BO15 'Beatnik Bombita'

[kingfish254]

Your reply was within the quote so people have to click to expand. I'll try and cut and paste it here.

OK, I've been waiting to get something a bit more completed as I have 2 or 3 items going and nothing finished... Sooooo here are a few lighting progress pics and notes. In 1961 Beatnik Bandit fashion I wanted to have a dual headlight setup. I found a 1958 Chevy Bel Air Biscayne tail light bezel that I'm modifying along with some 1958 Chevy parking lenses to make a headlight. Had to downsize the outside diameter of the clear lenses and also flatten the mounting surface as they were slightly different from the Bel Air style. Also purchased some cool Bi-Xenon LED Halo lights to fit into each side. Haven't decided on which color yet... Red or Yellow. They will have alternating flashing side to side along with HI & LO settings with a bright center light to serve as headlight and strobe. For the housing fabrication I started out with some 8/4 poplar wood that was laying around the garage. Going to shape it to match the outside of the chrome housing going back in a teardrop shape to a point. I'll match the ridge that is in the original '58 taillight housing on both sides. Next photos will be the actual shaped housing buck for the mold and doing the fiberglass work.
OK, so much for documentation... time to get out in the garage and get some real work done.
Have a GREAT weekend everyone!

 

[Brian macumber]

Cool looking lights

 

[WayOutWheels]

OK,
One more tidbit for the day. Just received a wonderful piece of steel art that is a perfect companion to the Ed 'BIG DADDY' Roth tribute bike. What better than Roth's Best Friend...
The Rat Fink on an integral part of the bike... the sprocket! It's a total mockup screwed onto a piece of closet dowel hahaha as I don't have my bottom bracket components yet.
For the finish, I'm thinking of chroming it and then painting the face a metallic green.
What do you think about that approach on the finish?
Ciao for Now!

 

[OddJob]

I don't remember your plan for paint on the frame? But if it's shiny, and other chrome parts, I like your idea. For more of a 'ratty' look, you could leave the chain ring as is, paint the RF image, and then clear it to seal the art work. Either way, that's a cool piece!

 

[WayOutWheels]

Hey Guys,
Been going through the 'growing pains' of learning the frustration of a lack of standards in this fun endeavor. Through all of this I am enjoying the learning experience and growth in relationships with new people that have been extremely helpful along the way.
Today's post covers a partial installation of the headset and forks and the tires onto wheels and mocked up onto the frame.

Many thanks to Adrian Lucejko for his wild Krab forks to help create our Ed Roth tribute bike.
These things look like they could be arms on a giant Transformer robot! I love the circles as they draw upon the bubble top design of the Beatnik Bandit. Adrian Lucejko Designs
The forks have a 1" threaded steering tube so I had to install reducers into the frame then the headset cups. Once I did that I found that the steering tube isn't long enough to accept the headset locknut and the springer mounting bracket. We'll be figuring out that this later this week...

Thanks so much to Joe Cavaliere of Low Tide Customs in Florida for all his help starting off with the stellar looking wheels he had built for me. Low Tide Customs
Gorgeous 26x5 3 speed rear and 29x3 front with 11gauge spokes all polished up and pretty for show and go! Also many thanks for your help with crank and headset issues. When you start mixing parts together it can really get crazy, especially on these super wide frames and bottom brackets. More on that stuff later. I purchased a 26x4 & 29x3 Chao Yang whitewall tires and the front went on like gangbusters. The rear however has been a bit of a PITA... I'm going to see if putting a 26x5 tube will help. So far can't get it to grab the bead on the 26x5 rim. We'll get it. ;^)

Well that's it for this weekend.

Have a GREAT week everyone!

 

[WayOutWheels]

I don't remember your plan for paint on the frame? But if it's shiny, and other chrome parts, I like your idea. For more of a 'ratty' look, you could leave the chain ring as is, paint the RF image, and then clear it to seal the art work. Either way, that's a cool piece!

Time will dictate what will be by the September 1st deadline. Long term it will have a white pearl base with pinstriping and graphics similar to the Beatnik Bandit color scheme.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Wow!!!!!

 

[kingfish254]

WOW!!! Those are the perfect forks for that frame and bars. They just flow perfectly.
I've never worked with the super fat rims before, so I don't have any tips on seating that tire. I'm sure you'll figure it out.
Can't wait to see that custom chainring on there!!

As I was scrolling through your pics, I stopped for a moment and was trying to figure out this cool set of handlebars. Then I realized they were your bearing cup press.

 

[Starnger]

I think best here is to extend the steerer length a bit. Just weld a piece of 1" tubing in the middle of your forks steerer.

 

[WayOutWheels]

Hey Guys,
Here's the latest installment of progress pics.

I want to share with you the next components that have become an integral part of the Ed Roth Tribute bike. As you know, Ed’s Best Friend was the crazy character Rat Fink. When I mentioned to John Lerew of Gear Head Customs that I was building a tribute bike things got jump started. Here is a link to John’s Facebook page for reference so you can get something custom and badass made by him: Gear Head Customs He shot me a photo of a very cool sprocket that he had designed and built previously with an amazing rendition of the Rat Fink face on it and I of course wanted it!
Now to get it installed onto the bike...

I had a fun time trying to figure out what Bottom Bracket components would fit my Bombita frame. I started off with a Profile Racing 19mm American Hop Up Bottom Bracket Kit in polished silver. It came with nicely finished aluminum bearing caps and several sizes of spacers.

I then purchased a set of 160mm chrome Mission crank arms and found that the 19mm spindle was too short. I then purchased an extended spindle from Lawless Bicycles to find that it too didn't allow for full engagement into the crank arms. Finally I located a set of 200mm spindles through an EBay seller.

Next step was to setup the Rat Fink sprocket for the 19mm spindle. Needed to reduce through hole so I setup 2 washers on a spindle and taped around the outside perimeter to keep them from spinning when I spun them on the belt sander. Once I had the OD within a thousandth or two I pressed them into the sprocket.

Finally! I got all parts installed and the crank spins true and freely! Next step is to assemble the Gear Head Customs Rat Fink pedals and install onto the crank arms. Photos coming soon.

Have a Great week!

 

[WayOutWheels]

Hey Everyone,
I think I mentioned that I was working with John Lerew of Gear Head Customs on a set of custom matching pedals to go with the awesome Rat Fink sprocket. Well, I finally received them and they are a BIG Homerun! John took my basic design request and took it much further than I expected. Pure Genius!
I tried to attach a couple of short videos but they were too large.
Anyway, here they are installed to complete my bottom end!

 

[OddJob]

You can always download vids to your Youtube channel and then copy and paste the url to your post. Pedals are cool!

 

[nosferatu1381]

Hey Everyone,
I think I mentioned that I was working with John Lerew of Gear Head Customs on a set of custom matching pedals to go with the awesome Rat Fink sprocket. Well, I finally received them and they are a BIG Homerun! John took my basic design request and took it much further than I expected. Pure Genius!
I tried to attach a couple of short videos but they were too large.
Anyway, here they are installed to complete my bottom end!
View attachment 131492

Nice. It's easy to link to you tube in here. I just started actually using my channel

 

[kingfish254]

John did a great job on those pedals and that chainring is so cool, I have one coming my way too.
Where do you stand on your build? Just 2 weeks to go.

 

[WayOutWheels]

Work has been hectic the past few

John did a great job on those pedals and that chainring is so cool, I have one coming my way too.
Where do you stand on your build? Just 2 weeks to go.

Work has been hectic the past few weeks.
I may have her running but certainly not painted and no custom fenders or light. That said, she might look fine and more 'Rat Rod' in style in her current rusty state... ;^)

 

[nosferatu1381]

Work has been hectic the past few

Work has been hectic the past few weeks.
I may have her running but certainly not painted and no custom fenders or light. That said, she might look fine and more 'Rat Rod' in style in her current rusty state... ;^)

Most of us kinda like rust man. So no worries there. I have actually washed colors onto something to make it look rusted just before a show because I finished late

 

[karl]

I always use linseedoil as a cheap coating and rustprotectant. Easy to apply, soft on the hands,
just needs a few coatings every other weeks, but cures well in the hot sun and leaves a nice shine.

 

[johnp.smith]

OK,
One more tidbit for the day. Just received a wonderful piece of steel art that is a perfect companion to the Ed 'BIG DADDY' Roth tribute bike. What better than Roth's Best Friend...
The Rat Fink on an integral part of the bike... the sprocket! It's a total mockup screwed onto a piece of closet dowel hahaha as I don't have my bottom bracket components yet.
For the finish, I'm thinking of chroming it and then painting the face a metallic green.
What do you think about that approach on the finish?
Ciao for Now!
View attachment 126825

Im lovin this

 

[johnp.smith]

 

[WayOutWheels]

OK guys,
After weeks of no time to work on the build off project I finally had this weekend to go full steam.
I'll be posting more pics and videos (when I figure out how to) in the FINISHED section this week.
For now, here are a few of the pics of the finished headset with the springer forks. It took a lot of mods to get her to work but I think it was worth it. I really like the look of them. The maiden voyage in the cul de sac was a blast and I'm happy she's finally ready to ride. I'm considering this Phase I of completion and will continue to do customization.