46 H Whizzer restoration

[likemyspoiler]

I am in the middle of a restoration of a 1946 H Whizzer. I thought I would start a thread here of the restoration & post pics & info here as the project moves forward. The bike and engine are now disassembled. I will post a picture of the bike the day I brought it home. Very rough!!! The spokes & chain broke as I rolled it to my garage. The cool thing is I am restoring this bike for an older guy that owned this bike from new. He was telling me stories about riding this back in the late 40's. He hasn't had it running since the mid 50's. It has sat in a shed since then on his farm. I think it's pretty cool that he is planning on riding it again even though he is in his 70's. To start with the engine had no compression. It turned out as I thought. After teardown I found the exhaust valve was stuck. Loosened easily with some lube. The rod bearing & wrist pin are both wasted. The bearing race on right side of crank is no longer a pressed fit. Engine components have been sent to David Reese in Ohio for machine work. In the mean time I have began glass beading the frame, tank & misc. items. I will post more as project moves along. I have some more pics in "my photo album" I will post some more pics here later as it is taking forever. Thanks, Dan

 

[uncle_punk13]

That is quite the undertaking, and very commendable. Not only for preserving history, but especially for helping the gentleman relive the dream. Good on you!!!
Please keep us posted as this progresses...

 

[mabman]

I will post some more pics here later as it is taking forever.

Yes please do! We like pictures.

 

[Mountainman]

once up and restored -- would like to see the smile on your friends face !!!

I would think that's from back when the Whizzer's were made from very solid parts ?

ride the motor bike

 

[likemyspoiler]

Vintage Whizzer project

I posted some of the most current pics of the project. The engine is torn down, the crank is being turned down .10, the cylinder is gettting bored .30 over, complete valve job, & right side of crank is being repaired so bearing race will be a pressed fit. Dave Reese has made this part of the project very easy as I will get the jug back already painted black with valves already reinstalled, he will have everthing assembled as far as possible. I will be taking care of the rest of the engine here, but whats left should be pretty easy. (as far as the engine goes) The fuel tank has been glass beaded in the pic, but tank has most of pits & imperfections filled in with glazzing putty. (I don't have a current pic of tank with putty & sanding done) Fame has been mostly blasted, but still a good bit of prep work to do. I would say that prep work is about 90% of a restoration. The fenders have been rolled, body work done & under primer. I have most of the parts needed for project in stock (used & reproduction) some items as you can see in first post, just can't be used as they are rusted to thin, pitted to badly, or just plain weak & worn out. I will be using reproduction chrome wheels, chrome belt cover, chrome echo tube, & I decided to do away with the "H" controlls & employ the later "J" controls. (Twist grip throttle & decompression controlls instead of thumb levers) I also needed items to replace items that where missing such as, coil, coil cover, chain guard, points & points cover just to name a few. I will get into all the parts needed in later posts as they are needed. I also decided to use the Schwinn Knee action fork. The fork that was on the bike wasn't the original one any way. The owner of bike told me the original fork broke on him while riding & he said he went for quite a ride when that happened! They installed the first fork they could get their hands on as it was in the late 40's when it happened. I will continue pics & info as the project moves along. (I think I still may have some other photos of project that I didn't post here,& they are in my photo section if you click on my screen name if you want to look at them.) Thanks, Dan

 

[Quenton Guenther]

Hi Dan,

If you need any parts, check with me. I have a fair collection of NOS, & some used parts in outstanding condition.

I just sent a cylinder to Dave to bore for a friend of mine, and spent about an hour talking to him on the phone [one of the great vintage Whizzer guys].

Is the frame a Schwinn DX? Here are pictures of one I restored..


Have fun,

 

[RdKryton]

I love these vintage Whizzer threads. It gives me a chance to post pictures of my H motor I'm putting on a Columbia 3Star. My workshop is the shed and it is too cold to work on the project in the winter. As soon as the cold weather breaks I will complete my project. Here are a couple pictures so far. Thank you again Quenton.

Jim

 

[likemyspoiler]

Vintage Whizzer project

Nice bike Quenton & thanks for the heads up on parts as I know I'll be needing stuff as I go along. Thats also a nice engine you have RD, but you will like even more when it's mounted on a bike. lol. You will be amazed with the torque compared to an NE. I also posted a pic of a ""H" Whizzer that I restored last year. I didn't do much with the engine, as my focas was mainly on the bike. It was a good solid engine, so I decided to just slap it on for now. It is an early H as the serial number is below 32,000. It even has the real early engine mounts that Whizzer discontinued way back when. I saw in the old parts books that the early engine mounts supercede to the curent style mount. When I first saw the mounts, I actually thought they where home made as I had never saw them before. I almost tossed them until I found out they where the original mounts. Of corse I used them once I found out they where original. It too is a DX frame. I think it's close to a 1936 bike according to the Schwinn books that I have. It even has the cool drop outs with the bolts to adjust the rear wheel. I have all the original parts from bike, but didn't use them, at least not for now due to cost, time, & condition. Stuff like original skip tooth sprocket, painted wheels, & painted fenders. I used Phantom repro. fenders wich turned out to be a big hassell as the rear fender had to be modified to fit the frame. The rear fender didn't fit near as good as I thought. However after I modified it to fit, you couldn't tell & fenders look like they belong. It was a fun bike to restore as It had the Whizzer drive train installed on it back when the engine was new & I found it in an unmolested state. Happy Whizzin, Dan

 

[likemyspoiler]

Actually I was just talking on the phone with Chris & he had told me that the DX frame had a straight bottom bar. I see the DX that Quenton has posted has a straight bottom bar. The bike I am currently restoring and the bike I restored last summer have a curved bottom bar. I had always assumed that they where DX frames, but I think I am about to learn something new. (That happens to me daily with this hobby) I know both frames are Schwinns, actually Bf Goodrich, but what designation are they? Thanks, Dan

 

[Buzz Bomb]

I decided to do away with the "H" controlls & employ the later "J" controls. (Twist grip throttle & decompression controlls instead of thumb levers)

It's just an observation, and only opinion, but if you are taking the time to restore something, especially for someone so the can relive a memory from childhood, why would you change something that was original to the bike? Yes, the J controls are easier to use, but it's not helping to relive anything. Actually I use H controls and I could upgrade, but keeping it preserves the originality and feel of a vintage Whizzer.
Ok, the peanut gallery will now step down from the soap box so you can get on with your project....