1951 J.C. Higgins

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ParkRNDL

ParkRNDL

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Till now, most of the bikes I've rescued were from the '60s and '70s. I have been on the lookout for a balloon-tire tank bike, and so a friend with too many projects just sold me this:
20200202_135005.jpg


The wheels (especially the rear) had enough loose spokes that you could feel them wobble. So just to get it rideable, I robbed a set of wheels off a Target-grade Schwinn. I also tried on a seat from a Trek I've been cannibalizing (and which may also donate its fenders) just for looks; not sure I'm sold on it.

20200205_072455.jpg


The guard is barely hanging on there and needs some attention, and I'm not a fan of the front sprocket. Also looking to put a rack and fenders on it.

LOVE the way this thing rides. Yet another reason I can't wait for spring.
 
ParkRNDL said:
Till now, most of the bikes I've rescued were from the '60s and '70s. I have been on the lookout for a balloon-tire tank bike, and so a friend with too many projects just sold me this:
View attachment 113313

The wheels (especially the rear) had enough loose spokes that you could feel them wobble. So just to get it rideable, I robbed a set of wheels off a Target-grade Schwinn. I also tried on a seat from a Trek I've been cannibalizing (and which may also donate its fenders) just for looks; not sure I'm sold on it.

View attachment 113314

The guard is barely hanging on there and needs some attention, and I'm not a fan of the front sprocket. Also looking to put a rack and fenders on it.

LOVE the way this thing rides. Yet another reason I can't wait for spring.
Click to expand...
I quite like the spiral front sprocket actually! I don't see many like this one.
Nice project! Same year as mine CWC bike :) Good luck with it!
 
I bought this Trek last year to use the wheels on an old Schwinn middleweight frame, and I've been trying to find uses for the rest of it ever since.
20190929_171322.jpg


And when i got this Schwinn Windwood on FB Marketplace to use the wheels on this project, I also had an eye on the rack.
SmartSelect_20200207-141942_Facebook.jpg


So this is where I'm at now.
20200207_071938.jpg


The rear fender needs a little work on the bottom mount, and the rack is pretty much just balanced there for the pic. I need to come up with a way to get the front of the rack mounted. (Or get a proper rack that mounts to the seat clamp, of course... but I had this one sitting here, so I figured why not see if it'd work?)

I think I'll be picking away at this one for a long time. A big part of the fun is going to be finding and upgrading parts as i come across them.
 
Starnger said:
Can you mount that rack on the bridge between seat stays? Maybe with an extension plate.
Click to expand...
The seat stays are joined to a single tube at that point, and are actually an extension of the top tube.
20200208_104548.jpg


I am thinking of using an L-shaped bracket attached to the fender mount bolt.
 
Interesting find...
20200202_165031.jpg
20200202_165038.jpg


I left it in there. Who knows how many years ago some kid stuffed it in one of the portholes (or maybe the horn button opening).

Also, this is what's left of the guard.
20200208_104215.jpg

20200208_104250.jpg


I am going to try to use some of the existing pieces to lash it all back together a little better than it was when I got it.
20200202_135414.jpg


I'm also betting this tab was tack welded on by a previous owner. Other guards like this that I've seen online dont have it.
20200208_104225.jpg
20200208_104243.jpg


Edit: it actually kills me that I missed out on this one, which was sold here in Swap & Sell shortly before I picked this bike up. I don't remember by who... kingfish, maybe? All I know is the first time I saw it in the thread it said SOLD above it.
guard01.jpg
 
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Brian macumber said:
A 2 hole pipe strap would probably work to hold the rack
Click to expand...
Hmmm. That might have been easier and sturdier than what I ended up doing. I got to tinkering the other night and used one of the brackets that held the fender to the bike it was on before. Had to drill on it a little to use a decent size bolt.
20200212_205937.jpg
20200212_205949.jpg


So now, from a distance, it kinda looks like the rack is floating.
20200211_072448.jpg


If the rack seems wobbly once I start riding this thing, I might revisit the pipe strap idea...
 
I sold that red higgins guard, but I do have a blue one currently in the sale section

20200125_135148.jpg
 
Love the idea of 3D printed header pipes.
 
except for the seat, this bike is fantastic. I really like all the parts you chose/made.
 
ifitsfreeitsforme said:
except for the seat, this bike is fantastic. I really like all the parts you chose/made.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I have a love/hate thing going on with the seat. At the moment i don't have anything really perfect for this bike, but I am thinking of just going back to the black one I got it with. I also kinda want a layback seatpost for it.
 
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Those pipes are killer! I guarantee you would have some buyers if you made more.
 

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