iDood's Board Track Racer...

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Since my last post, a lot has changed...I've gone off in an entirely (though similar) direction. Since I've already restored a couple of bikes, I decided instead of building a board track racer bicycle that I would build an actual board track racer replica--motor and all.

The black bike in my previous post was the genesis for this project; hence, I'm modeling my design similar (though different) to it. I'm scrapping the direction I was heading (and the parts I was going to use) and starting all over. So here we go...

The first thing I did was use various graphic tools to do a mockup of the bike I wanted to build. It's been tweaked a couple three times, but ultimately this is the bike I'm going to build...

27aug2010_2.jpg


I decided to find a girls bike as a starting place. The reason for the girl's bike is that I wanted to design the front of the bike myself. I also like the way the seat stays of a girl's bike terminate into the seat tube. Plus, girl's bikes are traditionally cheaper! Searching the Internet, I found a 1952 Hawthorne on Craigslist. I got it for $35, and the headset and bottom bracket were in fantastic shape. Here's what it looked like when I picked it up...

27aug2010_3.jpg


It stayed like that for about 15 seconds before disassembly began...

27aug2010_1.jpg


Anyone need a basket? (actually...someone already claimed it!)

Since then I've been locating parts... I ordered and received the motor kit... and doing a lot of cutting and grinding on black gas pipe that I used for the new tubing. A few parts that I've found were some 12-gauge-spoke wheels and a Schwinn springer front end...

27aug2010_4.jpg


27aug2010_5.jpg


With those wheels and fork installed, the bike looked like this...

27aug2010_6.jpg


Then to the cutting and grinding...

I cut a new top tube out of gas pipe and fitted it to the bike...

27aug2010_7.jpg


My buddy Sergio welded it to the bike...

27aug2010_8.jpg


27aug2010_9.jpg


Next I needed to build a bottom tube. With a little measuring and figuring, Sergio and I came up with a template for the down tube that matches many of the original board track racers.

OhYeah.jpg


The problem was figuring out how to bend the pipe. We tried stuff the pipe full of sand and using heat to bend it, but at the end of the day, I ended up taking the pipe to a pipe bending company; they made short work of it...

Here's what the template looked like and these were the pieces the tube was bent around...

27aug2010_10.jpg


Here's the pipe-bending machine...

27aug2010_11.jpg


Here's where the guy is marking for the final bend based on the template...

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27aug2010_14.jpg


Then back to Sergio for some precise welding!

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And we also figured out where and how the motor should be mounted in the frame...

27aug2010_17.jpg


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And more cutting, grinding and welding pipe...

27aug2010_19.jpg


All done (for now anyway). Here's Sergio standing with his welding handiwork!

27aug2010_20.jpg


Here's what the frame looks like relative to the template...

27aug2010_21.jpg


And here's where I am on the bike itself...

27aug2010_22.jpg


...and the front tire is flat in that picture...and the new tires are a bit taller, so the frame will be a little more off the ground than it appears to be in the picture.

While I wait for parts, I'll be cleaning up the welds and fitting the pieces I do have to the frame. I also need to mock up a gas tank with some cardboard and design an "oil sump."

Stay tuned...
 
bighit said:
Man I couldn't imagine having access to all them tools. You just made a piece of art come to life out of a girls bike.
Fortunately I had access to Sergio! He has access to the welder (though at this point, I am seriously considering getting one myself!).

I did have to pay to have the pipe bent though. First, I tried bending a piece with a conduit bender. It worked great except the radius was too big. The smaller conduit bender couldn't bend it. Next, Sergio and I tried bending the pipe by compacting it full of sand and heating the pipe to bend it...unfortunately it kinked. So I made several phone calls to pipe bending shops...most weren't interested in such a small job...but I finally found a place that would do it. It's a funny story...goes like this...

Me: Hey, I have a small pipe I need bent in a couple of places for a project I'm working on...could you help me out?
Heavily accented Mexican dood [the owner of company]: Sure man! Tis no problem. Bring it over...we'll bend it!
Me: Cool. I'll see you in a bit!

Me [walking into building]: Hey I called about the pipe...I talked to the owner and he said...
Arturo: Sure man! Tis no problem. I'm Arturo. The owner is at lunch...

I showed Arturo the full-scale mockup. He and a couple of other guys talked for a few minutes in blistering fast Spanish (too fast for me to pick up much)... then they set off to a couple of impressive and quite formidable looking machines. I got to thinking..."hmm...3 doods and two large pieces of equipment...I better ask how much..."

Me: Arturo...what's this gonna cost me?
Arturo: About a hundred and feefty dollars.
Me: WHAT? Seriously? That's way too much...sorry Arturo, I'll figure out something else.
Arturo: How about a hundred dollars?
At that point I got to thinking...well, I drove all the way out here...there are three guys on it...and the equipment is HUGE...
Me: Well, OK...

So Arturo and the two other guys set to work on my down tube based on the template. They actually did an incredible job, took their time, and ensured it was perfect.

As Arturo and I are walking out to my truck...
Me: Do you guys take plastic? (my debit card)
Arturo: Nah...no plasteec.
Me: OK, well I will need to go to the ATM and get a little more cash...
Arturo: Well, how much cash you got?
Me [looking into my wallet]: I only have $63. I'll go get the other $40.
Arturo: No no...that's good...[as he takes the $63]
Me: No... seriously...I'll go get the rest from the ATM...it's no biggie...
Arturo: No no no...it's OK. [as Arturo stuffs the $63 into his pocket] If you need anything else, you call me... Arturo. [as he scribbles his number on a slip of paper]

The owner is probably thinking...I wonder why that guy who needed the piece of pipe bent never showed up...
 
You bike looks great and ^^^^^^^^^ Great story!! Glad you documented it!

Joe
 
Today was a good day! Sergio told me about a Sprockets Bicycles and More near Kingwood, Texas. Magnolia Marc and I met Sergio up there to go through the boneyard of old bikes. I needed a few bits and pieces for my project...as luck would have it, I found everything I was looking for and spent a total of $13! For that $13 I got three and a half crank arms, three sprockets, a neck and a set of handlebars...

28aug2010_1.jpg


When I got home, I was able to spend a little time fitting various bits and pieces to the bike. Here's where I am as of this evening...

28aug2010_2.jpg


Clearly there is a lot left to do...but I'm making progress.

I'll spend some time tonight or tomorrow making my tank out of cardboard to use as a template for the steel version. My tires are on backorder, so I'm still waiting for those. I still need to fabricate some sort of "oil pump" to go below the engine. I also need to figure out a way to get some front brakes on the bike. Yada yada yada...
 
Well...I mocked up a tank from poster board. Not too sure about it yet...

28aug2010_2_5.jpg


28aug2010_2_2.jpg


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28aug2010_2_4.jpg


I'm tired. 'night.
 
good stuff! love the build, and love that story! 8)
 
nice work Bill... I need a tank welded, is your friend doing that for you , If I make a mock up can he assit , i'll pay of course
 
kinks said:
nice work Bill... I need a tank welded, is your friend doing that for you , If I make a mock up can he assit , i'll pay of course
I can ask him...he's on here by the way...I'll direct him to this thread.

I'm actually going to weld my own tank...at least try. If I fail, I'll get Sergio to do it... :)
 
You ever have a time where you worked your butt off, but it really didn't look like you did a whole lot? This evening was one of those instances...

I put on a spare set of mountain bike tires while I await my Quick Bricks to arrive. Apparently they will not ship until after the 8th.

I also needed to mount the motor more permanently...but I needed some rubber pieces to go between the motor and the frame. Not a problem...just look on the side of the road and you can find exactly what you need...

29AUG2010_1.jpg


With a hacksaw and some patience, I was able to make the rubber insert I needed...

29AUG2010_2.jpg


It was a pain the in butt getting the motor mounted, but I finally got it done.

I also installed a chain...and some old pedals to hold me over until I can go get some nicer ones. Then I did the majority of the wiring... The way the wiring comes from the factory leaves a little to be desired, so I redid all of it...and still have a little more to do. I also got the clutch working and installed the ignition coil. I even pedaled it around a bit...

Here's where it is right now...

29AUG2010_3.jpg


So that's all for now. I probably won't do much until next weekend. Stay tuned...
 
actually, good and bad wiring are easy to spot, even if its a small deal like this. :wink:
 
As mentioned earlier... I won't have much time this week to work on the project, but I can order a few things here and there online...

I can think of nothing better than an aged Brooks saddle and grips for this project.

31AUG2010_2.jpg


31AUG2010_1.jpg


Classic and perfect for what I'm doing!

:)
 

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