GREETING: ....this is how the Order to Report for Induction began when the Selective Service was in order for WWII. My father, a recent high school grad in 1942 at age 17, joined the Navy and served on an aircraft carrier in Guam until the war ended in September of 1945. He went to college on the GI bill, got his degree, and taught mathematics at the high school level for 35 yrs. He was also an artist, which he practiced by building his own first house, and painting and remodeling many more during the summers of those teaching years, and beyond. He served on our local American Legion Post color guard, and always held his military service in high regard.
I was lucky to inherit my dad's eye, intuitive and deductive reasoning, and learned skills at his side on many a project over the years. We left our mark, LS2 (small 2, LS squared; both of our initials are LS) on many a stud hidden in a new wall, on a deck, in the cement of a new driveway.
This build I dedicate to my dad, who passed away in 2012 and never got to see one of my current rat rod bike builds. He loved bikes though, and his last new bike was purchased at the ripe old age of 83, which he rode for the last 4 yrs of his life.
Not sure of the model of this bike (please let me know if you can I.D. it), but I liked the fat fenders, the long top tubes, crusty patina, and it spoke to me the first time I laid eyes on it! I've been working on it for a week now (something to bide the time chomping at the bit for RRB BO-11 to start!) and here are my progress photos so far. I welcome your comments, and if you can relate to some of what I have said, give your input as well.
I present, Faded Glory.....hints of a red and blue frame, with a single wider white striping on the fenders and a white tip and tail to the fenders, with the creme colored Fat Franks, she carries the colors we fly here in the good ol' US of A.....
What I started with about 2 weeks ago....
On the back deck of the BACK40, tires tossed, bike apart....
After using steel wool and white vinegar to take off the surface rust and get down to some natural patina and definition....
Next was to spray the whole bike with my new found favorite used on Mesa Buggie in the ORBO 2016; this Duplicolor Clear Coat from the automotive store....
Really makes the colors (whats there) pop and the rust shine! Should help keep it that way for another 75 yrs or so.....
And then the tires showed up. My first set of Fat Franks. Sold them for a few years on Electra bikes, but never owned a pair of my own. They give it that classic vintage look I wanted....need a little dirt on 'em but that will come....
Used Gorilla tape for my rim tape. Easy to tear into the strip width you need on the roll and covers the inside of the rim well.
Replaced the skip tooth rear hub with a more friendly 1/8 x 1/2 " hub. Both were New Departure guts, pulled from a spare wheel I picked up at my 'dealer' and stuck in the hub of the Faded Glory wheel....slicker'n snot....
Crankset and front double springer from my Firestone Super Deluxe Monark girls bike that I wrestled the fork from last week...and won!
That's it for now! Stay tuned!
I was lucky to inherit my dad's eye, intuitive and deductive reasoning, and learned skills at his side on many a project over the years. We left our mark, LS2 (small 2, LS squared; both of our initials are LS) on many a stud hidden in a new wall, on a deck, in the cement of a new driveway.
This build I dedicate to my dad, who passed away in 2012 and never got to see one of my current rat rod bike builds. He loved bikes though, and his last new bike was purchased at the ripe old age of 83, which he rode for the last 4 yrs of his life.
Not sure of the model of this bike (please let me know if you can I.D. it), but I liked the fat fenders, the long top tubes, crusty patina, and it spoke to me the first time I laid eyes on it! I've been working on it for a week now (something to bide the time chomping at the bit for RRB BO-11 to start!) and here are my progress photos so far. I welcome your comments, and if you can relate to some of what I have said, give your input as well.
I present, Faded Glory.....hints of a red and blue frame, with a single wider white striping on the fenders and a white tip and tail to the fenders, with the creme colored Fat Franks, she carries the colors we fly here in the good ol' US of A.....
What I started with about 2 weeks ago....
On the back deck of the BACK40, tires tossed, bike apart....
After using steel wool and white vinegar to take off the surface rust and get down to some natural patina and definition....
Next was to spray the whole bike with my new found favorite used on Mesa Buggie in the ORBO 2016; this Duplicolor Clear Coat from the automotive store....
Really makes the colors (whats there) pop and the rust shine! Should help keep it that way for another 75 yrs or so.....
And then the tires showed up. My first set of Fat Franks. Sold them for a few years on Electra bikes, but never owned a pair of my own. They give it that classic vintage look I wanted....need a little dirt on 'em but that will come....
Used Gorilla tape for my rim tape. Easy to tear into the strip width you need on the roll and covers the inside of the rim well.
Replaced the skip tooth rear hub with a more friendly 1/8 x 1/2 " hub. Both were New Departure guts, pulled from a spare wheel I picked up at my 'dealer' and stuck in the hub of the Faded Glory wheel....slicker'n snot....
Crankset and front double springer from my Firestone Super Deluxe Monark girls bike that I wrestled the fork from last week...and won!
That's it for now! Stay tuned!