the "Starliner"

[dangratsdan]

Yea, Im in. With so many cool bikes being built, I had to join in on the fun. Besides, I needed to build a new bike for the Coasters BC "ART of the BIKE" show at the end of July.
As the name implies, Im using a newly acquired Spaceliner frame, Ive always liked the Spaceliner, and after seeing the Spacerliner build off, I had to have one, and one of the Coasters had a Spaceliner frame for sale a few weeks ago, and I bought it.

And yes, the star part of the name comes from the use of the ever popular star sprocket

Some of the other parts to be use are a rat trap springer, thats been popped. Oh you're right that a 24" springer with a 26" tire. Bet I think I can make it work.

And this Spaceliner frame is going to have a 24 x 3 tire with a 2-speed kickback.

You wonder how a 24 x 3 tire will fit on that middle weight frame, well Im making bolt on dropouts, to move the tire back 6".
First made a paper pattern.

then copied that to MDF (fiber board) to make a hard pattern that is used with a hand router to cut out the aluminum outer dropouts, same process will be used to cut out inner drop out. The outer and inner drop outs will sandwich the stock frame drop outs using bolts.

CAUTION: If you try this, wear goggles, use a lubircate on the aluminum to keep the router bit from loading up with the aluminum, work slowly, BE VERY CAREFUL, this is not a good idea for novice hand router users.

the outer drop outs, roughed out.

Next step is to design and cut out the inner drop out and cut reliefs for the stock drop outs.

 

[Markm]

Right On!!!!!! 8) 8)

 

[karfer67]

i like what i see this should look cool in mock up. good luck

 

[kingplinker]

very cool - I like that chain ring and "hub cap" thingy. like the chain guard too - never seen one like that. That router trick is killer - I have so many problems cutting shapes out of flat stuff, regular grinders do;t do aluminum well - - a friend of mine just got a "nibbler" - it's pneumatic and is wicked cool for cutting plates of any type of metal. - awesome start man!

 

[JoKeR63]

Ah, cutting mass quantities of aluminum, the memories! I like where this is going.I plan on something similar for converting a 20" springer into a 26".

 

[kingplinker]

you can also smear mayonaise on the sheet before cutting it has petroleum in it... weird but true!

 

[aka_locojoe]

Glad to see your in Dan.
Off to a great start.

 

[user 135]

Cool dropouts. I like you mimicking the originals only much bigger,

 

[JoeyMac]

Custom SpaceLiner in the RRBBO? Who ever heard of such a silly thing?!

j/k

Like where this is going so far, great way to continue the shape and lines into the dropout and preserve the original design. I will be keeping my eye on this one.

 

[dangratsdan]

I been around here working on the bike a bit. Need more time to post more pics. Here is a couple for now, more to come.
the rear dropouts on 26" spaceliner frame

the front dropouts on 24'" rat trap,

More pics later. Right now I need to get ready to ride ith the Coasters BC Thursdaynight pub peddle. It will be HOT, always is the place to be.

OK, one more picture.

Later, gotta ride.

 

[karfer67]

nice work are the plates aluminum? well done so far

 

[Bicyclerick]

Thats looking good Dan. Can't wait to see it finished. Tell lora hi for me.

 

[herr_rudolf]

Nice flow!

 

[aka_locojoe]

Thats looking good Dan. Can't wait to see it finished.

Agree.

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

Dude that thing is turnin out sick!!!

 

[DesignIt]

I'm diggin' the stretched out look you're getting with those dropout extensions. Great job! I'm looking forward to seeing the final product.

 

[dangratsdan]

hello Im back with some review of the fab of the 3/16 aluminum plate dropouts. Then a few shots of two mockups, neither have the headlight arrangement that the "Starliner" should have, but I have a couple of cool ideas, Im am currently working on, Ill show you later.

Oh yea me, a self portrait, on the job milling my bolt on dropouts.

Wouldnt you know it on the next , I thought, to the last function with the router, I was boring reliefs for fork and was really probably unnessary. And the router bit bent, SUDDENLY 25,000 RPMs of CARBIDE BLADE is swrilling out of balance and may break off in a split second at very high speed and do damage TO ME. So aim it away QUICKLY, and SHUT IT OFF. Nobody hurt, just gotta get a $30.00 bit sometime when I do it again.

With this build I am at this time building to damage NOTHING on the frame and fork OTHER than me sitting on this bike.Therefore I did not , at least not at this time, cut down the seat post and cut off the original tank mounts, I left them at this time. SSOOO because of that, I think Ill build the bike to have two, or more, I have another cool idea for this bike, looks.
You will see more later.
for now. the bike frame is 26""Spacerliner" of some kind with a 24" rat trap springer, like the spaceliner used but this ones a 24" on a 26" bike.
I did the flop and swap on the 24" springer, and I built the bolt on drop outs for the front and rear which extended the wheelbase another 12" to 13" inches. Its going to be a peddle scraper, with me and my 220 lbs on it when it was probably built for a 140 lb max KID. We will know more soon.
I did bend the seatpost using 7/8 solid steel rod, bent cold in a hole in the back yard.
with tank

with panels

well thats it for know but a little hint to the direction the nose of the bike is going.... I am gettin hungry that ill ride over the the cafe. see ya..........starliner cafe.... sounds good.

 

[karfer67]

i would have called it "the stretchliner" sweet build

 

[dangratsdan]

My camera had a problem so you missed out on the stripping of the paint off the frame, but you know how to do that, anyway it got stripped and painted. I painted the frame and fork a hammered blue. But before I painted the frame I epoxied and bolted on the dropouts.

Then I fitted the fork bolt on dropouts and then epoxied and bolted the dropouts.

Next i will cleanup the epoxy mess of the fork dropouts and paint.

 

[roadmaster]

man, thats come a long ways. lookin wicked with the alum fab work. at my height, the longer the bike, the better.