I Relocated And Bought Back My1940s Hawthorne Comet

[Squiggle Dog]

Cool bike. Wanna sell it?

I wouldn't sell my bike for all the money in the world. Not for a hundred billion, million, TRILLION dollars!

 

[rustjunkie]

I plan to very carefully sand down any heavy rust and brush down a water-based rust converter on the rust areas and bare metal, wiping it off before it dries. This will turn the rust and bare metal black. I much prefer a bicycle with original paint and some flaws over one that's been repainted and done to less than factory standards.

Just as an fyi: I've used rust-converters that turn metal/rust black (Loctite Extend), inside the tubes and on the frame. Seems inside the tubing is a good idea, but I didn't care for it on the frame: visually it stood out against the paint because of the color and thickness it added.
I've been using patina solutions from SculptNouveau with good results, then waxing to seal.
Here's a couple shots of the Deep Brown solution applied to some shiny sanding spots on The Green Machine. These will continue to darken until cleaned off. I sometimes use a baking soda solution.
Sorry for the focus, just couldn't get it right this AM:

Works on brass too:

 

[Squiggle Dog]

Thanks for the tip, rustjunkie. I want to make the bicycle look its best while preserving it.

 

[ccmerz]

These bars are from a 1948 Roadmaster (girls) Does that matter? that I parted sometime late last century.
I suspect this is the type you are needing for your bike along with the stem. If you like them they are yours free, just pay shipping, that's it.

 

[Squiggle Dog]

The stem is a yes. The handlebars are narrower than what I need. Thanks so much for your generosity!

 

[ccmerz]

Done....

 

[Squiggle Dog]

One feature that my first Hawthorne had that I liked was the lighted carrier. I decided I wanted one on this Hawthorne, too. Ccmerz just happened to have one in maroon. In person, it appears to be a perfect color match (it looks a little off in the photos due to lighting and oxidization of the paint on my bicycle). I'm really excited about it.

This is one actually from a women's bicycle since it has the light switch on the side (the men's bicycles had 2 extra batteries and a light switch in the tank). But, this works in my favor since my postwar bicycle doesn't have a light switch in the tank.

This carrier doesn't have the lovely curved braces like the original one has, but the braces are the same length, so I can pop out the rivets and swap out the legs.

 

[37fleetwood]

there are people with rivet presses who might be able to re-rivet your lags, ask around, it will look better than putting screws in it.

 

[Squiggle Dog]

there are people with rivet presses who might be able to re-rivet your lags, ask around, it will look better than putting screws in it.

The rivets in the postwar carrier legs are hollow, and I think I can compress them from the back, push them out, and then reinsert them and widen them again with a punch. The alternative plan was to use smooth fender brace rivet bolts. But, re-riveting would be nice. I will probably have some spray paint color matched so I can paint the replacement seatstay bracket, rivets, and any other parts that are bare metal and supposed to be painted.

 

[Squiggle Dog]

I rode the Hawthorne tonight. The reason was to make sure that my ankles wouldn't hit the new old stock Wald baskets I installed. The 70-year-oid tires and tubes held up. I still need to go through the bearings--that's why I'm not riding it. But I plan to take it apart and use oxalic acid and polish to make it look its best.