Sears Project

J

jimh

#22
#22
They came with Tecumseh engines. I have 3, but they have had 2 speed automatics. I guess the ones with 6" wheels had the automatic and the bigger wheeled one had torque converters. I just tore down the this one last weekend, getting ready to blast and paint. This one will not have the 2 speed put back on. It belongs to a friend who wants it fixed up for his daughter. The 2 speed is pretty rusty, so it will have a plain jackshaft. There's another one for sale cheap on Houston Craigslist with the bigger wheels.
http://houston.craigslist.org/mcy/707119385.html
 
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kbs8ball

kbs8ball

Active Member
#23
#23
Mine doesnt have the 2 speed either...just a NOS 4 hp tecumseh with the gov bypassed. its pretty fast when ya wind it up, even with 12/72 gearing.
 
J

jimh

#25
#25
This first one is going to be Pumkin Orange, With a H50 big block and a regular jackshaft. The one I'm picking up Friday, is going back to original, 2speed and all. The pink one I picked up a while back is going to be converted to a Sears Big Wheel.SEARS BIG WHEEL MINIBIKE I'd still like to have one with the 10"mags, lights and torque converter.
 
J

jimh

#28
#28
Here's pics of a little progress on the Sears mini. I sanded and used filler primer to smooth it out. I painted it Pumpkin Orange. I painted some of the other parts satin black, and loosely started assembling. The fenders and wheels will be a medium silver metalic. The best thing about this one is the kid who owns it. She has never once asked how rare, how original it is, or what it's worth. That tells me she'll probably keep it and ride it, and likely pass it on.
 
J

jimh

#30
#30
It's a roller. Got the new tires on, kickstand on, fenders and tank painted and bolted on. Also put on some jackshaft mounts. The engine was mechanically sound. I just replaced the points and condensor. Waiting on a new carb. Made a new jackshaft for a 15 tooth and 12 tooth sprocket. Forgot to take a pic of that. I think the kid who owns this one will be surprised. All I'm supposedly doing is getting it running. I can't wait to finish it and ride it a little myself.:scooter: I think the H50 should scoot it along real nice.
 
J

jimh

#31
#31
Finally done. Other than a small clutch cover this one is done. It's ready to go back to the kid who owns it. After all the hard work, I'm going to hate to give it back. I put a few hours of hard hammering on it, and everything seems good. I like the way the engine plate swing arm rides, but it's hard to get used to the engine jumping up and down on the bumpy stuff. I'm happy with the way it turned out. Came a long way on this one. I hope she likes it, as it was kind of a "Overhaulin" deal. I told her dad I'd get it running about a year ago, but I've slowly been redoing it. I only left the scrub brake, but if needed later, I'll add a hand operated band brake on the jackshaft. I had a better seat on another one, so I swapped it, and had a seat made for the other one. Now that this one's done, I'm going to start on the blue one.
 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#33
#33
The day before Thanksgiving how fitting a Pumpkin Color on a very special gift of labor and talent. I like the color scheme with the satin black and silver stripe on the finders and wheels. great job Jim .
Steve :scooter:
 
T

texdot

New Member
#34
#34
help me figure this out

Hello all.
I just going to purchase this mini bike frame and am wondering if anyone has any info on it? I am told its an old 1960s 1970s Sears model old Bird Industries. Are parts available for this unit and is it what it is said to be?
I am looking to restore it with my 10 year old son . Is it a reputable model or one to stay away from? It has been partially restored but I will probably convert it to original look.
Thanks
John
 
G

GTO

#35
#35
texdot said:
Hello all.
I just going to purchase this mini bike frame and am wondering if anyone has any info on it? I am told its an old 1960s 1970s Sears model old Bird Industries. Are parts available for this unit and is it what it is said to be?
I am looking to restore it with my 10 year old son . Is it a reputable model or one to stay away from? It has been partially restored but I will probably convert it to original look.
Thanks
John
Click to expand...
John, thats a Bird "night hawk" minicycle. you can find them in the gallery. If you need more help post in in the general section.
 
J

jimh

#36
#36
Here's how the second one will be. The parts are just loosely stuck together to give me an idea what I'm starting with. It's hard to imagine what it will look like with all these mismatched parts, but it will be cherry red with lots of gold pearl in the clearcoat. I'm getting a new seat and shocks. The seat will be the same as this one, but red metalfake on the top.The engine, I bought minus the recoil start. I threw on an old nasty one I use on 5hp Briggs engines when I'm working on them. It's a 5hp Briggs. The head has been shaved, ports cleaned up, valve work of some sort, I added a 1" stainless header, 20mm carb. I made an adapter to use a Triumph velocity stack/filter. The guy I bought it from built it for a small funkart, but after he tried it out,he was afaid to turn the kids loose on it.It stiil has the internal governor parts, but has a spring on the arm to hold tension to keep it from coming apart inside.The tire on the rear wheel is new, and I have the front wheel with a new tire to go on too. The wheels fenders and forks are from a Bird Nighthawk. Thanks Motra for a good deal on tires wheels and fenders.:thumbsup: I welded up the bolt holes on the fenders, and they came out good. I need to get a taller more MX style handlebars. I'm going to use a 2 speed. If I don't like it I'll mount a 20 series torque converter setup with the driven on the jackshaft if there's room. It may need raised jackshaft mounts for that. I hope to have it blasted and primed this week, and painted next week. The fun is just beginning.:thumbsup: This one will be grouped in with a couple others to start a line I call the Junk Collector Series.:wink: :biggrin:

 
Green P1

Green P1

New Member
#38
#38
jimh said:
Here's how the second one will be. The parts are just loosely stuck together to give me an idea what I'm starting with. It's hard to imagine what it will look like with all these mismatched parts, but it will be cherry red with lots of gold pearl in the clearcoat. I'm getting a new seat and shocks. The seat will be the same as this one, but red metalfake on the top.The engine, I bought minus the recoil start. I threw on an old nasty one I use on 5hp Briggs engines when I'm working on them. It's a 5hp Briggs. The head has been shaved, ports cleaned up, valve work of some sort, I added a 1" stainless header, 20mm carb. I made an adapter to use a Triumph velocity stack/filter. The guy I bought it from built it for a small funkart, but after he tried it out,he was afaid to turn the kids loose on it.It stiil has the internal governor parts, but has a spring on the arm to hold tension to keep it from coming apart inside.The tire on the rear wheel is new, and I have the front wheel with a new tire to go on too. The wheels fenders and forks are from a Bird Nighthawk. Thanks Motra for a good deal on tires wheels and fenders.:thumbsup: I welded up the bolt holes on the fenders, and they came out good. I need to get a taller more MX style handlebars. I'm going to use a 2 speed. If I don't like it I'll mount a 20 series torque converter setup with the driven on the jackshaft if there's room. It may need raised jackshaft mounts for that. I hope to have it blasted and primed this week, and painted next week. The fun is just beginning.:thumbsup: This one will be grouped in with a couple others to start a line I call the Junk Collector Series.:wink: :biggrin:
Click to expand...
You probably should have offered those fenders up to people restoring NightHawks........:doah:
 
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J

jimh

#39
#39
Those wheels and fenders were in the classifieds here for a couple of months or more. They were cracked around the holes, so I guess maybe no one wanted them. I welded up the cracks and now they're fine. If I need them for a Nighthawk later. I'll have them. I don't sell anything mini related. I'll trade every now and then, but never sell. Everything I'm adding to this one is bolt on, so I can take it all off and go back to the original stuff.

Kenny, I'll probably make my own base if I can get the measurements from you, but I'll definitely want you to make a cover. I have a seat I'm going to use for now that is wider and more comfortable.
 
J

jimh

#40
#40
Got some work done on this one this week. I got the frame, Forks, swingarm, tank and fenders painted. The tank and fenders were stripped and primed, then painted a dark cherry red. I clear coated them with a lot, and I mean a lot of candy gold pearl powders. The pearl changes the color of the red in sunlight, but it looks like regular dark red in the shade. The frame, forks, and swingarm are black with the same pearl. They look black in the shade, but the pearls have a prism effect in the black in the sun. The shocks are also painted with the same black/gold pearl. The springs on the shocks and forks are going to be the red/gold pearl. The pearl is actually way finer than it looks in the pics. I couldn't get a pic to make it show in the black, but it glows in the sun. I think it's going to look pretty good. Maybe too good to ride in the dirt, but that's what I'm building it for,tearing up the woods. Should be able to start assembly next weekend after the paint cures a little.



 
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