~~~BLACKJACK~~~ <<<FINISHED>>>

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This bike has been a LONG time in the making, and I actually started the build back in August. But since my Navy duties took me out of the scene for a couple months, the bike went to a friend (RonK) to get some fab work, powdercoat, and sent to Adam (karfer67) for graphics and pinstripe. The bike came back into my hands tonight, so I decided to chronical the last days of the build. My deadline is Christmas morning. Let me get you up to speed.

This is for my middle son. His initials are L.A.C. So... BLACKJACK. The concept: This is some sort of 50's 20" tank bike. No one can give me an answer as to what, but oh well. So I want to stay with a 50's theme. I'm going with a 50's hot rod cruiser look. Satin black, red rims, white walls, springer fork, pin stripes. Sure, it's a concept that's far from original. But my son is 8, and there is nothing like it where we live, so it will be unique for him, and that's what matters.

Here's an initial mock-up. It's a 26" Monark guard. I got a lot of positive response about using this guard full length, and maybe using the back end to add a read light. However, due to a mix-up, this chain guard didn't get powdercoated with the rest of the bike and parts. That's going to be rectified this week, but it won't be ready in time for Christmas, so I'm using a chrome Wald guard I have, and I'm going to rattle can some black on it to blend it with the bike for Christmas morning show. Or maybe I'll go guardless at first. We'll see.

mockupc.jpg


I worked with a graphic artist friend and came up with the following:

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crashbikechainguard.jpg



I tossed around some tank ideas. I bought a little tank here on RRB from a girls bike with the thought I could tweak it to make it work.

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Utimately, it just didn't have the look I wanted. So, I went with plan C. Plan B was to have a tank constructed from sheet metal. A guy on RRB did one for his kid's bike, and it looked awesome. But in the interest of not going totally broke (Which I've horribly failed), I opted for plan C, which was just a single piece of metal filling in the gap. All the joints were re-welded to clean up the 60 year old welds. This is actually the third and final attempt. The first two with a thinner sheet resulted in warping when the sheet was cut. So we had to go with thicker.

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This is how the frame and rims looked back from the powdercoater.
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karfer67 gets started:
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karfer67 finishes:
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So, I've got it back. I've got about 6 days (to have any cushion). Time to GET TO BUILDIN'!!
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Here's my first ever wheel lace. Red rim, black spokes, chrome nipples. Wasn't as bad as I thought I would be. Truing it up will be the final say on that, but first I have to rebuild the hub, which I've never done for a coaster brake assembly... so...

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Before I get started on the hub, I went with an idea I saw from 'Ubernaturlich' by ChrisMac during RRBO7, striping the rim. However RonK gave me a better idea. Instead of using white use reflective white, which will be safer for a kids bike. But all they had was pretty thick. I'm worried that it's going to dominate the red rim with a white wall tire. What do you think?

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I meant to paint an off-white stripe in the middle line of the hub, but in my haste forgot. Maybe I should throw a little line of tape in the center of the hub where I was going to paint it?

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Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

This is way better than a bunny suit from Aunt Clara!!!

Wicked build buddy!!! He's gonna love it!
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

I like the stripes on the rims.
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

karfer67 said:
I like the stripes on the rims.

I second this. The stripes on the rims then with the white wall rubber is going to look awesome with all the pin striping done on the bike.
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

It looks awesome. I know sometimes there is backlash against matte black and red rims but I still say it's a classic solid look. Heck the RRB logo is inspired by that theme right? Stripe the hub too I think that would be a neat detail. You have some lucky kids! :wink:

Regards,
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Coolest dad award right here! Lol I wish my dad could have done this for me. Sick build keep it going!
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Thanks guys! Much appreciated. I'm so excited to build it, but I have to wait for the kid to go to sleep before I can pull it out of hiding to work on it. I even took the front wheel to work to lace it and stripe it there! :lol:
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Super beautiful work thus far 8) ....and I love that longer chainguard idea.

Great build and I'm sure your son's jaw will drop on Christmas morning when he awakens to this!
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Front wheel laced, reflective tapped, trued, hub rebuilt, and Fit FAF 20x2.3 installed and inflated to 100psi (85-120, don't freak out) The rear wheel is waiting on it's dust covers. They didn't get powdercoated because the metal was too thin, so I'm rattle canning with some red I have from my daughter's trike resto, which is pretty darn close.

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Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Having to leave for two months during a critical time in a bike build sucks. RonK graciously offered to take over some work while I was gone, but I should have just waited. I didn't think that getting a set of 20" fenders wouldn't fit my frame correctly. As you might be able to see in this blurry photo :roll: when the fender sits flush on the chain stays, the hole pre-cut to mount it and the crimps made for the seat stays, are much farther down than they should be. If I put those close to where they should be, the fender is either too far back, or sits way too high.

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These are the crimps that will just sit out in plain view
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With less than 7 days left to put this bike under the tree, I don't know what to do. Especially since the fender is already painted. Maybe there is some cool... something... I could mount over that hole? Or I could cover the hole with two pieces of electrical tape, or would that look ghetto?
What about the crimps? I am going to have to create new crimps so it can fit, but is there anything I can do about the old ones?
And what about the adjustment tab underneath? It sticks down like two inches below the chain stays. Just cut it off?

I'm kicking myself for just not waiting till I got home so I could figure all this stuff out BEFORE it was painted. :x
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

Ok, last question for you all... I have a reflector for the rear fender. It wasn't painted because the metal was too thin. So it never made it to the pinstriper. Karfer gave me a little wiggle room at the bottom of the rear fender, but I'm afraid I'll be covering up too much coolness. Thoughts?

The back of the rear fender (sorry it hosted sideways)
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Here's the reflector frame so you can see into what will be hidden
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And a shot with the reflector in. Again, apologies for the sidways turn.
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Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

CRASH said:
Question: How can I attach a fender under a springer fork?

You may have to fabricate a bracket from the side of the springer to the fender ..
Early Krate bikes had no front fender likely for that reason Later Krates used the fender straps to the axle .
I cant remember how they attached the fender otherwise . Id look at 1969 up Krate photos for reference .
 
Re: ~~~BLACKJACK~~~ A Christmas Build

When I searched the site I found a link to some Krate fender brackets. But apparently the Krate springer was built to have that bracket. So I can either figure out a way to attaching something inside the springer that the fender can mount to... or bolt it to the forks. I hadn't thought of the side fork mounting, so thanks for that suggestion. I'll look at it.
 

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