo headlight is missing the L shaped battery connector in the front of the light. I’m not sure what the real name for the part is but it looks necessary to complete the circuit and make the light turn on and off. If anyone out there can please tell me what the heck the piece I’m looking for is called or has any advice to get the light working, I’d be very grateful. I’m enclosing a picture of the L shaped thing at the rear of the light so you better know what I am talking about as well as a pic of the light that came with the 3 Star and has the flexible connection in tact:
For Bike two:
This one is a 3 Star Deluxe from 1951 but it is missing the rear rack and neither the pedals nor the wheels/spokes are original. Whoever owned this one before me took a lot better care of it because the paint is much less rusted. The horn and light both work.
Can anyone weigh in on which model is more valuable?
Should I swap parts like the the pedals, horns, headlight and the cool medal spokes reaching up the handle bars, to make one complete 1950s bike? If so, which frame should I choose to complete??
The reds are definitely different shades so I can’t use the frame.
I think I’m going to have to try and sell one of them before my husband kills me for messing up the basement! Haha. But I would really like to keep one and use it.
I so very much appreciate any and all advice!!!!
Thank you!!
Stacey
I have been working on this bike I scored from Facebook:
She is a 1953 bike, I believe in Mohawk red. She came with everything but handle bars. Everything else is all original.
Does anyone happen to know if this is a juvenile bike? I have been searching and searching but I cannot place the model.
Here is a better view of the chain guard if that is helpful:
When I took the horn out to work on it I realized the prior owner had rigged a doorbell push button to get the horn to work. I soaked the horn in evaporust and tested the circuit with a friends’ circuit checker. I need a replacement horn push button (doesn’t have to be a real delta) if anyone knows where I can find one (I check ebay often) or has any other ideas I would be very grateful for the input.
Here are the pics of the horn:
Lastly, for this bike the torpedo headlight is missing the L shaped battery connector in the front of the light. I’m not sure what the real name for the part is but it looks necessary to complete the circuit and make the light turn on and off. If anyone out there can please tell me what the heck the piece I’m looking for is called or has any advice to get the light working, I’d be very grateful. I’m enclosing a picture of the L shaped thing at the rear of the light so you better know what I am talking about as well as a pic of the light that came with the 3 Star and has the flexible connection in tact:
For Bike two:
This one is a 3 Star Deluxe from 1951 but it is missing the rear rack and neither the pedals nor the wheels/spokes are original. Whoever owned this one before me took a lot better care of it because the paint is much less rusted. The horn and light both work.
Can anyone weigh in on which model is more valuable?
Should I swap parts like the the pedals, horns, headlight and the cool medal spokes reaching up the handle bars, to make one complete 1950s bike? If so, which frame should I choose to complete??
The reds are definitely different shades so I can’t use the frame.
I think I’m going to have to try and sell one of them before my husband kills me for messing up the basement! Haha. But I would really like to keep one and use it.
I so very much appreciate any and all advice!!!!
Thank you!!
Stacey
