Beach Cruiser to Board Track Racer

[Nubby]

Starting on my first build right now, I've already found a suitable bike for the build. I wanted to make a sort of Board Track Racer that was re-purposed as a street racer in the 50'. It will look and have the components of a 20' racer, but with the paint techniques of the 50'. Sort of a early cafe racer. I'm still not sure on the colour... I can't decide between brown, Indian Red or maybe even double blue (light and dark blue) . It will have the longer racing handle bars that move the rider behind the 'cranks' and the seat will also be moved to the back, above the rear fender. It will probably evolve over time as I find more pieces of the puzzle. If anyone here is also located in the Netherlands, please tell me. And more important, tell me where I can get proper parts (but keep the prices down, because after all, we're Dutch).

If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me. Here's a picture of my bike as it is now. I hope not to radically change it... I already feel bad about taking this beauty apart...

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I wouldn't feel bad about using that bike for what you have planned! It looks like a common modern type frame, nothing that the purists would fret over.

For parts, check Craigslist for your area. I just had a quick look at Amsterdam and saw some interesting bikes. HERE'S THE LINK.

 

[Frankie plekhand]

Dont be afraid to rebuild it ! It will only look better! I'm Dutch too and if theres anything i learned here it's that you build a bike for yourself!
So if you have a idea in your head the sky is the limit!
As far as parts go, what do you need?
I think you already know the chopperdome in amsterdam ?
Or google aparte fietsen they have a webshop to.
They sell handlebars and all that kinda stuff.

Groeten Frank

 

[Nubby]

Dont be afraid to rebuild it ! It will only look better! I'm Dutch too and if theres anything i learned here it's that you build a bike for yourself!
So if you have a idea in your head the sky is the limit!
As far as parts go, what do you need?
I think you already know the chopperdome in amsterdam ?
Or google aparte fietsen they have a webshop to.
They sell handlebars and all that kinda stuff.

Groeten Frank

Ik heb ze inderdaad al gezien, maar ik zoek niet echt chopper onderdelen. Ik wil juist die 20' look, dus dat wordt waarschijnlijk improviseren en zelf maken. Die winkels zijn trouwens niet echt in de buurt, aangezien ik in de achterhoek woon... Ik denk dat ik anders beter in Duitsland kan kijken. Maar bedankt voor de moeite.

 

[Frankie plekhand]

You're welcome
20s parts are hard to find here so i think you'll have to fabricate it yourself.
And you know what they say here..
Built not bought

Frank

 

[Nubby]

Though I'd love to post some pictured of the work I've done today, I sadly can't... My camera broke down . But on the other hand, it wasn't that much. I won't be posting something for a couple af weeks, because we're going to the Great Dordet Steam Fair and the Shrewsbury steam fair. So I'll be back in about two weeks. Or maybe tomorrow, but that's it.

 

[Nubby]

Okay, so I'm down to the three color examples that are below in the post. I really like the light blue one, but the dark one too! It is a really hard choice for me...
If I were to make it red, it will have black rims like the old Indians. I have also picked up some parts, I found a headlight, a rearlight and a saddle.

Really hard for me... I also really like this one,
http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae265/ICrazyhorse/Crazyhorse Worksman Board Track Racer Tributes/1910BLUEINDIANBICYCLE.jpg
Here are the new parts

The chrome is a bit bad, but I van maybe rechrome it or something? Somebody?
And if not, they'll be painted black.
Also, the dynamo doesn't run very free or smooth. I have taken it apare (kinda) but I can't remove it from the casting because of it havind soldered wires and such inside...
Again, anyone?

It turns out that there are pieces that you can use to move your saddle. A friend of my dad's has a bicycle shop, and he gave me a used one for free!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I like the blues, but not sure how they will look with your saddle...

Luke.

 

[Nubby]

Okay... So sorry for not posting in a long time. To be honest, I just forgot about it... So I got a different seat wich covers the pin under the seat better, I made a rearlight under it and I got a different dynamo for it. A first a great dynamo (even Swiss made by a company named Locomotief, wich a a Dutch company again), but now it too is stuck... And I can't figure out why... I also got me some different handlebars but I'm still looking for better ones. Now about the paint job. I thought grey will look good on it with yellow or blue rims, but I also still really like the idea of a rusty blue bike that looks like it has really been driven and thoroughly used. You know, a really typical ratrod. I guess I liked the idea of a board tracker at first, but changed my mind during the process because of new ideas and seeing other people's creations. So now I'm going for a bit more of a custom-rusty look. As soon as the weather gets better, so that will be by spring, I hope to have made up my mind about the colours and everything so I can start painting. And ofcourse ride it by summertime, that is if I ever make some real progress.
I hope to post some pictures as soon as I get my camera fixed.
See ya next time I remember about the existance of this site.

 

[patman73]

browm frame & brick red tires!

 

[Mike G]

Ik heb ze inderdaad al gezien, maar ik zoek niet echt chopper onderdelen. Ik wil juist die 20' look, dus dat wordt waarschijnlijk inproviseren en zelf maaken. Die winkels zijn trouwens niet echt in de buurt, aangezien ik in de achterhoek woon... Ik denk dat ik anders beter in Duitsland kan kijken. Maar bedankt voor de moeite.

Say whaa....

FWIW... I'd go with the dark blue, long reach bars (like the 20's motorcycles), chop the rear fender at the top, and color match the rims... Of course now I'm sending you in a completely different direction, boardtrack racer before it was a boardtrack racer... Hey, you asked!

That blue BTR, the Emblem, Velo Orange sells a handlebar like that, the "Belleville"... in case you go back that way.

That blue BTR, the Emblem, Velo Orange sells a handlebar like that, the

 

[Nubby]

Okay, so it's been a while, but I've finally finished my rusty paint. But... I didn't like it, so I removed it again.

And after a lot of sanding down and paint remover, it looks like this now.
You can now really see all the colours it has had. Blue, black, white, blue again and then my brown.

So now I'm planning on doing a metallic blue paint job with white scallops maybe or orange pinstripes. So many options! Not sure yet... Maybe I'll even make it high gloss, dark grey with maroon scallops...
I'll post again when I finish my third paint job.

 

[Tomburr]

I like the dark grey with maroon scallops, do that!

 

[Nubby]

Okay... So I've been sanding some more and this weekend I finished the paint and after some clearcoat it looks like it's cady paint

Adding some primer.. Really weird stuff. It creates a clear coating on the bike.

Here I finally got rid of the crank

Here I added the new crank and gear, the kickstand, the steer and the rear light

Now it's just some minor, but very important stuff, I have to do, like the pedals, fix the steer, add a chain, connect the lights and fix the seat. After that I should be ready to go!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Paint came out great, looks awesome!

Luke.

 

[The Phantom]

is that a rattle-can paint job? looks fantastic!

 

[Nubby]

It is indeed, it was just a metallic blue can I bought in the store... And I did use more cans than I had planned, because I wasn't satisfied every time it was 'done', so I sanded a lot of it down a layer to get it all smooth again. I used about six, so it turned out quite expensive. And after that I went over it with a clear coat, and that was he best choice I had mede in a long time... It turned out like candy paint. I love it!
And yeah.. I was still experimenting with the saddle, and it doesn't look very good like this. So I went with the stock seatpost again with a ripoff Brooks saddle. Now I just need to fine some suiting grips.

 

[gigmata]

i really like the bike. great job.

 

[Nubby]

Thanks! I'll post some more pictures soon when I'm closer to finishing it. As I said, I need to do some more small things.

 

[Nubby]

So I got a new pair of pedals, and they look great! Especially with my new nickel plated chain.

I also got the right saddle! A proper Brooks, no more fuss about the colors not matching with the grips and all! It also offers a nice spot for my rear light, it looks waaaay better this way

I also got a headlight without all the rust, the only things that are rusty now are the headstem, the light bracket and the front wheel hub...

I was thinking about making a tank plate to go with it, but I haven't quite figured out yet how to do so. Any tips or ideas?
I was thinking about something like this: