# 1973 AMF Westpoint restoration pictures...lots of pictures...



## GirchyGirchy (Feb 12, 2004)

I really doubt if anyone here remembers me asking questions about this bike over a year ago, on the old boards....but if they do, it's been done for a while, and I'm finally putting up some pictures.

The bike is my dad's '73 AMF Westpoint with a 3-speed hub he purchased, along with a women's model for my mom, new at an auto parts store (can't remember the name!) in Carlisle, Kentucky. It was stored indoors for its whole life, so it wasn't in too bad shape....it was rideable before I started cleaning it up. It was the first 'big-wheeled' bike I rode when I was a kid, so I'm somewhat attached to it, too.

I'm still not sure what made me want to work on it. It had been hanging upside-down in the garage, next to its mate, for as long as I can remember. I began getting really interested in cycling four years ago, and my knowledge of bicycle mechanics continued to grow as I taught myself to work on my then-new Specialized Hardrock. When I didn't have anything else to do to it, I needed a project...so I thought of the old bike hanging at home.

It was perfect. Although I ended up actually restoring an '84 Mongoose before that one, I finally found the time to sit down and clean up every part. A couple of steel wool pads were used on each wheel, removing the copious rust from the spokes and rims, and more was used on the seatpost, fenders, stem, handlebars, and crankset. Everything turned out to be in decent shape - all that was replaced were the cables, tubes/tires, chain, and I stuck the brake pads from my Hardrock on there (amazing what decent pads can do with chrome rims!). The only problems were a stuck seatpost and stem (WD40 cured those), and I had to rig up a new cable end from a Sturmey-Archer cable attachment.

The bike turned out better than I thought it would, and it's turned out to be quite popular...I ride my bikes to class sometimes, and between my new Jamis Ventura road bike, my Specialized, and the Mongoose, the old AMF is considered by my friends to be the 'good' bike. My dad stole it back for now, but if he's not going to use it, I think I'll just have to take it back. It's a great bike to cruise around in.

So, enough chitchat, here are the pictures. I hope you like it.

Brian


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Very cool...... You did an excellent job on the restoration..... I've been searching Goodwill/garage sales for something similar. I really like the fenders and the 3 speed hub...


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## GirchyGirchy (Feb 12, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> Very cool...... You did an excellent job on the restoration..... I've been searching Goodwill/garage sales for something similar. I really like the fenders and the 3 speed hub...


Thanks...though I must admit, it wasn't in terrible condition to start with, it more or less needed a good cleaning. It does work much better now. If I find a female counterpart who likes to ride, I'll clean up the partner bike to carry on the riding tradition.

One interesting thing about the bike - the fork is bent to one side. But the wheel's dished so that it fits in the fork ok. I wonder how many of them turned out that way at the factory!


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## freezin_is_the_reason (Feb 5, 2004)

*Great Job*

How many hours did it take to remove all of the surface rust from the wheels? What sovent did you use, if any? The bike looks great, and I am sure that you must feel great pride every time you ride it.

Dave, are you looking for any particular bike, or just any nice 3 spd cruiser. I seems to remember seeing one at one of the local thrift shops here in the Frozen Tundra. You could make a weekend trip up from TX and have it for your very own!


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

freezin_is_the_reason said:


> How many hours did it take to remove all of the surface rust from the wheels? What sovent did you use, if any? The bike looks great, and I am sure that you must feel great pride every time you ride it.
> 
> Dave, are you looking for any particular bike, or just any nice 3 spd cruiser. I seems to remember seeing one at one of the local thrift shops here in the Frozen Tundra. You could make a weekend trip up from TX and have it for your very own!



I'm not looking for any bike in particular. I'll find one eventually. I saw a female Raleigh that was dark red with a tan saddle and grips.... I only wish it was a "boys" bike..


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

*Looks Great, I just bought 2 myself*

That bike looks great, congrats on the restore.I am not suprised your friends call it the good bike!
I just bought two three-speed bikes at a local thrift shop. Both were in good shape and one even had the original owners manual. I fixed one up for my Mom and I am working on the other for my husband. I saw the nipple on the rear axle and assume I am supposed to put in oil or grease, what kind did you use?
Zeytin


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## GirchyGirchy (Feb 12, 2004)

freezin_is_the_reason said:


> How many hours did it take to remove all of the surface rust from the wheels? What sovent did you use, if any? The bike looks great, and I am sure that you must feel great pride every time you ride it.


I used a couple of steel wool pads per wheel, extra fine. I got the tip from rt, a poster on both MTBR and RBR, who restored her first bike a couple of years back. They worked great, and left the finish mostly unharmed, so I was able to keep all of the original chrome. I'd like to polish it up some, but it's not bad in its current state at all.

Thanks for the compliment...and you're right, I'm awfully proud of that bike. It's nice being able to do all of the work yourself, and let people know that.




zeytin said:


> That bike looks great, congrats on the restore.I am not suprised your friends call it the good bike!
> I just bought two three-speed bikes at a local thrift shop. Both were in good shape and one even had the original owners manual. I fixed one up for my Mom and I am working on the other for my husband. I saw the nipple on the rear axle and assume I am supposed to put in oil or grease, what kind did you use?


Thanks! You'll have to post some pics of your 3-speeds...are they old generic American bikes, too?

I put some 3-in-1 oil into the port...I'm not sure if someone on here suggested that, or I just thought it was a good idea. If I were you, I'd make a new post and ask that very question...I'd like to know the answer too!

BTW, I read your profile, that's a good story. Glad to see you on here! Good luck on your restoration work!


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