Restoring A Hercules Speed King Path Racer Bicycle: Part Two
Vložit
- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Making some progress on the Hercules Speed King! Amazingly found some original decals, got the bars and stem plated, found some grips and the original pedals.
Music: MydNyte - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Those decals are absolutely gorgeous. Ornate and elegant.
They certainly didn't skimp on the art back then!
Wow, the decals are stunning. It seems like you were extraordinarily lucky in locating them!
Oh, yeah! I would’ve personally given up the hunt but the individual that sold me the bike, Charles Nighbor, contacted every vintage cycling club in the UK. I thought he was wasting his time but amazingly perseverance paid off and he found a Hercules collector that had squirreled away the decals.
A true miracle finding a replacement for that glorious biplane decal. What a crime people paint over any existing paint on any of these bikes, forever erasing priceless originality. Painful to think about. I leave everything untouched, just bathing the metal in a 50/50 white vinegar and water mix for several days. This dissolves rust without damaging existing paint and it's cheap. Wash thoroughly in mild soapy water, then rinse. Just don't apply it to the decals though. Then a light coating of linseed oil. I am working on a 1904-07 BSA fittings bike as a project myself right now. Watching these video's is nice as i sometimes think i am the only one around that has a love of these old machines. That biplane decal really is spectacular. There is nothing they make now that even comes close to the simple beauty of these bikes.
Hey, Joe! Yep, I feel the same way. I prefer the old bikes to have an authentic, lived-in, patina anyway. Unfortunately, someone had already gone full-resto on this one by the time I got to it, so I was forced to continue down that road. Let's hope it doesn't look too new by the time 'm finished. :) That BSA sounds like a beauty! Let me know when it's done and where I can see some photos!
Thanks for the name-check, Joe! Glad the decals turned out so well. I didn't realise that the colours would be so vibrant on the 'Speed King' scroll - it looks like the decoration on a vintage funfair ride!! You'll have a brand new 90 year old bike very soon!
Hey, Mike! Oh yeah, the colors on the decals really shocked me. For some reason, I never expected them to be quite so colorful. Yep, the "brand new" 90 year old bike thing is really messing with my head. It's hard to accept that something is that old when it looks so new. :) Thanks again for the decals, Mike!
@@bikestrikesrazors Do you know what clear-coat Ed used on the decals? I use the same 'gold size' that I use to apply the decals with.
@@mikegerrish3459 Hey, Mike! I have no idea, but if I'm back down that way in the near future, I'll stop in and ask him!
The decals are truly awesome ! ....They don't make 'em like they used too....
Yep. Makes you wonder what happened when you look at modern decals. How'd we go backwards?!
Awesome restoration done with love. Can’t wait to see it hit the road!1
I'm starting to get a little impatient, Mark! The nicer every little thing turns out, the more impatient I get to see it all together. :)
@@bikestrikesrazors I am amazed at your ability to find the authentic parts. Like solving an old mystery.
@@markfeldman6509 Hey, if you can find a derailleur in Australia, I can find a few old bike parts. :) Seriously, I don't know how folks would've done anything like this pre-internet.
@@bikestrikesrazors it would have been impossible to do any of these projects without the internet or having unlimited time and resources to track them down. The internet is a blessing and also a big curse. Unfortunately kids will never know how to do real research and discovery. Keep plugging along!
Not to nitpick here, Joe, but... at 6:30 you missed an ideal moment to overhaul that pedal!
Hey, Rudi! I wouldn't have a clue as to how to overhaul a pedal. It took me half an hour to figure out how to take the pedals apart! I kept thinking the rods should pull out of the end pieces. :)