BLACKBIRD (Skylark Convertible)

[The Renaissance Man]

 

[The Renaissance Man]

 

[The Renaissance Man]

In the world of vintage bike collectors, there are a hand full of standout bikes that rise to the top of desirability. The Elgin Skylark is one of those bikes! So, it has been on my mind for a long time to take one and dare to do a gender change with it.

When this 'Rare Bird' surfaced last year, it changed hands a couple of times and ultimately landed in my shop.

Now the time has come to build a restomod TRM Convertible out of it!

Here we go!!!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

You know what that frame needs?
A convertible tank...
Mullet fenders...
One of those cool seats that I forget the name off!

 

[Chad T]

This looks like an excellent TRM build.......get what the jig is for now.

 

[G-Matt]

So I’m guessing this is your build off bike
R-Man ?


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[OddJob]

TRM...Too Rat to Mention!

Looks like another RaT-astic build in the works. RaT oN~!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Sometimes damaged frames are not worth the effort to repair them. This is not one of those times.

I have had this bike in my shop for months and even while using it to fit my 'Mullet Fenders' I didn't initially notice that the frame has a twist and turn from front to rear. Look closely from end to end and you will see the problem.

So I have been devising a jig and a plan to try to straighten it back up.

More on how this is supposed to work tomorrow.

 

[Ty Henderson]

TOO COOL!! I'm gonna be a little late starting my build(s) but hopefully I can start on something this weekend. Love your jigs and the frame is wicked cool

 

[G-Matt]

Time to get jiggy with it . Definitely a frame worth trying to straighten .


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[OddJob]

Looks like the BB is the fixed point, and then you can crank on the nuts on the head tube and seat tube jigs to 'twist' it back into shape. Maybe play this as your soundtrack in the background...

 

[SoulGarageOH]

Ingenuity!!

 

[handyandy1100]

Looks like the BB is the fixed point, and then you can crank on the nuts on the head tube and seat tube jigs to 'twist' it back into shape. Maybe play this as your soundtrack in the background...

And if one "twist" doesn't get it, maybe you can "twist again."

 

[sdframe]

Like we did last summer

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Looks like the BB is the fixed point, and then you can crank on the nuts on the head tube and seat tube jigs to 'twist' it back into shape.

You are right about the BB. Everything else has to line up in relation to it.
The studs and nuts on the head tube and seat tube fixtures are not for bending anything, but instead are for holding the points steady in the correct location while I use a lever and fulcrum to bent the tubes in between back into alignment.

Because I can only pry 'up', I made the jig pieces work for either left or right side down.

This all started with a video that I found while researching how to straighten a frame. Of course the professional set up in the video makes the work a lot more efficient (the guy does a frame in about 2 minutes). Mine is a simple version using some of the same principles, just much more troublesome to use. Two afternoons of fooling with it and it's better but not done! lol

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Ah, the jig parts make sense now! Great work!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Im using a combination square to measure from the table to the top of which ever tube is in question and then prying up to the target location.

Before.

After. (Pay no attention to the bubble, the table is not level.)

I'm having to use whatever is necessary to pry specific spots. It's definately not an exact science.

 

[Uncle Shish]

Barbaric, yet effective!

 

[SpikeFC]

Mine is a simple version using some of the same principles, just much more troublesome to use. Two afternoons of fooling with it and it's better but not done! lol

I remember reading about a similar method of straightening a bent car floor in one of my cars DIY repair books. The method is really simple just requires a lot of measuring and brutal force.

Very nice to see that your jig works

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Think your one step away from building frames. Looking good,


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