1945 Huffman "Colt 45"

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On this build I want to run full sheet metal and tight fitment. A problem that cropped up was that by using the dogleg crank with a 44 tooth sprocket it required moving the chain guard forward and up to achieve clearance for the arm above the crank pin. If I rode it past the chicks, it would have resulted in cruel heckling and jeering and that is not acceptable. So back to the parts stash. I installed a long pin Wald crank that allowed the chain guard to be properly slammed with mere millimeters to spare. I also swapped to a different chain guard that better fits the image in my head that I'm chasing. So I lose the cool factor of the dogleg but achieve the fit I want. Ahhhhhh, ratrodding..........

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The crusty drop center rims turned out to be too crusty. After lacing them I put them on the truing stand and minor tweaks caused big lateral shifts indicating they are way too soft. That won't do for prowling around on the wrong side of the tracks where a speedy escape might be called for. I had a set of painted crusty drop center rims on my '53 Goodrich that are going to be used. The 26x2.3 tires fit fine. I need to lace the Aero-Glide into the back and that is all done.

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Courtesy of a 1970 AMC Hornet

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This build is getting more twists and turns than a mountain canyon road. The springer pivot on the Goodrich was broken and poorly repaired many years ago. I took it apart and repaired and re-welded it so it is safe and stronger than original so now the wheels are going back to it for later hijinks. That left me without wheels again. I checked the local OfferUp and found a womens Huffy for cheap that had just been listed. It is in very good condition and has drop center rims plus a plethora of other parts for the stash.

Snow season is fast approaching and I need to get this build finished so I can park my truck indoors. The new plan is to use the Huffy rims and paint them light yellow to match the grips and headbadge. Yellow seems to be under represented in ratty rats so I'm doing my part. Of course, the Aero-Glide will be laced in.

Huffy Good Vibrations are about to become rarer by a factor of one.

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