Not my 48 any more

[NLCTVWguy]

Last year I picked up this interesting Schwinn ladies ballooner badged as an "ACE" from a local guy. The usual story, too many bikes, cleaning out the garage. I got it for a good price but it would need a lot to be rideable or to restore.

I figured I'd hold onto it for trade or till something interesting came along. A good friend of mine came by looking for skiptooth stuff, and the wheels started turning. He walked away with it for what I paid, plus a few good extras like hubs and cranks.

And a couple of Columbia frames... and a really bad Breeze that was a scrapyard save... and some cutting... and sent it off to my awesome welder at work...

He does beautiful TIG work. Here's the profile of the finished frame.

Made pieces to mount axle adjusters from old fork ends.

After the frame was returned from welding, I cleaned and sandblasted the whole thing:

He has a new motor kit to go in it, a short Schwinn crank to clear the drive pulleys, and will be working on a tank and other components.

I can't wait to see how it comes out. If it's anything like the '60s Hondas and other bikes he's restored, it will be beautiful. I'll keep ya posted!

--Rob

 

[Supercub]

Hey that's me! Thanks for Posting Rob. This is the 2nd motorbike I built and I have been meaning to post it. I have some ideas brewing for the tank and other details and will post up as it progresses.

 

[Supercub]

Project update- Haven't really made any metal shavings. I had a kit engine that I went through and detailed but then the crank blew out in my motorbike and I was a little bummed out and didn't want to build a bike around one of the kits again. I put the kit on ebay and got my money back. It went to HI, to a kid building his first motorbike. I coached him along with emails and he got it together and had fun building.
So I have been looking out for a vintage 2 stroke engine for it. Been bidding around, I found a 50's Tecumseh that is really cool but hopefully the price doesn't get too high. Been collecting vintage parts and putting it all together in my head how I want it to look. I may get a Felt front end for it and am looking for a set of rims with disk brake mounts or a front hub with drum brake I can lace into a 24" balloon rim. I did get a new crank in my other motorbike but it took some machining to make the gears align. Waiting for a break in hte weather to try it out.

 

[Supercub]

Have been slowly building the motorbike. I have a Moby engine and I made engine mounts for it out of aluminum flat stock. I made a headset with trellis fork that holds an old acydelyne gas bicycle light. I trimmed the fenders and used the cut pieces to extend the sides down in the front and rear. Been making cool parts with a 3D printer such as tail light with a glass lens that found on ebay. Just made 40's style bar grips with it today. I will coat them in marine epoxy and paint them, I just got in by UPS today, a Sturmey Archer drum brake hub in aluminum. Real nice piece. I will lace it to a 19" rim and have tires for it. Had to buy the rim out of England. The rear rim is a Solex 19" with drum brake. The 19" rims work nice as they lower the bike, they are 1" less in diameter than a 24" bicycle size rim. I brought a Whizzer 15" sheave pulley that will mount to the rim and spokes with custom brackets. The clutch will be handlever on the bar and a suicide lever with detent for stop light use. Working in a sheetmetal shop works to build a nice bike! Picked up a Pixie crank and sprocket that is low profile. The engine will stay stock but I will make a custom exhaust and air filter. The tank will be stainless with a screw type petcock and alcohol stove fuel cap and fitting. The Moby engine will give incredible lighting power, horn and brake light unknown to a motorbike. Have Puch moped controls and an aluminum prominade handlebar. I want to get as close to 20's board track racer as\I can with this bike. Will post some pics when things start to get assembled.

 

[curtisfox]

Last year I picked up this interesting Schwinn ladies ballooner badged as an "ACE" from a local guy. The usual story, too many bikes, cleaning out the garage. I got it for a good price but it would need a lot to be rideable or to restore.

I figured I'd hold onto it for trade or till something interesting came along. A good friend of mine came by looking for skiptooth stuff, and the wheels started turning. He walked away with it for what I paid, plus a few good extras like hubs and cranks.

And a couple of Columbia frames... and a really bad Breeze that was a scrapyard save... and some cutting... and sent it off to my awesome welder at work...

He does beautiful TIG work. Here's the profile of the finished frame.

Made pieces to mount axle adjusters from old fork ends.

After the frame was returned from welding, I cleaned and sandblasted the whole thing:

He has a new motor kit to go in it, a short Schwinn crank to clear the drive pulleys, and will be working on a tank and other components.

I can't wait to see how it comes out. If it's anything like the '60s Hondas and other bikes he's restored, it will be beautiful. I'll keep ya posted!

--Rob

If that frame were mine i would have cut the top tube the most curved one and put it down were the lower tube is, and you would have a prebent drop loop.....Awesome ......and by cutting the bottom tube long it would have extended the frame......Curt

 

[Supercub]

Good idea but I need the engine crank to be above so the drive belt clears the rear frame members.

 

[Supercub]

Can someone explain how to post a pic on this site?