Black Beauty

[CycleTruck]

Here I go again. The last time that I had a new bike was in the 1970s, a Ross Apollo 5 Speed. All of my bikes since have been rescued bare or nearly bare frames.

Rescued from the Delta Chi frat house dumpster at Ohio State U in 1989, then pieced back together.

Rescued from a field and pieced back together in 2000.

Rescued from Universal Studios by the man who sold it to me in 2006.

Even made my own headbadge.

Now for my next trick ... reviving a D.P. Harris Black Beauty.

No wheels, fenders, chain or handlebars. Everything is stuck, except the seat post and the truss rods. The chain adjusting bolts are broken off.

Someone cut a pedal off so close that I can't get a wrench on it.

The stem is stuck. Not regular stuck. I mean, stupid stuck ... trans-stuck stuck ... meta-stuck ... black hole stuck.

Today's exercise was a 3 hour attempt at removing the stem. I need it off ASAMFP so I can send the truss rods & brackets out for new chrome.

First sprayed with PB Blaster. Got the bolt and wedge free, but the stem won't move. More PB Blaster. I wedged a 2x4 between the forks and used a pry bar to try to turn the stem. No movement. More PB blaster and prying. Nothing. Several wraps on the top with a dead blow hammer. Didn't move down at all. Tried removing the wedge from the bottom. The wedge is too big to drop out. More PB blasting, prying, dead blows & swearing at it so that it knows how pissed I am. No movement. By 4pm it was 104 deg and I had enough. One more soaking of PB Blaster, then put the tools away and planning my next moves. I might try dry ice inside the stem to try and shrink it. If I attempt the dry ice method, I may video it.

 

[CycleTruck]

Hey! What's the deal with that head badge making thing? What is exactly going on there?

Nice bikes, by the way. I especially like the tandem.

Thanks! I wish I hadn't sold that Western Flyer tandem!

Do you mean you want the process of making the badge? I suppose I could write a "how to" since I have a few badges to do for friends next week.

 

[big AL]

:wink: I know your pain. To tired to go on, so mad you could cry, and can't give up all at the same time.
Time laps video of that would make good real TV. :lol:

 

[CycleTruck]

:wink: I know your pain. To tired to go on, so mad you could cry, and can't give up all at the same time.
Time laps video of that would make good real TV. :lol:

Exactly!

 

[RestoRodSchwinn]

Do you mean you want the process of making the badge? I suppose I could write a "how to" since I have a few badges to do for friends next week.

Yes, please! Some kind of masking and acid etching?

 

[CycleTruck]

Do you mean you want the process of making the badge? I suppose I could write a "how to" since I have a few badges to do for friends next week.

Yes, please! Some kind of masking and acid etching?

I finished the artwork for the badges, but I didn't get to etching them yet. Probably next weekend. I spent my day on the stuck stem.

The first trick that I tried was pouring boiling water into the underside of the fork tube in an attempt to expand it enough to free the stem. I pounded on that sucker using a large forged body drift and 3 pound drilling hammer. I marked the side of the stem with a file to see if it moved and it hadn't budged even 1mm. Next I iced it down for an hour with the frame inverted and the stem inserted into the ice. I measured the temperature of the stem at 20 deg. I figured that a 98 deg ambient temp would be enough. Nope!

After 20 minutes of pounding, I ended up missing the drift and I hit my hand with the drilling hammer as hard as I could. Following a lot of grumbling, colorful meta-fores and icing my hand down, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I cut the stem.

Now I can finally remove the truss bracket and get it all out for new chrome! ...... but wait ... the cone adjuster is rusted on too. Let's cut a flat side into it so I can at least get a grip on it with pump pliers.

OK, the cone adjuster is off. What a wrestling match that was! I'm going to have to drag this bike all the way through this resurrection. More problems raised their ugly heads. Bent fork post. This will be an easy tweak with my hammer, saw horse, clamps and blocks of wood, so I'm not too worried about it.

Hmmmm, red paint in all of the hidden places. There are several other coats of paint on the frame, including black, silver and orange brushed on paint. I've been wanting a red bike, so red this bike will be again. I can also see some original cream and what might be black pin stripes. I'll try to be careful when stripping so I can get an idea of what the pattern was.

That's all for today. Have to pack the parts for re-chrome. During the week, I'll proceed to slit the remains of the stem with a hack saw blade while watching TV. Next operation ... remove stuck and broken off chain adjusting bolts.

 

[davy B]

can we see a shot of the whole frame you are working on? i like it

 

[MplsCoaster]

Hey CycleTruck,

Looks like you got yourself a good "project" bike. :lol:
I fought a stem, off and on, for 3 weeks. They can be brutal.

I'm glad you posted all your other bikes too. Nice collection.

can we see a shot of the whole frame you are working on? i like it

Yeah, maybe you can show the whole frame.

I hope you find a red bike underneath all that.

I'd like to see the headbadge instructions too.

Good Luck with the build!

 

[CycleTruck]

can we see a shot of the whole frame you are working on? i like it

Yup, next set of photos that I take. It's the same frame as a Hawthorne/Rollfast.

 

[CycleTruck]

Hey CycleTruck,

Looks like you got yourself a good "project" bike. :lol:
I fought a stem, off and on, for 3 weeks. They can be brutal.

I'm glad you posted all your other bikes too. Nice collection.

can we see a shot of the whole frame you are working on? i like it

Yeah, maybe you can show the whole frame.

I hope you find a red bike underneath all that.

I'd like to see the headbadge instructions too.

Good Luck with the build!

Thanks! It was definitely red, judging from the paint on the fork tube and inside the bottom bracket. I need to make some time for the headbadge post.

 

[CycleTruck]

Epic battle with the stuck handlebar stem finally ends. I'll have to clean up the threads with a thread file, but the fork is still in tact. The stuck chain adjuster bolts are next.

 

[Bize]

Do you mean you want the process of making the badge? I suppose I could write a "how to" since I have a few badges to do for friends next week.

Please do! That would be so cool.

 

[Gizmo]

Do you mean you want the process of making the badge? I suppose I could write a "how to" since I have a few badges to do for friends next week.

Please do! That would be so cool.

+ 1 - Please Do

Gizmo

 

[FatBoy]

Do you mean you want the process of making the badge? I suppose I could write a "how to" since I have a few badges to do for friends next week.

Please do! That would be so cool.

+ 1 - Please Do

Gizmo

Your head badges are Very Cool 8) Id love to learn how you do it!

 

[Gdcast]

I´m signing in for some headbadgin´classes too!!
Can´t wait for more progress on the Black Beauty!

 

[CycleTruck]

OK, how I make my headbadges is here: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=45405

 

[CycleTruck]

Black Beauty Crank & Brake Arm Re-chromed. I had the truss rods done too, but I packed them away to move before I thought to photograph them.

 

[Craiggo]

WOW :shock: I love the look of brand new chrome. never found it worth it though. this is gonna be an AWESOME bike

 

[CycleTruck]

The crank & brake arm weren't that bad. $35 for the crank and $20 for the brake arm. The truss rods hurt though @ $80 :| I figured WTH, ya only go round this crazy ol' world once, so why not make this kustom Black Beauty shine in the right places.

 

[CycleTruck]

The seat. An old Troxel scored on eBay. A new crash rail is on it's way from The CABE. I might attempt a leather recover with fringe.

The hubs, both New Departure. They're both just cleaned up, but the brake arm was re-chromed.

Brand new stainless steel spokes, custom cut & threaded by eBayer childhood_dreams.

The Head Badge. I was going to try and touch up the paint that flaked off, but I just may leave it as is.

And so it begins ....