Classic & Vintage - To restore or not to restore.

Well Im new to the classic bike thing. I just got this bike off the side of the road a few days ago for free. I was wondering if I would get more money for it if I sold it as is or if I messed it up trying to restore it myself. I dont want to mess it up if its a rare bike. I just dont know. So its a Columbia. It has a tank and a button for I dont know what. Headlight, horn? What do you guys think?

Grr. cant make picture work so heres a linkpicture (http://www.westcoaststompers.com/gallery/album10)

Usually the button was for a horn. If it was a switch, it would be for a headlight.

I'm not into collecting old bikes, but I think that's a very handsome bike.

It's uniqueness makes it worthy of restoration.

Can you post a close-up of the tank and/or the markings on the seat tube? The seat looks like a Schwinn (does it have an "S" on it?), but it also looks newer (or at least much less used) than the rest of the bike. The tank makes me wanna say Columbia, or some such.

"I was wondering if I would get more money for it if I sold it as is or if I messed it up trying to restore it myself."

Ummm, don't think you can 'mess it up' in that condition unless you mean cutting torch.

Bikes are not quite as collectible as say a 56 Chevy. You fix, chrome etc and sell it, you MAY recoupe your investment, but wasted your time.

Keep it and make a funky grocery bike.

It's worth maybe $20. And thats to a bike phreak who would restore it.

And for sure, I'd pick up frame like that and fix, nice.


Click me>
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=53397

Those bars are hot! I'd personally fix it up and ride it all over town. Of course when it comes to bikes I'm getting phreakier by the day!

Definitely looks like a late 50s or early 60s columbia. I'd say those bars are upside down.
http://www.oldroads.com/tool_dispb.asp (http://)

"I was wondering if I would get more money for it if I sold it as is or if I messed it up trying to restore it myself."

Ummm, don't think you can 'mess it up' in that condition unless you mean cutting torch.

Bikes are not quite as collectible as say a 56 Chevy. You fix, chrome etc and sell it, you MAY recoupe your investment, but wasted your time.

Keep it and make a funky grocery bike.

It's worth maybe $20. And thats to a bike phreak who would restore it.

And for sure, I'd pick up frame like that and fix, nice.


Click me>
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=53397

I don't know. The bike has what looks like original decals, IMHO you probably
could get more for it if you leave the frame alone.
That is not to say cleaning/waxing etc. The rims, handlebars etc. could be polished
(and hubs) which should add to value.
Sometimes the "Patina" etc. makes a bike more collectible than one that has been
stripped, resprayed redecaled
Marty

It's a very coll bike, but unfortunatley it's not a collectible bike that you get high dollars.

You are better off painting the bike with a custom paint job and buy all of the others parts at your local bicycle shop. The bike era is around 1962 to 1967.

If you need more information visit my website www.bikevato.com

Thanks,
Juan

I don't know. The bike has what looks like original decals, IMHO you probably
could get more for it if you leave the frame alone.
That is not to say cleaning/waxing etc. The rims, handlebars etc. could be polished
(and hubs) which should add to value.
Sometimes the "Patina" etc. makes a bike more collectible than one that has been
stripped, resprayed redecaled
Marty

Yea..clearcoat the rust. Be wicked, new chrome and rust. I'd do it a second.

Yea..clearcoat the rust. Be wicked, new chrome and rust. I'd do it a second.
obviously you know little or nothing about restoration.

obviously you know little or nothing about restoration.

You jump to conclusions quick, I prefer some objects to resemble thier age and pioneered for local company, false patina processes to be used on cast sculptue imitating oxidized bronze and copper.

Get it, I was joking for the poster, I would ride rusty 'caus it'b freaky and show how old the frame was.
Every working, moving part would have been replaced or reconditioned. the interior of the tubes treated.

I'm sure you know MORE about restoring bicycles, I only work on ones I ride, ones 14 years old.
Yes I 'restored' it, then I modified it. It's not a show bike, race frame. And it was messy, this part of the world is a sub-tropical rainforest, a bike as old as that Schwinn if left outside becomes scrap fast.
I don't see old ones up here, probably all dissolved into a muddy red patch of soil next to the barn.

Jef.

ok, maybe I jumped a bit fast on that one.
Point is, if a bike has any collector value, sanding/spraying etc.
can kill the value of the bike.
And yes some of em are as collectable (or more so) than
a 57 chevy nomad with a 427 vette engine.

marty

ok, maybe I jumped a bit fast on that one.
Point is, if a bike has any collector value, sanding/spraying etc.
can kill the value of the bike.
And yes some of em are as collectable (or more so) than
a 57 chevy nomad with a 427 vette engine.

marty

Fer sure, great thing the forum is for. I have yet to clean a bike inside out, that one I would dip in acid.

The post Schwinbikelove did..http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=2251157676&rd=1

OMG, like you can't paint or anything- lube with a little oil can. Museum piece, love it.

I like to see a persons bike work ridden, like because your economic status allows you a $2000+ new bike interests me not. The bike does from engineering view.
The hybridizing, customizing, restoration and tweaking of most ANY bike interests me.

Shiny new factory bikes bore the **** outta me, a no-go -unless possibly I new nothing about bikes and need someone to design\ assemble and maintain....Or if I was pro-race and needed L>edge production.

I'd just die if everybody rode a bike like mine, that's why I ride a " god**** frankienbike!" as one member called it.


Peace>jef.

Marty> still got the Nomad? sounds like love lost...

Thankyou all for youre opinions. I have taken everything appart and will be getting all the crome stuff cromed and probaly paint the frame and stuff. Im just going to ride it since it was free. I decided I dont care what the value is.

To take it apart, re-chrome and paint. tinker etc is how you make it valuable.
To yourself and possible buyers. Probably if you do all the work you'll be so stoked you'll ride around with a big grin for years.

Car custom does acid dip rust removal, the frame could be done if ALL components removed.
I was suggesting possibly chroming the frame.

Are you familiar with custom bike work? Or restoration?

I'll post some linkage.]

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=53397

There are links later in my posts, and info by members, same type bike right?

Well Im new to the classic bike thing. I just got this bike off the side of the road a few days ago for free. I was wondering if I would get more money for it if I sold it as is or if I messed it up trying to restore it myself. I dont want to mess it up if its a rare bike. I just dont know. So its a Columbia. It has a tank and a button for I dont know what. Headlight, horn? What do you guys think?

Grr. cant make picture work so heres a linkpicture (http://www.westcoaststompers.com/gallery/album10)

I am in the same boat I have a Murray and I think I will restore it, but yours I would throw back!

obviously you know little or nothing about restoration.

My mother-n-law had a 1940's wagon that belong to her as a child. She didn't want the wagon restore, but to stop the rust and aging. So what I did! I took the wagon apart and clear coated.

The wagon had a rustic look? It actually looked cool.

Juan

www.bikevato.com