KRAZY ORANGE DRAGSTER is now DRAGSTER RAT FREAK

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Late entry but here we go! I have been inspired to build a very unusual style of custom bike. I usually only build rusty rat bikes, but I think I have a great idea for a custom build. I will be using an Orange Krate frame with a modified Schwinn-style springer. Plus many other vintage parts. There are many ideas for this bike stemming from many different cultures and genres. And I will be using one of my favorite color combinations: Orange and cream. Stay tuned!
 
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Love it! How about....

"Dreamcycle" .....play off this:
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Just your basic Orange Krate frame but it still shines brightly! I went over to a buddies house (which is literally a vintage bicycle junkyard) looking for some Schwinn springer parts to modify. He also had 2 frames sitting there..........an Apple and an Orange Krate frame........so cheap that I couldn't refuse. The Krate bikes were a classic and innovative design that came with dragster-looking parts.........BUT DIDN'T REALLY LOOK LIKE DRAGSTERS . So, I thought........let's make one actually look like a dragster (or a drag bike). I didn't originally intend on this build being a Krate, but then I had another idea. One of my favorite color combinations is bright orange with cream/white trim and accents. So,
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I will try to make a very simple build using many vintage Schwinn parts and a few non-Schwinn parts where necessary. There will be some fabrication involved but nothing major. I have already thought about this project for a few weeks, so this should be a quick and easy build. I believe that I have all of the parts needed to do a mock-up in the next few days. Against my better judgement, I will be REMOVING RUST from some of the parts for this build. There will be so much shiny that I will have to wear sunglasses during this whole build!
 
Here are the wheels and tires for the build. Original 50's cream Schwinn S-2 rims front and rear. An old Uniroyal Fastrak slick rear tire. And an old, fat front tire with a narrow saw-tooth tread. Mounted them a few days ago to make sure that they would hold air.
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Tall and wide ape hanger bars are mostly mandatory on all of my builds. How am I going to make a low drag bike with tall handlebars??? Some of you already know. Stay tuned!
 
The hardest part of this build will be to make the springer look and function while taking it to its extreme edge of functional design. So far, all I have is a pile of junk springer parts. I hope this is possible. This will make or break this build.
 
Took a few hours of tweaking but the springer parts are all dysfunctionally assembled and somehow dialed-in. Here's a sneak peek at the rolling assembly. Obviously, it rolls up-side-down too! Everything tucked in between the tires! Just like an old 70's digger drag bike. So far, so good!
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Took a few hours of tweaking but the springer parts are dysfunctionally assembled and somehow dialed-in. Here's a sneak peek at the rolling assembly. Obviously, it rolls up-side-down too! Everything tucked in between the tires! Just like an old 70's digger drag bike. So far, so good!View attachment 97148


I've been running a build like this through my mind since it came up in the other thread
 
I've been running a build like this through my mind since it came up in the other thread
Me too! You cannot imagine how many versions I have come up with in my head. I kept looking through all my 20" frames. But when I saw this frame at my friends house, I knew it was perfect for this build. All things considered..........this bike is basically going to be just a Sting Ray with a dropped seat and a highly modified Schwinn-style springer fork. But with only those few dramatic changes, and an eye catching color combo, I believe that it will make for a very cool custom. Simple but effective.
 
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Here is a quick mock-up to take some measurements:
Max Heigths:
Tires: 20"
Seat: 19.5" (flat area)
Ducktail sissy bar: 26"
headlight: 21"
Grips: 22"

Notice in the first picture how much clearance there is for that big front tire from the spring bolt...........less than 1/16"! When I shorten the sissy bar, I am going to set the seat at about 1/16" off of the rear tire also. Does it look like a dragster yet???
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Totally dig it! I will need to figure out how to make a fork low like that one to my lowrider project :D
 
Dig the look~! CAn't wait to see the pedals.:21:

Or is this a 'scoot bike'?
 

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