'54 Jag -- Out of the build off...

[KickBackCycles]

I finally got some time to make the truss rods and mount them. I'm sure its easy if you know what you are doing but I don't. There are some kinks in the bottom from the axle but it turned out pretty good.
here's me bending them to shape.

I used the original ones as a reference then stuck them on the bike and modified them to fit.

After I attached them I bent the headlight mount to fit over the fender and taped it where I wanted it. It's leaning to far up I'll have to put a wedge of some sort underneath it.
But this is how it looks so far.



It's looking like a Jaguar to me.

[KickBackCycles]

I mounted the headlight today and thought I should take one more photo before I take it apart to paint.

It turns out I don't need a wedge it points exactly where I need it but there are some gaps I'm not to concerned about.


Taking a bike apart is way easier than putting it together. It took me less than 5 min. ( exaggerated guess) next time I should time myself.

I'm going to try to have it painted by next week then assembled after that.
If the decals don't give me any trouble.

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Looking good! It's 'aging' quite nicely....

Can't wait to be it go to color and assembly.

Cheers,
Dr. T

[KickBackCycles]

After seeing this pic I thought that the bike would look good with a rack, and its just an aftermarket chrome rack which I have too many of anyway. So, I stuck it on to see how it would look.

I would mount it differently then it is on my frame.

Then I thought might as well use my taillight.
And when I held up the taillight to see how it would look, the frame fell over and I caught it but dropped the light.
And it CRACKED!

It was like NOS, I'm trying to find the chip to glue it back but it slipped under the deck.
So I might not use it.

[whoinphx]

Heartbreak Hotel..... Looking great regardless...

[KickBackCycles]

Since I decided on the emerald Schwinn green I tried to find a way of making it. So I went to the Autoparts store, where I usually get my paint, and go from paintbook to paintbook trying to decide on a color. I ended up picking some candy green. So he types it up and hands me a quote of how much it'll cost. And it was over $125!
The paint I usually get there turns out to be $30 a bike. But these were "special" colors. So I spent all night looking for a solution and found this... http://www.schwinnbikes.com/schwinn-lif ... ette+speed
The color looked pretty close to what I was going for, so I tried a similar technique.
I didn't take a pic of it in primer, I just use some green self etching primer from a can, but I did of the silver undercoat. http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/prod ... ont500.jpg (this is what I use).


And here it is with one layer of green, I think I'll do at least two more coats.


I really need to get this project done, because I can't work on it part of next week. And I still have to paint the chainguard and light,pinstripe, add decals, and stick it all together!

[MplsCoaster]

Nice job on the paint and the bike!
It's gonna look much cooler than your Schwinn mag pic.

Keep up the good work!

[KickBackCycles]

I got the second and third coats done. But I'm going to wait a few days for it to dry so I can apply the decals and clearcoat.
Second coat:


Third coat:


My bad digital camera can't distinguish the difference between the two, but in person the third has a much darker and richer color. Which is going to look great with the white decals.

[kingfish254]

Cue the Beavis and Butthead head voices....... huh huh huh,,, he said Jag off..... huh huh huh
Sorry for the low brow, couldn't resist. Nice color!

[jaysmo]

That color look real good on there..you staying with brown saddle? what kind of grips are you using ? i like the home made truss rods they cam out clean did you a an older truss mount or you made of those too???

[KickBackCycles]

That color look real good on there..you staying with brown saddle? what kind of grips are you using ? i like the home made truss rods they cam out clean did you a an older truss mount or you made of those too???

I'm staying with the brown Felt saddle, but I am contemplating on making a crash rail for it.
For the mount I used the original that came with the bike, it was pretty beat up and I had to bend it back into shape. So there is a small crack in it. I probably wouldn't use it if I wasn't adding a modern fork to the bike.
The truss rods themselves were a little bigger than the rack the bracket was made for so its a tight squeeze and it took some grinding to make it fit.
And for the grips... I'm just using what I have laying around. Which happen to be some White Corvette grips. I was thinking about buying green ones but I can't find a cheap enough pair on Ebay so these will have to do.

[KickBackCycles]

Cue the Beavis and Butthead head voices....... huh huh huh,,, he said Jag off..... huh huh huh
Sorry for the low brow, couldn't resist. Nice color!

I should have seen that coming

[KickBackCycles]

This paint job has been giving me a hard time and there were a lot of set backs.
Now, after the frame and fork are painted, I applied the cheap water slide decals. The ones on the frame fit great but the fork darts wouldn't work and would kink up because the fork wasn't flat like a Schwinn's. So I got angry and threw it away.
I've decided to pinstripe it, but the shipping for the tape will be another week. So I have to take it out of the buildoff and just post the rest in bike builds.
On a happier note the decals turned out better than I expected (except the fork).

[MplsCoaster]

Hey KickBackCycles,

I'm sorry to hear about your frustration.
I remember building car models (in the 60's) and being ticked at the end because of the decals.

I might suggest that you put it together without the pinstiping or other decals and say "Done".
Why not? You've done a lot of good work. Details are great but a ridable bike is better.

If not, I'll look for it in the build section and thanks for sharing it.

[Jake Sensi]

YO STOP PLAYING AND SLAP THAT BABY TOGETHER!! WE DON'T CARE BOUT NO STINKY DECALS !! COME ON BUDDY...GET TA BUILDIN'!!