Shelby Arrow

[ratrodz]

The first time I laid eyes on it over a year ago it looked like this! It was sold and looked like this...

Bike was sold at Copak. lost track of the bike for a year, and when it surfaced...
It looked like this...

Obviously it was pillaged for the tank.

This one came up and it was a hunt! Shawn was also hunting this one, when I learned that he was looking for the same bike I gave up cause he was alot closer! But looking at the picture closely... boom, there was the Shelby arrow hiding behind it! With some help from Shawn (he purchased the one in front) he put me in contact with the owner! Which was great but I'm waaaaay to far away. Luckily for me, good friends helped me out!! The bike was on it'sway to Ann Arbor to be sold, so I had to move quickly. I asked Scott if he'd pick up the bike for me and he said YES! Now for the next part...
The tank!!!

In talks with about 5 people this tank had been floating around the shows with no buyer!?! Same guy who had the bike had this tank...lucky me no one else wanted it, why you might ask... it was a 1 off custom wood tank made 25 + years ago! I'm in!!! I can make this work and bring the bike somewhat back!!
The tank was show quality painted and to pretty and the wrong color.
So.... I did this to it!!!

I'll mount the tank tomorrow, super excited!!

 

[ratrodz]

@Freqman1 @sm2501 HUGE...THANK YOU!!! To both of you for your help!!!

 

[higgens]

Cool! Someone was grate with wood would love to see more pics of tank

 

[ratrodz]

 

[kingfish254]

What a great story and hunt brother!

 

[cyclingday]

What a shame, that a previous owner couldn't enjoy the bike for what it was.
I thought I was alone in a sea of 38/39 Speedline/Arrow aficionados, in my appreciation for the 1940 surplus models.
I think they are super cool in their own right. I understand the motivation to want to rob the tank to build an earlier trimmed out model, but not at the expense of ruining what was a completely original bike.
Now neither bike will be original. the color of those later tanks wont match the earlier color scheme, so a faux job, or complete re paint is in order which is a shame.
Of course I type this hoping that the perpetrator reads it, and maybe feels slightly remorseful for screwing up the bike that you have so galantly fought to acquire and bring back to life.
The maker of the wood tank should be highly commended for the level of skill and craftsmanship it took to recreate that tank in such exquisite detail.

Bravo!

 

[bicycle larry]

yes i agee the maker should be highly commended . a reel craftsmanship skill for sure !!!!! thanks for putting this on the cabe ratrods . i want to build one up i had a set of fenders and chain grurd at memory lane i got on thursday and gave them up to some one elses that had the frame and tank , made here day !!! and mine to !!!!! any ways week after memory lane i was talking to some friends i meet at memory lane that are bulding two up so any parts they got left i can get from them every wheel makes a full turn from bicycle larry

 

[ratrodz]

Just need some handlebars! ! !