Zep-per

Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
645
Reaction score
29
Location
Northeast Alabama
Hello, This is going to be fun! Good Luck to all! My rendition is going to be mostly an assemblege as I am not starting with an existing bike. It is going to be called the Zep-per. The Zep-per, will be something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I will post some pics soon. Now, if I can just remember where I put some if this stuff?
Thanks
 
Zep-per.jpg
Inspiration for the Zep-per. I've never seen a real Zephyr bike. I just know their headbadges were cool!
 
Zep-perframe.jpg


I'm borrowing this frame from an old Murray/Mercury springer that my Dad once used as a campground cruiser. It was the last bike I remember him ever working on. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded. This bike was like the 1949 Mercury shown in a brochure posted somewhere on the web, except that it was badged as a Murray. The original paint is still good enough that all I'm going to do is clean it up. I hate to sand all the scratches off just to start over putting them back on. I'm using a different fork assembly though. Father Time and his brother-in-law Father Rust beat me to the original springer off of this frame. I'll save them for a project later.[/img]
 
Nice Murray... I know where theres one at right now 100% original bout same condition, but its maroon and white.. I want it! 8) cant wait to see what this evolves into.
 
Murray.jpg


Here is the old Murray before it was taken apart. My Dad gave it a liberal dose of aluminum spray paint on the fenders and the springer about 35 years ago. It has a Musselman brake. It is a sweet rider. It also won the ugliest bike award in a local charity ride in the early 1980's. Thanks!!![/img]
 
No way...

What did people know in the '80s :p
 
The bike may be a Murray, but I think the forks and back bar thingy are Western Flyer I think. I have these same forks on my build, see the two holes on your front fender? They are for funky headlight mount. But maybe parts-is-parts, and they were used on differenrt bike - I have NO clue...

Either way, you have ONE COOL BIKE!

x53.jpg
 
dude that bike is sick!!! i dig those funky lookin old springer fork set ups ive never seen one of those peices that runs from the chaingaurd - around the rear wheel, then back to the frame, what is that called? good choice for the build! ugliest bike huh? i think rats can easily be identified when hearing someone say "man that is one ugly p.o.s." whenever i hear that i turn and say "where??" unless of course their looking at one of mine already!
fast eddie outty
 
Hey Guys, thanks for the comments! We took this bike in on trade and it was already old. The rack which bolts to the rear fender brackets, and the headlight were missing. Probably ratted out! I don't think it ever had a tank on it. It has "Flightline" on the chainguard. I'm using the front hub, and possibly the seat. Other than the frame and some hardware, not much else. It'll have a different springer on the front. Going to try to ressurect an old Morrow hub. I'm using some NOS rims. So far my investment is two cans of spray bomb. Thats a cool picture of the X53! Thanks! Thanks to all and Good Luck!
 
Here is a couple of old family photo's;
Scan1.jpg

This picture was made in November 0f 1946. This was Dad's first shop. He had not been open long as he was drafted into the Army while in High School in 1942 and came home in 1946. He saved all his money while in the Army to open a business when he got out.

Scan2.jpg

Inside the shop! A room full of rats!! Look closely and you might see your bike! Standing in the picture L to R, My uncle who was 15 years old then, an unidentified customer and my Grandfather. They actually started working on bikes at another location before WWII and my uncle kept it going after my Dad was drafted. Most everyone rode a bike as their primary transportation. During the war, my uncle had to keep a lookout for old bikes so he he could buy them for parts to rob and keep people on the road. Chains and tires and tubes were the hardest thing to keep in stock. There are a few Whizzers in there. It wasn't uncommon for people to ride their bikes or Whizzers 50 to 100 miles away and back. I hope you like these pictures. Thanks

[/img]
 
those pics are just precious. Thanx for sharing both your family memories and historical insight.
 
Great pictures! thanks, the X-53 was built by Murray for Western Auto I have a girls X-53 I bought for my wife. Shes never rode it, but I say its hers so I can keep it. Fun bikes and you my freind have a great starter on a rat.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top