Diamondback street rod now JOSCAT'S CAFFEINACHRONISM RACER

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Re: Diamondback street rod

OK. so I don't like these cranks (
ratrods027-1.jpg
)
and I recently found these Raleigh brand cranks and bits on a trash exercycle. super classy peds and the cranks are (I think) 165 instead of 170 so still long enough but with better ground clearance:
trademe004.jpg

and it has a really nice wide- shell cotter pin BB spindle that will fit my frame shell with room to spare on the cup thread! yay!
trademe002.jpg

hmm.. my frame is starting to rust a little despite my clearcoat.. .... winter monsoons.. I'm not so sure I like the look of rust after all..
Will the nice cranks fit though? let's see:
trademe006.jpg

Oh no! :shock:(shock, horror) the LH crank doesn't quite clear and the sprocket hits too!
trademe009.jpg

not even a chance to fit the cotter pin in the RH crank!
WHAT WILL I DO????
I got the cranks for free... they were headed for the scrap heap... I may as well get really ratty and BEND IT TILL IT FITS MWAHAHAHAA!
Here is the techniwockle Bending Device I used on the 3- spoke chainring
trademe010.jpg

I flipped the thing round on the spindle to brace it and tweaked and tweaked the spokes mercilessly to get the chainring 1/4 inch further out.
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

this is what it looks like now. after lots of adjusting it runs reasonably wobble free, but has consderable 'bounce'. i realise i have made it slightly triangular due to contraction of the 3 'spokes'
trademe012.jpg
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

the crank arms:
seeing as the RH crank arm already had 4-5mm clearance, all i had to do then was bend the LH crank arm quite a bit. I was able to pre- bend the pedal end to align with the main bend using my vice-grips and the verandah railing, but the main bend needed a vice. so i did that in the vice at my work, and here's how it came out:
IMG_1968.jpg

here's how it fits
IMG_1973.jpg

I think it looks much better now with old cranks even if they are bent. I lengthened the chain and put a 20t rear sprocket on. it's now 47- 20 instead of 42-16. much lower gearing but seems ok. might swap for 18t cog if one comes along. only worry now is the chain line, not much i can do about it with these parts. no room for spacer alterations on rear hub.
IMG_1971.jpg
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

I'm contemplating calling her finished.. my mind is starting to wander to other bikes.. but I really should get a headlight and a speedo fitted... and maybe something more insane for the handlebars
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

here is some pics from a sunny winter afternoon. I have a new speedo.
IMG_2054.jpg

IMG_2060.jpg

IMG_2055.jpg


next comes front drum brake. i had a scary episode riding down hill in the wet too fast.
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

hey anyone got any ideas where i could fit some more leather on this thing? maybe a custom frame pad or something? I think it should look racey, simple, sort of logical to the function.
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

I must get onto that wheel relacing with 'front brake hub'.. I have a suntour alloy screw on rear road hub, which the drum winds onto. I will finally get around to trying the tires on the old steel rims too.
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

There are so many build off bike that I lost track of this one!! I love it. I'm always amazed that anyone would switch to cotter cranks. I've never had good luck with them. Perhaps do to my girth. :cry:
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

thatismytruck said:
There are so many build off bike that I lost track of this one!! I love it. I'm always amazed that anyone would switch to cotter cranks. I've never had good luck with them. Perhaps do to my girth. :cry:
Click to expand...
They require a cool headed nature that some of us don't have. I've hated them since the time when I only weighed 140lbs! :x :lol:
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

Hello all! The bike is essentially finished, pics coming soon! I finished tuning the front brake today! new (old) rims and stuff!
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

IMG_2103.jpg

these are the parts i used to make the front brake . they are a screw- on drum-band brake off a rear children's 20in wheel. the hub is a rear Suntour Sprint alloy screw- on road hub. I didn't realise till i started pulling it apart it has sealed bearings- BONUS!
IMG_2105.jpg


this is my hand drawn decal I've been putting on my latest bikes. I plan to let the letters rust out on raw steel, then peel off the sticker. Fingers crossed!
IMG_2106.jpg

IMG_2107.jpg
 
Re: Diamondback street rod

RE-LACING THE WHEELS, ADDING THE BRAKE:
the last spoke to come off the blimmin silly looking alloy rims
IMG_2110.jpg


I had lots of contemplation on the best way to re- space the axle and fit in all that stuff- speedo drive, drum, brake housing etc. had to wait a couple days to get new solid 10mm axle.
IMG_2109.jpg

Eventually I got it together and roughly working. check out ma new brake lever oww. might strip off black paint.
IMG_2111.jpg

I put a red stripe on my spinny spoke protector
IMG_2112.jpg
 
i like the wheels cool touch. what color is that it is funny not as much red this year but lots of maroon or dark red things. cool build
 
karfer67 said:
i like the wheels cool touch. what color is that it is funny not as much red this year but lots of maroon or dark red things. cool build
Click to expand...

I think it was "Quick- Dry" Maroon. but a nice reddy maroon, not too purple. I would have called it a dark red.
 

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