Wards-Hawthorne Mil Klunker (to be named later)

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What the heck, been wanting to do a military build for some time and half started a klunker last year, why not combine `em? So..., the starting candidate a prewar Wards Hawthorne(brush painted). Had some Schwinn scallop paint guides should work, mostly Olive Drab and black (with front and struts in black) maybe red accent stripe. Blackout Morrow 10T rear (have an ND blackout front but those are pretty weak may use a modern front hub), have a 18T sprocket on the way should give a good SS ratio. Schwinn BMX handlebars. Got some old 26X2.3 Spesh tires need to dig out and figure out some rims/spokes. Now just need some good weather.

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Have the modern equivalent already, wouldn't mind finding the seatpost graphics.

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Re: Wards Mil Klunker (to be named later)

Keep the gear ratio at about 2:1 and it should climb most of the hills. This thing should look pretty rockin'. Anybody make grips that look like grenades with the "spoons" as brake levers?
 
Re: Wards Mil Klunker (to be named later)

gowjobs said:
Anybody make grips that look like grenades with the "spoons" as brake levers?

Now that's a frikkin' awesome idea!
 
Re: Wards Mil Klunker (to be named later)

never seen grenades, but i have seen shells used.
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also a few companys sell shot gun end caps to make your grip look like a shotgun shell.
 
Re: Wards Mil Klunker (to be named later)

gowjobs said:
Keep the gear ratio at about 2:1 and it should climb most of the hills. This thing should look pretty rockin'. Anybody make grips that look like grenades with the "spoons" as brake levers?

Yeah, it'll be 1.8:1, even better for hills with that combo, but for grips this will be a Morrow coaster brake rider so possibly 50 cal for grip end caps will be about it for grip bling.

wheelset, crank, pedals and BB will probably come from my unfinished RBBO4 bike

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Some Special~Ed tires I got for about $5 a pop when Performance bought Supergo(a dark day for biking), a Brooks from away back need to find the saddle clamp though

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A bit of progress, got the frame mostly de-painted but frame and fork have much pitting and surface rust, need a heavier wire wheel to cut thru. Time to break out the Dremel for the tight spots also, the fork crown area has all sorts of `em.

New wirewheel only slightly better, needed orbital sander on fork to make any progress but need some rougher paper.

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Some progress on the badge, copper/brass look should work better with mil colors

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nascar said:
Cool badge.

Thanks, still deciding on rim/hub combo looking at some S2 rims I had and repainting, but did pickup a few more parts;

Dechromed Colson chainring and an old chestlamp

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Maybe use clamps to attach at handlebars
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Put an LED in nice and bright, may even use as a rear light, cut some rear car light repair plastic to try out

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Always a bad time of year in socal especially san diego for these build offs. Weather has been the coldest since 1912 and very humid, a bad combo for painting, ruined my tank paint job last year. Anyway congrats to the finishers, I'll get to this one in the fall.
 

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