Flyte 3A851

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 05/05/2017 - 16:58

What's left of 1937 Flyte serial # 3A851 was discovered in the loft of a garage after a house purchase in St. Catherines. It most definitely looks black, not a rusty/dirty Saphire Blue. I removed the pump clamp and it's still black underneath. Is there a chance CCM made Flytes in black in 1937 or 38? Could it have been a custom colour, or did the colour fade to black over 80 years? The cream fenders have a stripe down the middle. The forks are rusted chrome. I will be able to put wheels and handlebar on it and ride it as soon as it stops raining. Is the seat post clamp unique to CCM or the Flyte, or can I buy a generic one on Ebay?

 

16 Comments

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 05/05/2017 - 17:23.

I've just read in a 1936 catalogue that the first year Flyte was black and ivory. Maybe this one was an early production '37 before they switched to Saphire Blue? Maybe CCM wanted to use up the last of its black paint!

Submitted by simonkarl on Fri, 05/05/2017 - 18:35.

Nice flyte Brian, great find, I wish I had seen it. Welcome to the flyte club!!. I was looking at my 37 flyte, I found 2 colours on the frame, blue, black. Really hard to tell as mine has basically no paint left. Curious to what colour the pin striping is on the frame, gold on black, or is it ivory.

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 05/05/2017 - 19:04.

Thanks Karl. The pinstriping is gold.

Submitted by locomotion on Sat, 05/06/2017 - 08:22.

nice find, most likely a blue and ivory bike, the black and ivory had a different paint scheme.

check inside the seat post tube, inside the head tube and inside the BB without the cups, the color will still be there!

Submitted by cruisersbylou on Sun, 05/07/2017 - 00:36.

Nice score Brian and with Tool Box Troxel Seat very to find with correct seat and correct fenders. I actually had mine out tonite for a burn. I wish I had the original fenders for mine but oh well it is what it is. I can still see all the original labeling on mine. Again nice find

Submitted by Cbgimse on Sun, 05/07/2017 - 00:42.

I have a 38 that has that seat post. If its the same as mine, a genereric 7/8 post will work but is a bit smaller so i ended up cranking up the bolt pretty tight. 

Submitted by Brian R. on Mon, 05/08/2017 - 21:17.

I really wanted to ride my new Flyte today, so I threw on some parts I had available: ccm rims painted black, stem and bars, Gibson pedals, 1937/38 Persons seat with post, and a chain which was a bit too short. I enjoyed a nice ride through Trinity Bellwoods Park. Pic to follow.

Submitted by Brian R. on Mon, 05/08/2017 - 21:53.

Pic:

 

flyte1937-2.jpg

Submitted by gtflyte on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 10:03.

Hello Brian can you post an updated picture of your Flyte that’s on display from the St Lawerence Market?

Greg

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 10:41.

Here it is on the wall at the exhibit "Bike City" at the Market Gallery. I found correct bars for it, and a rear reflector (thanks Greg). To get the correct rims I bought a Ladies bike in Thunder Bay and had it shipped. The hub sprocket was the wrong size so I spoked in a better hub that had the correct number of teeth. I put on matching vintage tires I had. I've never even seen a correct, vintage 10" CCM pump so I bought a new foreign-made one on Ebay which does the job. Finally, I tried cleaning the corrosion of the front fork but it was too far gone so I had the fork rechromed. I tried cleaning up the paint a little. It still looks black to me, not Saphire Blue, but I haven't taken out the crankset yet. -B.

ccmflytebikecity.jpg

Submitted by gtflyte on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 10:46.

Looks great it came together very nicely

Congradulations Nice OG FLYTE Brian 

Greg

 

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 14:50.

P.S. A thanks to Zoro Discount Muffler in Mississauga for straightening the Flyte's seat post at no cost.

Submitted by gtflyte on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 15:33.

Nice 

26ab82a9-e3db-43f0-991b-b65fdd32cebd.jpeg

Submitted by simonkarl on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 18:02.

Nice Bike Brian, I envy it because it came from my own backyard. Not sure why you re chromed the forks, either way it looks good.

Submitted by Brian R. on Fri, 08/31/2018 - 23:30.

Thanks Karl. Over time I've learned how to bring rusty chrome back to life with the magic of extra fine grade 0000 steel wool and soapy water or metal polish. The chrome on this fork was unfortunately dead and gone - badly pitted, and it couldn't be resurrected. I don't feel that having metal replated is losing historical originality like you would when original CCM Saphire blue is resprayed with CTire Tremclad navy blue for example. I was happy to leave the rest of the bike with its og paint, rusty bits and all.

Submitted by bicyclecollector on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 08:45.

Same feeling as simonkarl. I would not have had the fork rechromed. makes it look half done. but it's now too late, no coming back.

rechroming and repainting have the same impact on originality (or whatever you name it (historical originality?), doesn't matter where you buy the paint!!! new is new.

it's not like they plated it using 1937 chromium.

to clean rusting, you haven't tried everthing unless you used a OA bath. the blue paint would probably come back to life with a OE bath as well.

"the corrosion process taking place when there is iron, it is known as rusting"