BO15 HOMEMADE SHINE has a totally different look!

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Here ya go! Freaky Friday instead of front end??? Six-and-a-half feet tall! Is it in proportion now?
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Now that is fun!
 
I am working on another idea. This is a tank from a '64 Huffy 20" convertible. I did some measuring and it looks like I can use this as a tank on Homemade Shine. It would mount just below the top bar, but take some modifications (cutting) to fit. I typically don't modify vintage parts, but this might be a cool idea. Still don't know if I can bring myself to cut on these. I do have the complete donor bike, but it's not really worth restoring.
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I thought that it was time to improve upon Homemade Shine. I actually became bored with it (as a short bike) a long time ago. So, it was time for a change. Being a big guy, I also got tired of not really being able to really ride it comfortably. So, since I grew up in the muscle bike era, I decided to turn Homemade Shine into a Sting Ray style custom pig bike. The bars I used are 16" high instead of the 12" typical of the '64 Sting Ray bars, but only 28" wide instead of 33". Plus they are angled forward to make the 60's sculptured grips set level. Those high bars with a Krate front springer fork, as well as an almost straight-up style stem, sets the front end up really high (48"). Then I used a Schwinn Sting Ray chrome long seat post and a cool 42" long sissy bar to raise the banana seat (of unknown origin) up to achieve a 34" seat height (and a 52" sissy bar height). The rear tire is an original slick from back in the day, and the front is an old balloon tire from the 40's-50's (more correct to the age of the bike). The wheels are still the originals to the bike (1948). And I have found an NOS correct headbadge the will be here sometime this week. I really like the bike now because it is very tall compared to its length. It is easy to ride and turns on a dime. Plus it's a great wheelie bike! View attachment 127336View attachment 127337View attachment 127338
That is one beautiful little big bike!
 
Finished the Elgin Rat today and worked out all of the bugs. First time I have used mis-matched tires on a build. Seemed right on this bike. And I didn't used my obligatory wide Sting Ray apes, either. I used a very unusual type of handlebars that a guy makes on the CABE. He calls them "bent wrong tiller bars". I have had them a couple of years, so they have a nice layer of surface rust on them. Very cool bars!
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Finished the Elgin Rat today and worked out all of the bugs. First time I have used mis-matched tires on a build. Seemed right on this bike. And I didn't used my obligatory wide Sting Ray apes, either. I used a very unusual type of handlebars that a guy makes on the CABE. He calls them "bent wrong tiller bars". I have had them a couple of years, so they have a nice layer of surface rust on them. Very cool bars! View attachment 129147View attachment 129148View attachment 129149
The 'bent wrong tiller' handlebar, is from Scott McCaskey, not only some guy on the cabe, but the owner and founder of the cabe. He had a batch of Tiller bars made, and the manufacturer bent the handgrip area the wrong direction. Yours look great.

Enjoy the bike, I am very glad to see it rolling. I have ruined my experience on 26" wheeled bikes since I started riding early 1900's 28" wheels.
 
The 'bent wrong tiller' handlebar, is from Scott McCaskey, not only some guy on the cabe, but the owner and founder of the cabe. He had a batch of Tiller bars made, and the manufacturer bent the handgrip area the wrong direction. Yours look great.

Enjoy the bike, I am very glad to see it rolling. I have ruined my experience on 26" wheeled bikes since I started riding early 1900's 28" wheels.
I would like these bars if they could be mounted vertically and have the grips set more level and lateral. There were actually some vintage BMX bars where this was accomplished nicely. But that's the main reason I have never used these bars on countless bikes where I have mock-mounted them. Grips that point upward (and rearward, for that matter) position your wrists at a very unstable riding position. And if I set these grips level, then the grips are beside me more than in front of me which affects slow-speed maneuverability (and the overall aesthetics of the bike in a negative way). I like the rise length and the V-shape of these bars, but they are only on here until I find another rusty set of early Sting Ray bars. So, I agree that they were bent wrong. But just ask anyone who follows my builds, I tend to over-analyze everything.
 
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New toy in the barn. Just as I found it. Love the patina. Same partial reverse paint scheme and colors as my other bike. I don't have to do much to this one to make it my style of cruiser. But it does need just a little enhancing. Rarely ever seen with this headlight. Instantly has become one of my favorite bikes!
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