Duuuude! That Snyder is niiiiice!
BO15 Dumpster Diamond (Formerly "First Ever Build Off with a Postwar Hawthorne")
- Thread starter Bike from the Dead
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Thanks! I'm saving the faux engine and down bar for when I've accomplished all the other stuff I want to do to the bike first, since I still haven't figured out how I'm going to make it happen yet. Plus, like with everything else I'm doing on this bike, I want it to all be reversible; no cuts, no welds, nothing that would prevent me from returning this bike to its stock form.
I just need to get this thing done! I've barely made any progress on my bike this month!
Ok first off, sorry for the lack of updates and replies to everyone else's build threads. I had another contest come up at the end of June that I tried to participate in, this time an art contest, and I was busy drawing stuff up for that. Sadly, I didn't finish my entry in time, but I'll definitely want to come back to it later after the RRBBO is over.
I'm aiming to get back on my build (as well as checking out everyone else's rides) after this weekend. I've got a bunch of supplies I need to get, a number of parts to send to my welder guys, and a few questions I need help with before I do some stuff with this bike. Hopefully, I'll be posting to this thread and replying to everyone else's real soon.
I'm aiming to get back on my build (as well as checking out everyone else's rides) after this weekend. I've got a bunch of supplies I need to get, a number of parts to send to my welder guys, and a few questions I need help with before I do some stuff with this bike. Hopefully, I'll be posting to this thread and replying to everyone else's real soon.
Made some progress on my bike yesterday. I bought a new front 24" tire to match the 26" tire on the rear wheel, a can of gloss clear coat spray paint, and a small tube of Bondo all for about $41, bringing the total amount spent so far to about $221.
I got the new tire mounted on the front wheel, and then tackled another problem: the bottom bracket. Unfortunately, when I first disassembled the Hawthorne, I forgot to take pictures of how the bottom bracket went together, so I don't know the exact order the parts go onto the crank. Plus, there are just a bunch of parts that go into the crank assembly, unlike the Schwinns I've worked on, which use fewer parts and are generally easier to work on. Finally, the original crank is super rusty, and given that I'm going for a cleaner, shinier look, I want to use parts with less rust.
My solution? Swap the original Snyder BB parts with Schwinn BB parts. Amazingly, the Schwinn bearing cups and other parts fit my Snyder frame perfectly! As an added bonus, I was able to get the sprocket to spin without wobbling too much. Once I get the bearings cleaned, greased, and actually assemble everything properly, I bet it'll smooth out completely. I was going to post a couple pictures, but apparently I can't upload a 1.5mb gif, and the other pics I took aren't very easy to view. I'll try to shoot and post some better pictures when it stops raining here.
Basically, I'm just about ready to take this bike for its first shakedown run! I just need to take a few parts over to the local welders for them to fix. However, I want some advice from you guys before I take care of that. See, when that first guy... "straightened" my frame, he really banged up the seat pole. I was thinking about having the welders cut the good seat pole out of one of my junk frames and use it to replace the mangled portion of my Hawthorne frame. I was just thinking they could just cut out the damaged portion of the seat pole between the tank and bottom bracket, but would it be better for these guys to just swap out the whole seat pole? If they just replace a section of the seat pole, would the spots where they welded become potential weak points? I should mention that I weigh about 250lbs, and I don't want the bike to buckle from the weight being placed on the welds in the seat pole. I just don't want to ruin the original, smooth brazing that connects the tank and seat stays to the seat pole. What do you guys think?
I got the new tire mounted on the front wheel, and then tackled another problem: the bottom bracket. Unfortunately, when I first disassembled the Hawthorne, I forgot to take pictures of how the bottom bracket went together, so I don't know the exact order the parts go onto the crank. Plus, there are just a bunch of parts that go into the crank assembly, unlike the Schwinns I've worked on, which use fewer parts and are generally easier to work on. Finally, the original crank is super rusty, and given that I'm going for a cleaner, shinier look, I want to use parts with less rust.
My solution? Swap the original Snyder BB parts with Schwinn BB parts. Amazingly, the Schwinn bearing cups and other parts fit my Snyder frame perfectly! As an added bonus, I was able to get the sprocket to spin without wobbling too much. Once I get the bearings cleaned, greased, and actually assemble everything properly, I bet it'll smooth out completely. I was going to post a couple pictures, but apparently I can't upload a 1.5mb gif, and the other pics I took aren't very easy to view. I'll try to shoot and post some better pictures when it stops raining here.
Basically, I'm just about ready to take this bike for its first shakedown run! I just need to take a few parts over to the local welders for them to fix. However, I want some advice from you guys before I take care of that. See, when that first guy... "straightened" my frame, he really banged up the seat pole. I was thinking about having the welders cut the good seat pole out of one of my junk frames and use it to replace the mangled portion of my Hawthorne frame. I was just thinking they could just cut out the damaged portion of the seat pole between the tank and bottom bracket, but would it be better for these guys to just swap out the whole seat pole? If they just replace a section of the seat pole, would the spots where they welded become potential weak points? I should mention that I weigh about 250lbs, and I don't want the bike to buckle from the weight being placed on the welds in the seat pole. I just don't want to ruin the original, smooth brazing that connects the tank and seat stays to the seat pole. What do you guys think?
If you look at these fenders you can see where I shot clear on them. My Rollfast is a little older than yours but whatever. I couldn't decide where I wanted this tank art so I prepped both fenders. The parts with clear didn't rust and thanks for reminding me I need to move this thing to a hook inside the house. Great bike to work with by the way. I had to repair every brazed joint on mine too. If you have a torch you can just fill those dents with lead or brass if they really bother you. When you look at this bike in person you can see where i filled some nasty buggers on the tubing with brass
the back of this fender is shot clear where the tank art is
the front of this fender is shot clear where I was tempted to put it
this photo is from 2015 just before the spring show, I am just putting it here to give you an idea how slowly they rust when they sit in the weather. no big deal to keep up with if you have a scotch brite and some wd 40
funny story I actually won best vintage at the show in Vegas 18 months ago when Kate and I got married, This rust has like just started to get needs attention again
Last edited:
I should probably look at the dents before i say something and I am saying something anyway
well i am saying a couple of things. when I didn't have my own welder I would get the guys at the muffler shop to do any stitching I needed that wasn't just brass work. not the Jimmy JOe Bob Crow's Mufflers and Meth shop the nice one I took my race cars to. The guys wouldn't even let me pay them for something small I always had to buy them lunch or something to trick them into taking money. This is one of the bikes I gender bent. I was wondering where those thick bricks went. I just remembered I sold them on that bicycle. You can see where i cut the seat tube here. The issue is the new weld near the top could interfere with your seatpost if it isn't done correctly.
the two bright spots are my cuts in this above image and as you can see in the below image
I weigh between 220 and 230 depending on which class I am planning on racing in. Done right the welds are the strongest part of the tubing honestly. Done like that other guy did it is a recipe for so many other problems
Last edited:
Okay I zoomed in on your dents. I'd have probably buried that guy in a cornfield. That said I like dents. I mean my own on purpose dents not dummy fixed my stuff for me dents. lead is not hard to work with. Someone is about to laugh and say "oh so that's what happened to you" ;-) anyway I'd fill those with brass. If they really bother you. brass fill is something you can do with a small torch from home Depot. The two ten dollars bottles kind. And lead you can just start a fire I mean just about any fire any when the lead is like peanut butter consistently you just wipe it on
Plus I love your add a drop loop idea with bottle cages engine or whatever because reasons
Plus I love your add a drop loop idea with bottle cages engine or whatever because reasons
Last edited:
First off, thanks for the advice. What brand and type of clear coat did you use on your Rollfast? Is it like spray can clear, or is it the kind I’d need an airbrush to apply?
The dents on the down bar aren’t so bad, but the seat pole is pretty beat up, hence why I want to just cut out the mangled section and weld in a new portion. I don’t have all the equipment to fix everything myself, so I hope I’ll be able to take it to some local guys who fixed some of the other bike parts for me earlier. So, you’re saying that as long as the welds on the seat pole are done right, I shouldn’t have anything to worry about, right?
I don’t have a torch, and I have no experience in metal forming. I do, however, have some experience with putty and clay, and I’m okay when it comes to sanding stuff. I’ve never used Bondo before, but it’s something I can easily do here at home, and this would be a good way to practice using it. I only want to use it to smooth out the few smaller dents and dings on the frame before I primer and paint everything, which is why I want to do away with the mangled part of the seat pole; no amount of Bondo will make that mangled mess look good.
Thanks! Hopefully I’ll be able to make that part before the Build Off is over. By the way, nice collection of bikes!
Okay, finally got a chance to shoot some better photos of yesterday's progress, among other things.
First off, here's the bike with the new front tire, as well as a Schwinn bottom bracket assembly I had laying around. I won't be using this exact crank and sprocket, but it helped me conclude that using Schwinn parts will help streamline the process of getting this bike rideable.
Next, I took a few minutes to shine up the handlebars using some PB Blaster and 0000 steel wool. There's still a bit of rust on the handlebars, but I think it's fine for now.
Lastly, the part of this bike that I need to replace before I even think about applying Bondo, primer and paint: the mangled seat pole, courtesy of that one jerk whose mistakes I'm still paying to fix. After looking at this part of the bike again, I now realize just how bad that part of the bike is. It wasn't even bent straight, it was just bent in another direction. I'm hoping the welders who fixed some stuff last time can help me replace the worst part with a section from a donor frame. I'm just concerned about making sure my seat post can go all the way in, and that the welds won't become weak points in a structurally-critical area. This is the part of the frame that has to support all 250lbs of me.
Would it be better for the welders to cut and weld above the joint on the bottom bracket, or directly on/in it? I'd like to make an informed decision before I send everything over.
Lastly, the down bar. Thankfully, this part of the frame has only a few small dents and dings. I think I could easily cover these up with a little Bondo before priming and painting everything.
Unfortunately, I can't really do much else with this bike until I hear back from my welder guys. I'm just a little bugged by that, as I'm <this close> to getting the bike rideable! I'm so ready to give this bike its first shakedown run!
First off, here's the bike with the new front tire, as well as a Schwinn bottom bracket assembly I had laying around. I won't be using this exact crank and sprocket, but it helped me conclude that using Schwinn parts will help streamline the process of getting this bike rideable.
Next, I took a few minutes to shine up the handlebars using some PB Blaster and 0000 steel wool. There's still a bit of rust on the handlebars, but I think it's fine for now.
Lastly, the part of this bike that I need to replace before I even think about applying Bondo, primer and paint: the mangled seat pole, courtesy of that one jerk whose mistakes I'm still paying to fix. After looking at this part of the bike again, I now realize just how bad that part of the bike is. It wasn't even bent straight, it was just bent in another direction. I'm hoping the welders who fixed some stuff last time can help me replace the worst part with a section from a donor frame. I'm just concerned about making sure my seat post can go all the way in, and that the welds won't become weak points in a structurally-critical area. This is the part of the frame that has to support all 250lbs of me.
Would it be better for the welders to cut and weld above the joint on the bottom bracket, or directly on/in it? I'd like to make an informed decision before I send everything over.
Lastly, the down bar. Thankfully, this part of the frame has only a few small dents and dings. I think I could easily cover these up with a little Bondo before priming and painting everything.
Unfortunately, I can't really do much else with this bike until I hear back from my welder guys. I'm just a little bugged by that, as I'm <this close> to getting the bike rideable! I'm so ready to give this bike its first shakedown run!
That I cut the seat tube in two places on the upside down bike bud. I just used clear in a can on that bare metal. I needed it for that water slide decal
Um, I'm sorry nosferatu1381, but I'm not sure I understand that first part of your comment.
No worries man. When I "flip" these girls bicycle frames I cut the seat tubes in two places. three places if you count the downtube. You really can walk into a muffler shop and they will stitch it back together i used to do it all the time. I pointed to the cuts here. I would avoid letting someone break the brazed joints unless you just absolutely have to. That steel is a lot sturdier than you give it credit.
Attachments
my frame was broken at the bottom bracket so I had to redo both the seat tube and down tube brass on my Rollfast. You really need someone you can trust brazing the frame for that but The guys that do exhaust pipe aren't going to have any problem welding a replacement section of down tube into that. They could also throw some filler in those dents then you could just sand it. They always have a torch in the shop.
Last edited:
Okay, I understand now. I can't say that I trust myself to make all the cuts in the right places, much less cut them in a straight line. If my welder contacts can't help me out soon (and if the muffler shops can do all the cutting and welding for me,) then I'll definitely seek out a good shop to fix that seat pole for me. Thanks for the tip!
How I manage to transpose entire words while I am typing is beyond me sometimes. geez
Hey it's cool. No worries.
Funny story I asked a friend one time what kind of clear coat he used to seal the rust and bare metal on his bug and he just says, "Pep boys kind"
Never seen a 3rd brake light mounted like that on a VW before....
I almost forgot to mention a frame repair is probably okay in class one but if you make a drop loop like mine you might bump yourself accidentally into class two. Class one is a no welded frame mods kinda thing.
I love his VW.
Yeah, I know. The trick about my drop loop idea is that it's actually a dummy. It'll just be attached to the frame using the chain guard bolt and a clamp around the down bar. The fake engine/stealth cup holders are meant to hide the original frame, so that the frame looks modified, but the whole frame underneath is still stock. That's my little way of bending the rules without breaking them. All my modifications will be completely reversible.
