'38 Special ------ Update July 2nd

[raggedjim]

Another great bike, it's gonna be a tough year to vote.

Great job, Rg

[dogdart]

Looking really good , the paint looks like a Dalmatian

[N8NBOX]

Wow super creative stuff there!. Next I want to see someone do this but make the tank a little bit longer on each end and cut out a slot so it flushes up with the headtube and seat tube.

[outskirtscustoms]

Nice work, great attention to detail keep it up and you'll get one of my votes.

[Ape Stanger]

Your bike looks awesome. Great work on the tank. I can't wait to see what you come up with for your lion.

[Road Master]

Your bike looks awesome. Great work on the tank. I can't wait to see what you come up with for your lion.

The side hack for the kitty kat is in a different thread, but thanks for taking notice. Robert

[Oneuglybike]

Your build is fantastic!! I may have to work your bobbed fender onto mine! Defenitly going to make everyone step up their game!!

[Xcruiser]

Love the look and stance of the bike man!! I can see this is going to be one mean build!!
Big ole honkin lights are always good!!!

[Road Master]

Hi! I spent all morning cleaning parts so this afternoon I started fiddling around with a pattern for my oil tank. From my research any board tracker that had a rear fender kept the oil tank below the end of the fender nearest the seat tube. Also the top of the oil tank was sitting perpendicular to the side parallel to the seat tube. And finally there was a fill cap on top. My first pattern I cut the length so it stopped about a half inch below the fender stub but that didn't seem like it allowed enough room to access the fill cap so I cut it lower. Then I cut the pattern so it cleared the tire by 1/2" but that looked too spacious so I cut another pattern and reduced it to 1/4" spacing from the tire.

I temp taped the pattern on the frame to see what it would look like. I walked away and put back a few tools and then looked at it again. I don't like the length - I think it's too short. But while I was standing there looking at it I saw a line that I could match the oil tank to so it would flow better. So tomorrow I'll cut another pattern and match the top of the oil tank with the top line of the 2nd top tube - curve and all. That will give me a larger tank and an aesthetic line visually - all this for a tank? So tonight I'm looking for opinions, observations and ideas addressing the height of the tank and if it needs to be closer to the tire? Everything is welcome - I always believe that fresh eyes have the potential to see something different. I appreciate all comments. Thanks alot for all the support and kind words also. TBC! Robert

[kingfish254]

I like your idea of making the top of the oil tank follow the curve of the lower toptube.

It might me cool to add some bling in the area above the tank by attaching a hood ornament type of doodad to the fill cap.

[Road Master]

I like your idea of making the top of the oil tank follow the curve of the lower toptube.

It might me cool to add some bling in the area above the tank by attaching a hood ornament type of doodad to the fill cap.

I have a couple fender ornaments - I might check that out. If I use your idea you'll get full credit - I don't want to get into a "Credit" war like you got going w/ Xcruiser! Thanks alot! Robert

[kingfish254]

I like your idea of making the top of the oil tank follow the curve of the lower toptube.

It might me cool to add some bling in the area above the tank by attaching a hood ornament type of doodad to the fill cap.

I have a couple fender ornaments - I might check that out. If I use your idea you'll get full credit - I don't want to get into a "Credit" war like you got going w/ Xcruiser! Thanks alot! Robert

You can just pay me back with a vote!

[texasbigjon]

truly an awesome looking bike,robert! love the direction your taking it.

[Road Master]

Hi! Today I lengthened the oil tank pattern so it completed the line with the lower top bar - I like it much better. I also recut the curve around the tire so it is just a little closer and more consistent. Then I layed out 3 pattern markings on the 1" x 6" trying to end up with all easy to sand edges - no knots. My scrolling skills aren't as good as they used to be but I'll get the variations in the sanding stage.

Note: This is something I learned from my youngest brother that worked in a wood shop. Part of his job was "laying up panels" which is simply taking multiple strips of wood, applying glue to the edges and then clamping them all together on multiple bar clamps. Then with a rubber mallet they beat all the strips down so the bottom side of each strip is resting on the bar portion of the clamp. I saw him due this a hundred times and didn't give it a second thought. We both had full time jobs but we moonlighted evenings and weekends installing Oak Staircases and Railings in rich peoples homes. I'm sure you've all seen a staircase that goes up part way to a landing, turns 90 degrees and then completes the rise. One particular owner didn't want a landing but opted for curved steps which ends up with each tread about 4" wide on the inside of the curve and about 18" on the other end. To accomplish this we had to glue multiple treads together edge to edge - basically lay up a panel. The next day we cut the stair tread and I couldn't understand why they wouldn't break on the seams that we glued together. He told me a glued and clamped joint is stronger than the grain of the wood. Well I wasn't believing that so I took a leftover panel cutting, set it up on 2 concrete blocks and wailed as hard as I could on that seam - it broke, but not on the seam. It broke in the grain about an inch to the left of the seam - he was right - with solid 5 quarter hard wood. So what does this have to do with anything - I glued and clamped three cut 3/4" thick boards together and it will be just as strong as a solid piece of 4" x 6" beam. Without a band saw I couldn't cut curves on a hunk of wood that large so instead I cut three smaller boards and glued them together. Knowing the strength of glued and clamped wood may come in handy someday when trying to knock out a "to do" list so you can get back to tinkering with your bikes!

I measured the distance between the center of the seat tube and the back side of the chain to make sure I would have clearance which is how I ended up with a simulated oil tank 2 1/4" in depth. If my calculations are correct I should be able to clamp the tank centered onto the seat tube without interferring with anything. I practiced clamping the parts together so after I put the glue on I wouldn't be scrambling trying to line up the edges and figuring out how I wanted to clamp them at the same time. Everything went fairly smoothly, which is the way I like it. I'll let the glue dry overnight and start sanding. About time to go get some more materials. I'm going to try my hand at tail pipes and I think I finally came up with a solution for attaching them to the frame but not permanently - I don't want to damage the frame in any way if I can prevent it. It's a hot one today so it's time to pick up. TBC. Robert

[mitchelangelo]

Man those Fat Franks are way phat!! Looking pretty sweet so far