Picked up a "Franken-bike" for parts this weekend.

[PaulWR]

Found this one was on CL Madison. It is a 1965/66ish twin top tube Hiawatha middleweight, or much of the bike began life that way. I needed the front wheel but found use for the handle bars as the chrome is much better on this bike than on the one that I have. The chain looks almost new and that's good. The crown jewel of my buy is the tank and headlamp assembly. No cracks in the plastic and the lens is still good, one does not often find that. The tank, under where the h/l assembly goes, still sports it's original candied red color, so making a good paint match it now possible. Inside, I will have to replace the light wiring and fabricate some of the switch parts, but the basics are still there. And I now notice on the the tank stripe that there is a thin gold color outline. Yup, it has been stripped down and "boogerized". The crank has been replaced with one like on my 1973 AMF Roadmaster Skyrider. The rear hub and brake is not a Bendix. The chain guard is some weird replacement chrome one. The saddle is not original, but definitely more comfortable. Like I write, good for the parts I need to finish my other Hiawatha. The frame serial number reads WG3 .. 807C 407880. Check out the pics.

 

[Oilit]

So are you going to post pictures of your other Hiawatha? If you're sacrificing this one, show us what it's being sacrificed for.

 

[PaulWR]

Why? Interested in the remaining parts from this one when I am done? The parts bike is mainly for the one my dad bought back in the day from the Gambles store. I am more or less restoring the bike and needed the complete tank and, since it has the correct front wheel rim, I'll use that too. The handlebars are a lot better than the ones on my 1963ish Hiawatha I am also restoring. Yeah, I could do up another restore to the parts bike, but then I would have to find another tank, a rear carrier, a kickstand, some fenders and, and... Here is one pic of my dads old bike. I had a bunch of both of them in earlier posts.

 

[Oilit]

Why? Interested in the remaining parts from this one when I am done? The parts bike is mainly for the one my dad bought back in the day from the Gambles store. I am more or less restoring the bike and needed the complete tank and, since it has the correct front wheel rim, I'll use that too. The handlebars are a lot better than the ones on my 1963ish Hiawatha I am also restoring. Yeah, I could do up another restore to the parts bike, but then I would have to find another tank, a rear carrier, a kickstand, some fenders and, and... Here is one pic of my dads old bike. I had a bunch of both of them in earlier posts.

View attachment 1823584

I didn't realize you had already posted pictures of the other bike. I'll have to look it up and get the complete story.

 

[Adamtinkerer]

The chain guard is a universal Wald replacement. The serial #'s & codes from this era of Hiawathas are unique, and don't follow typical Murray serials. Only the NBHAA has the info to decode them.

 

[AndyA]

Nice! Dig that tank bezel. Frame is by Murray of the type used for J.C. Higgins Flightliners.

 

[PaulWR]

The chain guard is a universal Wald replacement. The serial #'s & codes from this era of Hiawathas are unique, and don't follow typical Murray serials. Only the NBHAA has the info to decode them.

Thanks, the chain guard does look familiar. Maybe the front fork is a generic replacement too? I don't know. This one has got me thinking. It rides nice and most of it is still there so maybe, just maybe, I could put this on the way, way back burner and restore/refurbish this as a stock Hiawatha too. The gold and white two tone factory paint colors for this Hiawatha time period would look really great on this bike. I know, I know, this is exactly how the sickness of bicycle hoarding begins.

 

[AndyA]

Maybe the front fork is a generic replacement too?

The fork, including the chrome cap, looks to be stock for a Murray of that era. Pictures below show similar forks on two Murray-built bikes: a 1960 Flightliner and a 1966-68 Spaceliner. The Spaceliner fork was modified by drilling to accept the caliper brake.