My 1968 AMF Roadmaster American V!!

[Mosaic2000]

Hey everyone!
First post, first bike! And it was rescued!!
So here's my story:
I live in Jersey and my friends live in Philly..south philly to be exact. They have a small apartment which has a nice back patio that is shared with their neighbors. For the eight months i've come to hang there, this AMF Roadmaster sat, uncovered and CRYING to be rescued. Be a lover of vintage in every sense as a cartoonist, I had to have this bicycle.
SO I found out through their landlord who owned the bike and she let me take it off her hands the next week for a hundred bucks. WHich I thought was great and still believe it is work every bit of that and the other 200 i spent getting her on the road again...
She's all original except the pedals, seat and the NOS generator light system on the front and back. : ) I named her Lorraine after my mom. : )

The Bike:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DlieaZko-1M/SR84GqDBKdI/AAAAAAAAAGU/Y2lNXDbI3ak/s1600-h/AMFroad.jpg

I ride it pretty much everyday and even with winter now being here in new jersey : ) This bike gets soooo many looks it's not even funny!!
Let me know what you think of "Lorraine" and if i'm in-accurate on any info!

THanks everyone!
Best,
Mike J.

 

[fourstarbikes]

sweet

thats a cool bike i have a few amfs nice bike

 

[pedal alley]

dig the su-i-side drag brake.
cool ride.what did ya have
to do to get 'er on the road ?

 

[Mosaic2000]

Hey guys,
There were a couple of things:

Re-adjust/re-wire the brakes/cables
Replaced the back wheel bearing system
Trued the back tire
Replaced the original pedals (old ones were gonna be slippery)
Flipped the wheel guard (front one was on backwards..still is in the photo)
New tube in front tire
Oiled chain
Mounted/wired generator light system (back light isn't visible in photo)

It's amazing how this bike rides for a 40 year old bike... THe shifter and everything works amazing.. like It did prob when it came out of the factory. More evidence in regards to things (expecially bikes) being made better than they are now : )

The only thing is now is the rust on the sissy bar -- I'm conscidering getting it acid dipped and re-chromed... any suggestions/recommendations for such an act?

Fourstarbikes: What AMF's do you have??
What value do you hold these bikes?

Mike : )

 

[embro]

Very good looking bike at a good price. You sound like you are on your way to becoming a collector ? Once you get the thrill of bringing one of these old bikes back to life you are going to find yourself wanting to do it again and again.
Enjoy the ride Mike, maybe I'll pass you on the road one of these days lol...

P.S. if you live anywhere near Bayonne I know a bike shop that can help you get your sissy bar re-chromed.

 

[JLarkin]

Try oxalic acid

This works amazingly well.

For that long sissy bar, make a rectangular box out of 2x4s so the sissy bar will lay inside it and line it with plastic. Only make it long enough and wide enough to contain the bar, the reason is in the next sentence. Lay the sissy bar in there and measure out how much water it takes to just cover the bar, maybe one inch deep. Dump this water out afterward. Then get some oxalic acid. I found it at True Value Hardware. $7.25 with tax; comes in a 12 oz. tub like spackling, Savogran brand. Mix it at a ratio of 3 ounces per gallon of water in a bucket. Now pour this mixture into the box and let the bar soak there overnight. If your bar is just pitted, in the morning you will have no rust; just run some motor oil through the inside of the bar to get all the moisture out and let it drip dry. The good news is you can reuse the oxalic water to clean other pitted chrome parts also if you save it. Just wear gloves and eye protection. It's wood bleach but it can burn your skin a little, mostly your cuticles. It all sounds too good to be true but it really works.

 

[68avenger5]

I have two of those bikes,I bought the first a 68 so I could have another like I had when I was a kid and the second that I think is about a 69 or 70 to put in the back of my old wagon to ride around a big car shows which I never did. The 68 is real nice and still has the original tires and the other must have been made for a store as its badged a Westpoint,the Westpoint still had its original redline tires but were too rotten to ride so I put on black walls. I like the AMFs as you dont see very many and I was the only one to have one around area way back when. Jeff

 

[Brentville]

What's that extra brake handle for?

In the pic I see two hand brakes on the ape hanger bars and then what looks to be a third hand brake on the downtube? What is that?

 

[musclemaniac]

Love It!

Great looking bike! Love those old muscle bikes!