a SpaceLiner and a Ross (updated 1-7)

[JoeyMac]

Hi all, I am new to these forums, so I thought I'd show what I've been up to. I started restoring some bikes with a buddy of mine a few months ago, and this was my proudest piece of work (before and after):

before (it was found rusting outside of a barn)

after

Obviously I went for more of a straight restoration, I just wanted to get it rolling and I liked it just as it was. But it has potential for some rat modifications, I think. Any suggestions?

Now here is the new project I just picked up last night and what made me sign up here to start posting.

all day I've been trying to think about all the different possibilities, repainting, detailing, which parts to keep and which to replace, etc. It's going to be a long journey, but I am excited for it. This will be a fun project. Any ideas?

Thanks for looking!

 

[schwinnmesa]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

Very nice bikes! I like the red one. I love the rat rod look, if I were you I'd just leave it how it is and paint a white wall on the rear tire. Dang that bike is awesome. Do whatever you want to it!!! Have fun with it!!!

 

[greggah]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

i like the shiny one :shock: spaceliner has a cool frame. RIDE EM TILL THE WHEELS FALL OFF..

 

[KOTA]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

I gotta get a spaceliner! Yours looks GREAT!

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

Thanks for the feedback guys. The SpaceLiner was a special find for me, it was the only bike in a pile of 22 vintage bikes that really called to me. It's all chrome, has a sort of mixte style frame, in that the top tube and middle tube (I am not sure what you call that) are actually 4 narrow tubes that go on either side of the seat tube. I haven't really seen something like that except on a similar bike called a FlightLiner. There are more pics of the restoration on my flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeymac/sets/72157602414681774/.

A side note, the bike is supposed to have a tank but it was missing when I got it. This is what the bike originally looked like (from the bike designer's webpage): http://www.viktorschreckengost.org/Gallery/vgt_image_view/66/110/1501

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

the link to the bike designer's page seems to be messed up, but if you clicked on it, just go to the galleries, industrial design, and then bikes and trikes. There are some other cool bikes and concept designs as well.

 

[KOTA]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

Hey JoeyMac, check this out on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEARS-SPACELINER-Bi ... dZViewItem

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

wow! Mint! but $600 buy it now price? I paid $14 for mine to the guy who had it rusting outside his barn...

 

[KOTA]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

This one is more affordable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sears-Spaceliner-2- ... dZViewItem

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

I think you should go for it KOTA, if you don't mind the shipping cost...

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

forgot i had this close-up too, taken right after I added new pedals:

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

I've been spending the day at home sick, which is a bad thing to be doing if you've just gotten a new bike and also found a great forum to look for ideas for the new bike. One idea which I do like is leaving the paint just as it is, and just getting it rolling.

and another part of me wants to go all out with an evil flat black look. I photoshopped some color real quick just to see what it might look like. So many possibilities...

 

[Hugo]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

I paid $14 for mine to the guy who had it rusting outside his barn...

Sweet deal for a sweet bike, congratulations! (look everyone, I didn't freak out. I'm a changed person! :mrgreen: )

Get the red one rolling, maybe some new tires and grease and that's it. You can always paint it in the future. Or get some more bikes and paint those. :wink:

Hugo

 

[Rat Rod]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

Would be cool to have someone lay some red and white stripes on the chainguard and fenders too.

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: a SpaceLiner and a Ross

I finally got around to putting the Ross back together, and I am so glad I did. All it really needed was a major clean-up and regreasing. I decided to leave the paint as is for now, although on closer inspection during clean-up I realized that it had been repainted by a previous owner, and rather poorly at that. It was once a rich metal-flake red that I wish was still intact. At least now I won't feel bad if I decide to take a rattle-can to it myself. I ended up swapping out the rusty steel wheels that were on it for the newer aluminum cruiser wheels that came for free with it, and of course changed tubes, but otherwise it's as original as I got it, which is why it has mismatched tires right now. Soon I will get a matching pair of whitewalls. So here it is:

all apart and getting cleaned. It had the filthiest BB that I had ever encountered.

I don't know if this is truck axle grease or what, but the BB was packed to the gills with it, and it had the consistency of honey, thick, sticky, and hard to clean up. But I got it sparkling by the end.

I took it for a spin, and it's a smooth ride. I gotta do some tweeking but I think I might be able to ride it to work tomorrow if this unseasonable warmth holds out. Here it is together with the SpaceLiner back home in my living room.

one big happy family

 

[KOTA]

LOOKS GOOD!............Ah.. your gonna need a bigger living room!

 

[SuperStuff]

Great job on cleaning up that bike. She looks great.

 

[Joshua85]

Hey your living room looks just like mine...filled with bikes

I love the chrome spaceliners! mine however is red... but man they are fast!

I'm a fan of evil flat black primer bikes, but i think that the Ross looks great red, i love the chaingaurd on those.
is that a light on the tank? or is it a reflector? neat green lens

 

[JoeyMac]

Thanks Superstuff, and Joshua85, unfortunately no, not a light, I thought so at first. Turns out they are reflector bolts. I had to unscrew them to remove the tank for cleaning (and inside was an old spider's nest with eggs... gross)

 

[JoeyMac]

I just found this print ad for sale on eBay, turns out it's a 1960 Ross "Futura" Super Deluxe... from the Future!