cafe cruiser birthday gift

[arty dave]

I think you can all see where this is going... 8)

In the image I've already replaced the stock pos parts with the alloy Araya 'dimple' rims I'll use, the awesome 'cafe racer' style seat that I'll strip and recover, cruiser bars and slingshot/wishbone stem. We don't get many curvy bar frames here in oz so I was happy when this came along as I'd been wanting something for the parts I've been gathering. The stock forks will be replaced with original monark springers, and I'll re-lace the rims with an ex-wheelchair drum hub up front and an 8 speed nexus with roller brakes at the rear. There are other bits and peices you'll see during the build. I never see any of the standard rat black frame red rims whitewalls combo so that's what it'll be and I think it will suit it's new owner

Here are the wheelchair hubs, I've just treated one with drillium - I love how it turned out! The holes look very close but there is still plenty of meat left in the alloy.

I have a question about these - how do I go about fitting axles? there are sealed bearings at each end of the axle tunnel, I think maybe 10mm I.D.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Hey Arty Dave! I know what you mean about curved bar frames over here, but that looks like a nice one you found...
Looking forward to seeing it come together!
By the way, I am almost out of my supply of Drillum, where are you finding yours? I have tried Bunnings, Mitre 10 and a few local places but no one knows what I am talking about... :?

Luke.

 

[oleskool]

badass! gonna look super sweet i been thinking of doing something like this. love the cafe racer like seat!
cheers,
Jake

 

[arty dave]

I dunno how I did it but managed to find time between pulling out the saggy headlining from my Camry wagon, taking my daughter to the doctor and shopping for food for her birthday party. I love the results from a good alloy polishing sesh!

These Changi Star levers are dead ringers for the same era diacompe levers. As you can see from the unpolished lever, the black paint had long since worn off and the silver anodising was barely noticable. The stem is also now blingtastic!

Luke I'm sorry mate, Drillium now requires a special liscence...

 

[LukeTheJoker]

:lol:
Nice job on the polishing!

Luke.

 

[arty dave]

Today I had planned to do the welding needed on the monark forks (replace the bent steering tube) and weld seatpost tabs onto the seatpan - the originals had broken off, but I really needed to get the headboard out of the workshop. With my housemates help we sprayglued the new fabric on and reinstalled the headboard. Next weekend I'll do the doorpanels with the reverse of this fabric - white stripes on black. While I have the machine out to sew up the cover for the cafe cruiser seat I'll also make covers for the sunshades.

I did get some cafe cruiser work done - stripped and de-rusted the seatpan and treated it with rust deactivator. I was going to buy some vinyl for the seat when I was at the fabric store today but they were out of black! I'll take a photo of the seatpan once I've welded on the seatpost tabs. Tonight I'll measure up for spokes and place an order. I really need to strip the bike and paint the frame - the weather is a bit iffy for painting at the moment - either overcast and windy or sunny and windy...

Hey Luke I checked out your bikes - awesome work dude! I really like how you fabbed the muscle bike frame, nice lines!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Hey Luke I checked out your bikes - awesome work dude! I really like how you fabbed the muscle bike frame, nice lines!

Thanks Man!

Loving this build so far, that seat is awesome! Any idea what is it off?
Good job on the Camry roof liner, I have been trying to figure out how to remove the one in ours, not to recover it, but to get behind it at the back where the door is to weld in some plate and nuts for mounting points for a long roofrack...

Luke.

 

[tttrickyyy]

Watching this one.. any updates yet? :roll: