Western Sizzler X-53 Blue Light Special - More pics and Video

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kingfish254

BUILD COOL BIKES AND HAVE FUN!!
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Western Sizzler X-53 Blue Light Special (formerly "Rat SphinX53")
Western Flyer X-53

ATTENTION K-MART SHOPPERS
The Western Sizzler X-53 Blue Light Special can be found on Aisle 9 in the Finished Threads section. Thank you shopping at K (ingfish) Mart.

FINISHED THREAD
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...sizzler-x-53-blue-light-special.109532/unread

index.php


I will be dedicating this build to my father, Cal. He has had a rough time since February. We keep our hopes up, but this will probably be the last Build Off bike that I will be able to show him.

Sorry for the VERY LATE start, but this has been a hectic year for me due to life issues with my 81 year old father along with buying a couple of rental properties. Life has been settling down more and more lately and I feel like I can knock something together to continue in my 9th straight Build Off. The Sep 9th deadline helps. That gives me 46 days, which is 16 more days than I had for my first build in BO6 - "BEER RUN".

My starting point is a Western Flyer X-53 frame. I've attempted to use this frame before as Afterburner in one of the MBBO's, but never got beyond mock ups. I plan to continue with the old idea I had of having a floating nanner and hopefully a floating sissy bar too.

Here is my initial pile of mock up parts.

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RESERVED FOR FUTURE PARTS LIST RECORD
 
This is what I am starting with.

Here is the frame, fork and head badge I got this frame from @bikesnbuses about 5 years ago. I bought the fork back in 2013 from @carterz

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I have this sweet metal flake blue Mesinger banana seat. Like the red one that I used on SaltHammer and initially mocked for Afterburner.

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Monster laid back nanner solid seatpost from @slowriderz of Chop Shop Customz

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I have these 3G kickback 57mm checkerboard wheels with whitewall BOA-Gs. Not a perfect match for the nanner, but nice enough.

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Here is a look at the floating nanner plan. Some of you may remember this from SaltHammer. Well, I originally had @slowriderz make that post for this frame. After I sold SaltHammer, I had Chad make another one for me, so that I could still build out this floating nanner X53 someday.

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The wheels look like they will fit the fork fine. I may end up having to have some bolt on rear drop extensions made if I stick with these fat tires.

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The mid tubes for these X53 frames are open in the rear and usually have wraparound tubing for the rear rack. I plan to use the openings a little differently. I am going to try and find the right diameter tubing or rod that I can insert into the midtubes and have them follow the contour of the floating nanner and function as a floating sissy bar. The trick will be to have something that is strong enough to support it's own cantilevered weight. I plan to have two tubes that come out and then bend up at a slant and are joined into a spikey point.

For now I am just using this flexible doohickey as a place holder to mock up the idea visually. Here is the early mockup from different angles.

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That X53 frame is 53 x cool = Super Cool~!

I know it might get painted, but one of my all time fav color combos is rust, bright blue, and white.

I have used steel tubing from Ace Hardware as fork braces a couple of times now. It is thick enough to hold it's shape and you might be able to heat it and bend it, since it won't be supporting any weight but itself. It comes in a few different diameters.

Or copper tubing, then you can easily find 45 or 90 degree elbows to simply use an adhesive and join your tubes.

RaT oN oh CrownedMackerel~!

Wall art.....
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This should be fun.

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It's fun doing mockups in the middle of Home Depot.

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Yeah, it's fun to see the worker's reaction when I answer their offer for help.
 

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