Ask the Experts......... [bicycle history]

[himmelberg]

Big Fat Whitewalls has this amf on the Classic Balloon Tire Bicycles 1933-1965portion of the show today. The post is titled A Couple More. Except for the stars it looks real close.

Thanks again, himmelberg

 

[MotorbikeMike]

What iszit? Identity Crisis

Hi guys, I'm really hoping someone might know what this middleweight fromm the 1960's is. It is destined to become a motorbike (aren't many of them).

It came to me with no fenders, white grips, white pedals, faded red metallic paint, uses a 7/8 inch seatpose that had the 5/8 top like early Schwinn. The headbadge image (badge gone or we wouldn't be having this discussion!) is a large oval, similar in size to Schwinn.

The chainring appears to be orig, and it had the early small type inner cone.

The dropouts are odd, and have threaded holes inset deeply above the axle-slot, very distinctive. Dropouts are in crimped tubes, spot welded.

The bends on the chainstays are a bit different than Murray or Schwinn types also!

Thanks in advance!

Mike

 

[uncle_punk13]

The chainring and drop outs holler AMF to me...

 

[MotorbikeMike]

American Machine and Foundry!

Hi Rif, and thanks! Those details I had never seen before, but were so outstandingly odd that I knew if anyone had ever seen them they would not forget.

White pedals and grips seemed odd to me, are the AMF serial numbers easily traced? this bike appears to be headed in a special direction. I'm mounting a set of 20" wheels, either a Schwinn repop, or MTB suspension fork, and a 50cc HS.

It's been reccomended to me to use a 1 gallon tank (Looks alone, not needing capacity at that mileage). This bike I'm building especially for wifey, with the low ground clearance, and geared to do about 35 mph.

I am now considering making a cool vinyl decal that would say "American Machine and Foundry" to put on the frame. I'll rattle-can this one, as I do not have time for a real restoration, and I'm thinking that this frame is NOT worth that much effort, but it can be pretty cool!

Maybe yellow? I think I have a painted 20" balloon fender somewhere, might do a bobbed rear and no front, I dunno, tomorrow I'll shoot a pic of this thing and add it to this post if I can.

To the Moderators, it might be cool to do a "What Iszit" stickey, and if people want to ID old bikes it will be there for all to see?

Thanks again,

Mike

 

[srdavo]

To the Moderators, it might be cool to do a "What Iszit" stickey, and if people want to ID old bikes it will be there for all to see?

Thanks again,

Mike

We already have one of these going....I stickied it.
Thanks Mike!!

 

[uncle_punk13]

Yup! I don't know as trhe numbers are available, I've never looked. I've a couple of AMF 20" One a boys ballooner 20" (signature Murray dropouts denote it as an earlier one), and a later girls 20" with dropouts like yours. Both had/have white pedals...
I like the sound of the direction this one is taking, please be sure to post pics as the build progresses.
Rif

White pedals and grips seemed odd to me, are the AMF serial numbers easily traced?



Mike

 

[uncle_punk13]

hey Rif, or anybody....
do you happen to know who built the "Flying O" for OTASCO? (Oklahoma tire & supply co.)

I got a slim lead on that- They may have been built by Murray...

 

[vintagebiker]

They should change the name of this thread from "Experts" to "Guessperts".

 

[uncle_punk13]

They should change the name of this thread from "Experts" to "Guessperts".

With out seeing the **** bike in person it makes it hard to positively I.D. a bike. Not seeing it at all makes it that much harder. Got anything POSITIVE to contribute here smart aleck?!?!?
Just sayin'...

 

[KilroyCD]

They should change the name of this thread from "Experts" to "Guessperts".

I haven't seen you try to help out here yet...