Better a little bit late, than never right?
Our subject today is an early-70s Ross girls frame, given to me by a guy at work. Saved from the crusher, as all good projects are!
It has some of the rustiest rims on the planet, but decent paint on the frame. I've been calling it a '71 but its date is unknown. Not sure when they started stamping "BMA" stamps on the frames, maybe that helps date it.
Since I saw it, I thought this small frame would make a cool custom chopper- honestly the first thing I thought about! This buildoff has made me focus my thoughts and we kicked around a few beers, and a few ideas last night... plans started to come together!
The bike will be inspired by those beautiful 1930's and 40's BMW motorcycles, the R models, R51 and R61 specifically. Many of these were built prewar, and into the early 50s with similar styles.
During the war, most were built for German army reconnaisance and messenger use. Civilian models look a lot like the military versions but with some style- pinstripes, flared "aero" fenders, and saddlebags.
We'll have to see where the build goes.
The original paint might be good enough to save, we'll see.
One of the surprises in store for this is a set of original Ross fenders I've just received back from my father, who's cleaning out our old house to sell it. I took them off and stashed them under the porch in... 1978? Built my "nerd" Ross coaster into The Death Machine complete with frame graphics in silver.
I'm hoping to achieve something worthy of inclusion here, with some classic chopper style mixed in with the 40's fat fender look.
Totally looking forward to the build, and given what you guys have created in the past, I'm prepared to be "shocked and awed" by your creations. You never fail to amaze me!
Best of luck to all the builders!
--=={{Rob}}==--
