ditch find restoration
 

Found this in a ditch about a month ago, i liked the way it looked so i just grabbed it not expecting anything good. But i'm really stumped on who manufactured it, it has a unique 2 bar top tube that's simply welded together. the only clues i have are the fork design and the "skyway" seat that may not be stock. The front wheel is toast, but the rear is ridable, chain worked and bearings spin freely.

The fenders are cleaning up well with a metal brush on a drill, and ill be using a sandblaster on the frame. i'd love to do a 3 speed conversion but there's no way to mount a brake unless i braze on some posts, so i'm thinking this will remain a single speed with a coaster brake and balloon tires

Is it worth anything? even if its not its gonna be a fun project for my girlfriend. recommendations on what i should do with it? someone painted over what looks like a very beautiful metallic blue that i would like to restore it to. how should i paint it, rattle can or go with proper automotive paint?

any clues are greatly appreciated! I have linked a photo album here:
http://imgur.com/a/qclrT#0

It's a Snyder built bike. They manufactured bikes for the Hawthorne and Rollfast brands. The different brands used different styles of chain ring, but I can't remember which design went with which brand. Somebody probably knows.

There was a Hawthorne branded one at a local swap meet for $40 a week ago. Edit: one at the swapmeet was also blue. Sometimes you can strip off paint with brake parts cleaner without removing the original baked on finish.

Not all that long ago, I could not get a rise out of anyone when offering a bicycle such as the one presented by the OP. However, that is changing. These days, the antiques seem to be gaining in popularity and fetching better dollars all the time.

That said, I really have no idea of the bicycle's present value. I would not pay more than fifty dollars for such a piece but that is just me.

I am a period and price point correct kinda guy. With that in mind, I do my own paint jobs and I use a paint brush to do my work. Laugh, if you will, but this is the sort of thing that you can achieve, using the simplest of tools, coupled with sound application process...

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...l_Side_L_2.jpg

Singer? Like the sewing machines?

http://i.imgur.com/4J49Vh.jpg

This needs a little TLC and lots of elbow grease

That's a cute bike. In it's current shape 50$ would be what I would pay for it. As for your conversion there's always the drum brake option and maybe the caliper one too if there are holes for it. Nice find.

thank all of you for your input, i've determined it's a rollfast and its near identical to this bike here: http://angelfure.com/bbicycles/rollfast.html. would brake cleaner really take off the surface paint and get it to the original blue? i love this color and what is this deal about a 2 speed hub!? is it worth lacing another wheel to this hub and using it as it is? i have a sweet 26" rim that has a really cool unique spoke pattern just like this i could lace it to: http://ebike.hu/images/products/2bdc...556ca2cf62.jpg

this is turning into a much cooler project than i originally anticipated.

Bendix made a 2 speed coaster brake back in the 60s. http://velobase.com/CompImages/Geare...4CD9EC4BB.jpeg It's easily distinguishable from single speed hubs by the presence of the three "bands" around it. The regular bendix coaster brakes have one band.

those hubs are priceless and making a big comeback in europe
also known a duomatic, I have one and dont know what bike to put it in yet.

It turns out this hub is just a single speed. Is it worth re lacing to a new rim? I have the fenders all cleaned up and they look great. What is the best technique for getting out minor dents and folds?

For dents set it on a piece of wood, then use another piece of wood on the inside and hammer the dent out with a mallet.

If the coaster brake is a Bendix red band then it's better than anything currently available really once it has new grease packed in it.