- Joined
- Jan 2, 2018
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 59
*Edit - ...., I overlooked the rule about keeping a build journal so my entry in the 2018 build-off has been moved here in the builds forum. I guess there's always next year
Found this old beauty leaning up against a dumpster about seven years ago. I had been keeping it ugly and using it as a workhorse when I realized it was a great candidate for the 2018 rat rod build-off.
First off I took lots of the old paint and rust off with a wire wheel drill attachement and clear coated it.
While many of my previous builds have looked the way I wanted them to, I wanted this one to feel like new as well, which meant being meticulous to ensure all systems involving bearings felt solid after repacking.
So I used an angle grinder and park tools reamer and facer tool to clean up the headtube; the headset now works beautifully, which was the most significant triumph on this particular build as I had thought the headtube was done-for, for a few dark hours there.
I had an easier time ensuring the bottom bracket was solidly rehauled as I usually like to work on frames with three piece bottom bracket shells which can house modern cartridge units and cranks. I popped in a cartridge unit and a high end 80's mountain bike crankset I had saved, applying park tools anti-seizing compound to the bottom bracket threads to ensure it's workable in another 80 years.
My understanding of rat rods are old frames built up with some modern components in order to go very fast, and so decided to ditch the heavy old wheels for a custom set I built. I did use a period-specific coaster hub.
The best find (and usually the most challenging part to find in a RR build) was a period-specific saddle at my local bike co-op, The Bike Dump.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my first Rat Rod Bikes™ entry and best of luck to all contestants.
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