The PAU OPER - A work bike on vacation

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Re: The PAU OPEReration

That's a LOT of body work!....Having FUN?
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

HAH! :lol:
Yes I am having fun!
I really don't have a lot of time in it....but I do have a bit more to do.
I don't want it lookin' too pretty, but I couldn't just paint over the pits.
I'll hit it with some primer soon.

I need some parts!!!


Question: Am I going to have big issues with the standard, low-budget, springer fork?


The head tube on this bike is only 5" long while most all my other bike are near 6".
It had a series of large washers on the top-side going around the fork...perhaps for some sort of large basket.

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I want a black fork.

Can any of you guys shed any sort of light?
Just re-use the washers?
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

the springer should have a longer than normal steer tube with alot of threads...Ive had to cut mine down with no probs.....
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

Cool...I just need to get one in my hands, I guess.
From the pic of the springer, it looks like you'd have limitations on how short you could make it.
The two pivot points being fixed a certain distance from each other.
Maybe I worry too much.
I must have a springer.
I've never had one.
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

HOOWAH! Scored a killer fork today.

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'47-ish Roadmaster, maybe.
HoHoHo, HeeHeeHee, Hahahahaha!!!! :mrgreen:
German pedals.

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My friend Hank at Helotes Bicycle really made my day!
I may hack the seat post down a bit still.


I did more body work on the frame last night and went at trying to true-up the rear wheel.
Not perfect, but not bad....I'll probably spend some more time with it.
I may want to get some fresh wheels eventually.
The rear has a nice red-striped Bendix hub.

Tires and black apes are ordered, but not secured yet.

Please enjoy these random scenes from Helotes Bicycle.
My favorite bike shop.

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This thing accelerated VERY quickly when leaving the shop.
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Bearing freshening is on the agenda for tonight after workee-jerky.

Having fun here. :D
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

soo... where is this Helotes Bicycle????
I think a road trip is in my future :)

Great progress, LLOOVVEE that springer
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

Helotes Bicycle is a small town on the northwest edge of the sprawl that is San Antonio...Texas.

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This is in front of my friend Hank's shop/home.

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What a great human being.
I really should start a thread.
Be advised....not everything is for sale....by any means.

Thanks on the progress.
More to come as I'm off the next two days...yahoooo!
I love my new fork!
Better than I could have hoped for.
Just like "Back in Black"'s.....hope ratina's not pissed.
I was on the edge of getting a new, chromie, mainstream one.
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

coolcool...
Im about an hour ?NORTH?ish on 281 from S.A

is a majority of it for sale at least?? need to get a bike for me..(made 3 for other people)
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

Marble Falls is nice.
I was there not too long ago.
Still some signs of the big flood around though.
Neat town.

It is a bidness and lots of stuff IS for sale of course.
A lot of his business is MTB and skinny tire, high end stuff.
Worth a visit for sure! :wink:
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

Yeah, the flood had me out of work for 2weeks..
were pretty well put back together now tho.. 19in of rain overnight will do that tho :mrgreen:

google maps said 86miles, and ive got a friend who lives on the way there(may borrow her truck)
whats the typical price range? like need 100 to pick up a frame? or just basically what it would be for scrap..??
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

Please don't say "scrap" to Hank.
He'll run you off.

I really don't know about his pricing or what may or may not end up being available for sale.
There are some sweet frames laying around.
Anything is possible I guess.
I've known him for a while and I always enjoy our conversations.

I'm about 30 minutes in the other direction from Helotes.

We have had no measurable rain here in right at a year....ask my grass about it.
Terrible.
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

those pictures...i need to go there

or make you pull some bikes out for me
I see so many bikes i would buy in a heartbeat

its like...a non-rusty version of outdoor chestnuthollow
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

The massive amounts of rust on PAU OPER came from Houston....200 miles east, where it is probably raining as we speak!

I hope to get some history on my bike from the shop in Houston very soon.

Yeah, Texass is ok...I'm a native.
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

BLASTER said:
Marble Falls skatepark minute!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-wtmln6GPN4
Not much to it but we had fun and got our sk8 fixx on.
Man, it was hot that day.

WOW.. thats crazy.. My cousin is actually head of the HLSPA(highland lakes sk8 park assocation)
I helped build the 1st pyramid, til the football players drove there truck onto it and smashed it.
THEN i helped install the yellow posts

Yeah, the flood actually had water up to the skatepark?!?
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

I don't know, Dingo.
Small world, brucebruce!

Spent my day off on the bike.

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Took the fork apart and stripped it.

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It had been subjected to some cruel, bicentenial paint job, like so many fire hydrants of 1976.

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The spray stripper worked great!
Never used a spray before....very clean and efficient..

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Meanwhile, I cleaned up the drivetrain.

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It cleaned up nicely!
The layers of paint had protected the OG chrome, it seems.

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This is a beefy piece!
Completely intact.
They don't make forks like they used to.

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I'm still not sure it's gonna work with the short head tube of the PAU OPER...we shall see.
It WILL work on my '38-ish Cleveland Welding/Western Flyer though.

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I shot the frame with white primer.
The frame looks good, but not too good...no dark colours.
I can see how it would look in white for the mock-up.
Pretty sure it will stay white...Like original.

Had a very productive couple days.
Tires and handle bars will be in early next week.
I still need to go through my front and rear hubs and paint the wheels...black.

Man, I hope the fork works out.
I will NOT modify it.

Good times!
 
Re: The PAU OPEReration

man that fork cleaned up great !!! and the crank did too !!! the white is right IMO

good luck on the fork fitting too :wink:
 

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