I got my aunt’s old Cheetah

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CowboyDusty

New Member
#1
#1
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My aunt got this for Christmas in 1967 and it’s been in the shed for around 45 years and she gave it to me this week. The seat is still in great shape but the engine is seized up. I’m thinking I’ll replace it with a 212cc Predator and maybe get the frame sandblasted and re-chromed; the entirety of the tubing is chrome and I’d hate to paint that.

Pretty cool find and I can’t wait to get it running and restored.
 
Ding Ding

Ding Ding

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
Nice score.

Before moving forward with your tentative plans to swap a non-vintage engine on and have chrome redone, perhaps clean the bike up first to see what you truly have beneath the 45 years of dust and go from there. These bikes are only original once, and retaining any patina & character is something that should strongly be considered as the newfound care taker of your Aunt's childhood bike.
 
nightgrider

nightgrider

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
Don't give up on that engine. Those old flat heads are very robust. Sometimes it isn't even the piston that is seized. The pull cord retractor spring can brake and it'll bind. I had that happen on an old briggs I had and thought was seized. Once I took off the blower cover it turned over super easy with the spark plug out. Even if it is seized it isn't too hard to get them unstuck. Like @Ding Ding said, it is only original once. Minimum if you don't feel like messing with the original engine keep it in case you decide to part with the bike later.
 
Triley41395

Triley41395

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
CowboyDusty said:
View attachment 291956
My aunt got this for Christmas in 1967 and it’s been in the shed for around 45 years and she gave it to me this week. The seat is still in great shape but the engine is seized up. I’m thinking I’ll replace it with a 212cc Predator and maybe get the frame sandblasted and re-chromed; the entirety of the tubing is chrome and I’d hate to paint that.

Pretty cool find and I can’t wait to get it running and restored.
Click to expand...
Scrub it with hot soapy water, then go from there. A Nice bike might just be hiding.
 
kayde

kayde

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
Cool bike, looks like a very fun project too bring back.

Motor plate and motor covered in crud like that might indicate a leaker or a smoker. Nonetheless it's worthwhile to try to get it running again.

I bet your aunt had some good times on that bike for her too hold on to it for so long.
 
Mark G

Mark G

#12
#12
Good score, nice and complete. Do you have a picture of the other side? Judging by the lack of wear on the sprocket, tires and seat I'd say that has had less use than most. You'd be surprised how well that bike should clean up. I wouldn't "sandblast" the chrome if I were you, there are many ways to clean/restore it. (also less labor intensive, as well as cost. ) Have you had anything re-chromed lately? I bet it'd be over $1K easy. As others have said, that motor may also be very well savable.
Good luck, keep us updated with progress, and welcome to the site.
 
C

CowboyDusty

New Member
#13
#13
I'm hoping to work on the motor over the winter inside, during the summer and early fall I'm just so busy I don't really have the time. But in checking under the grease/oil/build-up the original frame seems to be entirely chrome and I like that a lot so I'm going to see what a good bath and scrub to see what I've got underneath.

It was literally in the corner of a shed for years and years and when I asked whatever happened to it she said it was in her shed and I could have it if I wanted to fix it. I'm really looking forward to this little project.

I know admittedly very little about chrome preservation/restoration. In my research it looks like its easier to get a chrome cleaner?

I could use some advice on that and would appreciate it. I like the idea of keeping it original. I'll get some more pics when I'm home for lunch and post them.
 
Mark G

Mark G

#14
#14
CowboyDusty said:
I know admittedly very little about chrome preservation/restoration. In my research it looks like its easier to get a chrome cleaner?

I could use some advice on that and would appreciate it. I like the idea of keeping it original. I'll get some more pics when I'm home for lunch and post them.
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First step, completely disassemble the bike to the bare frame and degrease it. (Dawn dish soap works well.)

Lot's of different ways to clean the chrome, it's been covered here many times. I've used Evaporust, Oxalic acid baths, and electrolysis (using a battery charger/power supply and a bath of washing soda). Polish with your product of choice. (others have used Naval jelly, vinegar, and all sorts of other home brewed concoctions) Mostly comes down to preference, time and cost. Do a search on this site, you'll find lot's of info.

Whatever you do, no matter what anyone says, do NOT use anything abrasive like Aluminum foil, Scotch brite pad, or steel wool (even the 0000 stuff). It'll leave scratches you will never get out.
 
Harquebus

Harquebus

Well-Known Member
#18
#18
The engine seize could be as simple as the flywheel rusted to the magneto, or a similar obstruction.

Like others said, clean it all with mild detergent, hot soapy water and Dawn dish detergent (or similar). Chrome is one of the easiest to "bring back" with metal polish, #0000 steel wool and similar. It won't be perfect, depending on how much age and patina (rust spotting) it has but it will likely have character.

I vote for more pics too, front/rear/both sides/top-down/bottom-up, etc. etc.
 
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