Stretched Murray cantilever

[Unchained]

I am initiating a new build, an old school stretched cruiser, and am now starting an early thread for the build. My inspiration: The first series Dyno stretch frames. I really took a liking to those a while back and decided to build my own custom, starting with two Murray frames purchased from a forum member (they will be arriving soon). Here are the fenders I will be using: (Still awaiting arrival)

I will probably have a guy my Dad knows paint some old school red and white striping on these if he can... I may also do scallops... In either case, I LOVE the patina and that will not be compromised. The bike will eventually have some old round cruiser bars, full size whitewalls, knee action Schwinn ballooner springer (well, that might be; I haven't fully decided on the fork setup yet) and some rusty chrome wheels... going with a seat like this

or an all white deluxe saddle... More to come as things happen.

 

[stretch]

Re: My first STRETCH

heyyy! :mrgreen: sounds like a good start! cant wait to see what in store! my advise, DONT draw it, keep the idea in your head. turns out better. believe me.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first STRETCH

heyyy! :mrgreen: sounds like a good start! cant wait to see what in store! my advise, DONT draw it, keep the idea in your head. turns out better. believe me.

Thanks Scott! I don't plan on ever laying down an official plan, but I may make some crude sketches to get the basic geometry and size of the frame right... I want it long and low but it can't be too long because I am not very tall. :lol:

 

[stretch]

Re: My first STRETCH

i know whatcha mean. you can make it long, you'll just need really big handelbars. :lol:

 

[Quanah]

Re: My first STRETCH

Lookin' forward to see the frame design. Have fun!

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first STRETCH

Thanks guys! My fenders arrived today and I am drooling over them still! As it turns out, they're CHROME! I thought it was paint loss. :lol: The chrome is actually in awesome shape under some gross green over spray that I thought was mildew in the pictures. :lol: :mrgreen: SO Excited!

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

While most high schoolers are out seeing movies or something on their first day of April Vacation, I was up at six AM and locked myself in the garage to finish some old bike business and get to work on my first stretch. :lol: Thanks to Dingo shipping my frames priority, they were here in a flash. Well, here we go!

As taken from the box:

And after several hours of patient cutting, thinking and welding:

I personally am VERY happy with the end result... What should I do as far as a paint or finish goes? I can't make up my mind... My welds aren't too bad looking and I kind of dig the look as is.... I'd have to grind and bondo all the welds to paint it and I don't know that I want to do that.... Anyway, here's today's efforts.

 

[bikebuilder]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

I like it!

 

[elvis51]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

HOLY CRAP!!! :shock: :shock: you made that look incredibly easy dude! that looks waaaaay good! as for paint, id go with something eye popping. like a bright orange maybe. something that grabs you by the shirt collar and says" hey look at me punk!" that bike looks rad dude. what kinda fork ya gonna use? tires? wheels?

Easy E

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

HOLY CRAP!!! :shock: :shock: you made that look incredibly easy dude! that looks waaaaay good! as for paint, id go with something eye popping. like a bright orange maybe. something that grabs you by the shirt collar and says" hey look at me punk!" that bike looks rad dude. what kinda fork ya gonna use? tires? wheels?

Easy E

Hey thanks! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: I was thinking a baby blue or soft red in honor of a '59 Cadillac Eldorado, but I am starting to think that wouldn't do... I'm just not sure yet what will happen. To tell you the truth, this was an easy job. I got lucky and everything just fell together. As for the forks, I'm going with some standard Murray blade forks or an authentic Schwinn springer... My wheels, a pair of lightly rusty old straightside ballooner wheels with Nd hubs. Tires: the biggest pair of whitewalls I can order!

 

[elvis51]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

sounds like a good plan to me man! cant wait to see this one transform! makes me wish i had a welder.... :roll:

Easy E

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

thanks, I'm excited too... I mgiht go really off the wall with this one and make my own bars and everything. Welders are invaluable, sorry you don't have one. I'm lucky that my father used to be an excavation contractor... A welder was a necessity with all the old trucks and machines.

 

[KOTA]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

LOOKS GREAT!..........Don't STOP! Lay that seat tube at LEAST (maybe more) as far back as the old fender mount, just my opinion..The object of "stretching" is so you can sit LOWER on the bike, and have the comfort of the pedals being slightly forward.....I'm not criticizing, you've done an EXCELLENT job!

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

LOOKS GREAT!..........Don't STOP! Lay that seat tube at LEAST (maybe more) as far back as the old fender mount, just my opinion..The object of "stretching" is so you can sit LOWER on the bike, and have the comfort of the pedals being slightly forward.....I'm not criticizing, you've done an EXCELLENT job!

Thanks Kota, and believe me, I haven't forgotten that! (And suggestions are always welcome, I won't be offended). I'm going to lay the seat post frame tube or make a custom seat post, but either way, the seat is going to sit so that the top is level with or lower than the top tube of the frame. 8) Thanks for the compliments! I didn't expect my first stretch to go so well.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

You know what, elvis51? I've thought about it a little bit, and I think I'm going with a light/medium orange as the color. Nothing super vibrant, a softer more fifties color; that would be unusual but reallllllly nice. I'll add cream colored darts and maybe a red pinstripe... Thanks for the idea! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Later this week i should have my seat post or seat post tube appropriately modified to sit down way lower.

 

[OUTLAW]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

i am glad you kept all of the blue bike. very nice job. i think your color will be just right and black rims. oh yeah

Outlaw

 

[elvis51]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

there ya go dude!!! kinda like an orangesicle bar like a light orange. that would be rad dude!

Easy E

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

whats up unchaind looks good so far , but whoo"s 65 impala is that is it a SS.?

00ps! didnt let the pics down load stand corrected
.." caprice "

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

whats up unchaind looks good so far , but whoo"s 65 impala is that is it a SS.?

00ps! didnt let the pics down load stand corrected
.." caprice "

Thanks for the compliments guys.... that '66 Caprice is my father's car. 8) It is a four door (unfortunately) and has a nice 396- that's what he bought it for. In his high school days, my dad painted and flipped a lot of these old GM cars, and kept a few for himself. This particular car has a beautiful nose but the rest is pretty rotten. He has a '66 Impala SS inside the garage, that one is a much nicer car. Something about the length and color of the caprice rendered it a suitable display stand for my bike at that moment.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

there ya go dude!!! kinda like an orangesicle bar like a light orange. that would be rad dude!

Easy E

Thanks, I think that's the plan! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: