I like the looks on that copper truss setup!!
RRBBO13 52 Pickup
- Thread starter handyandy1100
- Start date
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Thanks! I'm debating painting it, or stripping the paint off the painted parts and just let it darken.
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Finally got around to changing the tires and tubes. Poor thing's been standing on a flat rear tire since last week. While the wheels were off I also installed the vintage rust freckled spoke guard too. Next is to get the derailleurs mounted, new chain on and everything adjusted. Have to admit, no experience with derailleurs and such except for adjusting so they shift right. Never installed any before. Kinda been putting it off. Between sheldonbrown.com and my old bike repair book, hopefully in a couple of evenings it will be ready for a test drive. Oh yeah, better get the brakes on it too! LOL
Got the front and rear derailleurs mounted this evening. Even got the shifter hooked up for the front one. Works pretty smooth on the old school upside down on the handlebars and seat bike rack! Hopefully it will still work when gravity is pulling everything the other way. The pink cable housings are from the bike I took the components off of. Left the cables and shifters connected so I could sort of test out the installation before hooking up the actual shift levers.
Had to break out the right angle grinder and knock off the little nutsert thingys for the water bottle holder. The lower one was right where the front derailleur mount wanted to go.
Picked up this cool old fire alarm doodad at the local Habitat for Humanity store last weekend. Don't know yet if the horn works, but it looks kinda cool on the bike.
Not sure what I'm doing with the tin box under the seat...
Ought to be fun hacking up a chain guard to fit over that front derailleur. LOL
Had to break out the right angle grinder and knock off the little nutsert thingys for the water bottle holder. The lower one was right where the front derailleur mount wanted to go.
Picked up this cool old fire alarm doodad at the local Habitat for Humanity store last weekend. Don't know yet if the horn works, but it looks kinda cool on the bike.
Not sure what I'm doing with the tin box under the seat...
Ought to be fun hacking up a chain guard to fit over that front derailleur. LOL
That horn looks kinda cool there. Are your brakes going to still work though?
There's still room for the brakes, but the horn would sit farther forward anyway if bolted to the fender. It's just wedged in under the truss in the picture.
Been a few days since I did anything on the bike. Between working late a few nights and the rain, it's been hard to get back to it.
This morning between showers, I got the rear shift linkage hooked up and adjusted. The ratty old derailleurs were all covered in gunk and dirt when I took them off the donor bike. Before installing them on the new bike I hosed them down good with synthetic (plastic) safe Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. I figure if it will clean nasty, filthy gun guts, it ought to work on these bike gizmos. And it did. The rear derailleur would barely move before the cleaning.Today shifting from 1 to 5 and back again was smooth as silk. Needed a little adjustment so the shift lever cleared the top tube in first.
The rain was still holding off, so I jury rigged an old brake lever and cable and got the back brake to work and took the bike for a test ride.
The stem shifter is gonna take some getting used to, but it worked just fine. My little block I ride is 2/3s up hill and 1/3 down hill. The uphill went pretty well. I only used 2 or 3 gears like on my regular rider, but this seemed easier. Maybe the thrill of riding a new bike, maybe different ratios in those gears from one bike to the other. Having "overdrive" was nice on the downhill run back home. Other bike is a 7 speed. Got going pretty fast and remembered I only had one brake and it was basically untested!!! It worked well enough to slow me down for the turn into the driveway. All in all, the test drive went well.
Here's the a picture of the build-off bike and my regular rider, a mild custom Huffy Parkside perfect fit comfort bike. More mods planned for it after the build-off bike is done.
Yes, as you can see, bike work isn't the only thing I need to catch up on. But you aren't supposed to cut the grass when it's wet!
Today's parting shot...
This morning between showers, I got the rear shift linkage hooked up and adjusted. The ratty old derailleurs were all covered in gunk and dirt when I took them off the donor bike. Before installing them on the new bike I hosed them down good with synthetic (plastic) safe Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. I figure if it will clean nasty, filthy gun guts, it ought to work on these bike gizmos. And it did. The rear derailleur would barely move before the cleaning.Today shifting from 1 to 5 and back again was smooth as silk. Needed a little adjustment so the shift lever cleared the top tube in first.
The rain was still holding off, so I jury rigged an old brake lever and cable and got the back brake to work and took the bike for a test ride.
The stem shifter is gonna take some getting used to, but it worked just fine. My little block I ride is 2/3s up hill and 1/3 down hill. The uphill went pretty well. I only used 2 or 3 gears like on my regular rider, but this seemed easier. Maybe the thrill of riding a new bike, maybe different ratios in those gears from one bike to the other. Having "overdrive" was nice on the downhill run back home. Other bike is a 7 speed. Got going pretty fast and remembered I only had one brake and it was basically untested!!! It worked well enough to slow me down for the turn into the driveway. All in all, the test drive went well.
Here's the a picture of the build-off bike and my regular rider, a mild custom Huffy Parkside perfect fit comfort bike. More mods planned for it after the build-off bike is done.
Yes, as you can see, bike work isn't the only thing I need to catch up on. But you aren't supposed to cut the grass when it's wet!
Today's parting shot...
Actually, this is today's' parting shot...
Had another break in the rain, so I drug out the bike again and started some new construction.
Had another break in the rain, so I drug out the bike again and started some new construction.
Digging the copper tubing ! With all that happening on your build, I've got a new name suggestion, "Plumbed Crazy". 
Diamond plate flap is cool!
Diamond plate flap is cool!
One of the names I had come up with was "Plumber's Helper." LOLDigging the copper tubing ! With all that happening on your build, I've got a new name suggestion, "Plumbed Crazy".
Diamond plate flap is cool!
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Been awhile since I posted anything. Not much has been done. Between rain, yard work, and family stuff, not much chance to do anything.
Yesterday and today amid intermittent sprinkles I got a few little things done. I reworked the front truss a bit to bring it closer into the fork. Still enough room for the brakes. Top caps are off while I work on another little detail...
Did a little rework of the rack too. Added a couple of reflectors.
Picked up a set of Velo Orange handbrake levers that look a little more old school than the plastic ones I have laying around here. Also some retro looking comfy modern grips.
This will be the seat when it's all done...
Have plans to paint the bike a satin dark blue with satin ivory and red accents and try some fauxtina to make it all look like it's been in a barn for 40 years.
Just wish the weather would cooperate when I have the time so I can get the painting done.
Yesterday and today amid intermittent sprinkles I got a few little things done. I reworked the front truss a bit to bring it closer into the fork. Still enough room for the brakes. Top caps are off while I work on another little detail...
Did a little rework of the rack too. Added a couple of reflectors.
Picked up a set of Velo Orange handbrake levers that look a little more old school than the plastic ones I have laying around here. Also some retro looking comfy modern grips.
This will be the seat when it's all done...
Have plans to paint the bike a satin dark blue with satin ivory and red accents and try some fauxtina to make it all look like it's been in a barn for 40 years.
Just wish the weather would cooperate when I have the time so I can get the painting done.
More detail work underway this evening before the almost daily monsoon hit.
Debating about a little diamond plate bling on the front fender. Can't decide to put it on top of the fender or inside it.
Added some acorns to top off the truss. Sort of gives it more of a Monark springer look. Took an old spring-piston (ironically also called a springer) air rifle apart to see if the spring would fit over the copper pipe, but it didn't. If it did I was going to cut it into two pieces to put on the truss for added springer confusion.
Next I started to rough out the wooden tank. Needed something to hide the headlight batteries in. It will be left to look like wood rather than made to look like metal.
Debating about a little diamond plate bling on the front fender. Can't decide to put it on top of the fender or inside it.
Added some acorns to top off the truss. Sort of gives it more of a Monark springer look. Took an old spring-piston (ironically also called a springer) air rifle apart to see if the spring would fit over the copper pipe, but it didn't. If it did I was going to cut it into two pieces to put on the truss for added springer confusion.
Next I started to rough out the wooden tank. Needed something to hide the headlight batteries in. It will be left to look like wood rather than made to look like metal.
I like the diamond plate coming out from underneath. Should be able to find a cheap piece of 2' x 4' oak veneer plywood (one side finished) in a 1/8 or 1/4 " thickness. Then you'd have some nice grain showing through on your wood tank. I added some strips of veneer adhesive backed for the raised panel look on my Shelby Flyer Woody from MBBO #4. Love wood on rat bikes! RaT oN~!
While I like the diamond plate peeking out from underneath, I would lean toward it riding on top.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Couldn't find paint that matches the original blue on the frame, so tore it all down today and painted everything blue. No pictures. A big storm came up and I had to put stuff up quick.
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Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Masked off the fenders and did the tips in ivory this afternoon. Trying to give it a dirty aged white look. LOL
Next will be a dark red strip between the blue and the ivory.
Here's a shot of the fresh painted frame and fork...
Next will be a dark red strip between the blue and the ivory.
Here's a shot of the fresh painted frame and fork...
Red stripe done. Never tried masking and spraying a third color before. Not too proud of how they turned out, but they will be okay once they get patina-fied I guess.
Got my build off shirt in the mail! 
The Renaissance Man
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Looking good!
Just catching up here, what happened to the horn? I liked it there. Was also wondering if it works?
Just catching up here, what happened to the horn? I liked it there. Was also wondering if it works?
