BO15 DURALIUS - 1936 Wards Hawthorne- Done. BOTH Of Them!

[LBCJ]

Am I late to the party?

I decided to jump in with just under a month to go. I have this Wards Hawthorne that I'm going to throw into the ring. When I got it, it was set up sort of BMX/street fighter/ strandieish. my plan is to bring it back toward stock with a few semi-correct parts, some more modern items like 26-inch wheels and tires, and a few surprises. The look will be a little bit board tracker, a little bit Euro, and all Rat Rod. Also, this will be my 4th build off. So far I've got a DNF (by a half hour- posted final pics but no voting), a 5th place, and a 20th the year before last. i'm one of those guys that's on here all the time but rarely posts. I've been watching all of your builds over the summer and i know i have a lot of catching up to do!

The name? Obviously a play on Duralium; think of a drunk guy trying to say Delirious. I think the world is making us all feel a little delirious the last 4 or 5 months!

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Better late than never! Welcome to the Build Off, LBCJ! Looks like you've got a great bike to start with, and I'll be looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

 

[LBCJ]

“Look, Bill!”

 

[LBCJ]

I dove right in and didn’t really take any disassembly shots, but here’s what the bike used to look like. Nothing in the shot will be reused. I will be reusing the crank, chain wheel, and seat post. That’s about it. I am also just now realizing that the black BMX headset can’t be reused with my plans. I need an OG headset with the smaller, flatter bearing cups. And here I thought I had just about everything I needed.

 

[LBCJ]

Better late than never! Welcome to the Build Off, LBCJ! Looks like you've got a great bike to start with, and I'll be looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

Thanks, man! Definitely been watching your build. Some impressive cleanup work happening. I think our bikes are heading down similar paths.

 

[OddJob]

Welcome back to the build off! Looks like a solid start with that cool frame.
RaT oN~!

 

[kingfish254]

Can't go wrong with a silver king!!! I remember your sweet Shelby moto from BO11. Looking forward to the fun.

Searched for a video of Duralious and discovered that Prince was on the Muppets. Let's get crazy with your build.

 

[LBCJ]

Here’s some more detail on the frame and fork, along with my real time realization that it’s going to take more time than i thought to clean them up. I don’t like them perfectly polished. I’ve seen people go overboard and a piece of vintage art ends up looking like a chromed Chinese frame. I’d like it shiny but with some of the war wounds still intact so you know it’s had a long life. The problem is that upon closer inspection it looks like the whole thing was wire wheeled to death. So I have to decide how far I want to go to get it looking right.

head badge. Should clean up okay.
I

So this is the only number on the frame. It’s right in the middle of the left seat stay. There’s nothing down on the dropout and no tag on the bottom bracket.

It’s hard to photograph, but you can see the roughness of the metal from somebody using a wire wheel.

And then someone tried some rough sandpaper in a few places.

the fork has not taken the beating the frame did. But it does have this giant capital B on it. ‍

I have to decide my plan of attack will be on this stuff. Nothing can actually be built until I’m happy with the frame!

 

[LBCJ]

I sent these parts out for some work to be revealed later. The bars are brand new “granny” style from Wald. The wheels are take offs from an Electra. I love the look of those drop center wheels and they are almost weightless. The finish on these is the only thing I’m not doing myself. Now back to sanding.

 

[LBCJ]

Can't go wrong with a silver king!!! I remember your sweet Shelby moto from BO11. Looking forward to the fun.

Searched for a video of Duralious and discovered that Prince was on the Muppets. Let's get crazy with your build.

Maybe when it’s done, if I’m lucky, it will be one of “the beautiful ones”.

 

[LBCJ]

So while I'm sanding and semi-polishing away on the Duralius frame and fork, i thought I'd take a short trip down memory lane with my other three entries. it will definitely give you all an idea of my aesthetic. I even included the links if you're really bored!

https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-nuthin-special.60635/#post-588654

My first entry. '55 Racer that I've had for many years. I missed the deadline by like a half hour but got a lot of kudos from you all anyway! Since the BO, I found the correct S6 drop center wheels, a 3 speed coaster brake hub, and was putting miles on it until the ancient Brooks seat disintegrated on a 10 mile ride with the Cyclone Coasters here in Long Beach. Once I keep them this long I just have to keep on keepin' 'em!

https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/i...re-metal-barely-in-the-finished-thread.98454/

My second entry, What we're all pretty sure is a '27-'28 Shelby. Old: Frame, hubs, crank, chainwheel, chain, pedals, fender, seat. New: Wheels, tires, bars, grips seatpost, springer, brass hardware. it was good for 5th place in what I would say had to be the most competitive year ever. There were rare Monarks and moon discs everywhere! I still have my flaming skull trophy from Kingfish displayed proudly! belive it or not, this bike has 50 or 60 miles on it this point, and hangs on the wall near the Racer. Zero changes or repairs since the build.

https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/cheep-teena-completed-tons-o-photos.106544/

My last entry was the year before last. I was pretty proud of it but it didn't do much in the polls. 20th place, I believe. It was an '80 Schwinn ad the theme was to make a total rat/deco/patina/barn find bike using extremely easily obtainable parts. Repro springer, tank fenders, pedals, tires; Electra wheels and bars, red band hub, Thompson grips and seat. 5 step painting and patina process to resemble a white bike with black trim, faded with red primer underneath and full rust on all the accessories. This was the grand prize giveaway for the Long Beach Chopper Rally, a charity poker run/ bar crawl that I did for 10 years.

NOW, BACK TO POLISHING!!!

 

[Bike from the Dead]

So while I'm sanding and semi-polishing away on the Duralius frame and fork, i thought I'd take a short trip down memory lane with my other three entries. it will definitely give you all an idea of my aesthetic. I even included the links if you're really bored!

View attachment 133426 https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-nuthin-special.60635/#post-588654

My first entry. '55 Racer that I've had for many years. I missed the deadline by like a half hour but got a lot of kudos from you all anyway! Since the BO, I found the correct S6 drop center wheels, a 3 speed coaster brake hub, and was putting miles on it until the ancient Brooks seat disintegrated on a 10 mile ride with the Cyclone Coasters here in Long Beach. Once I keep them this long I just have to keep on keepin' 'em!


View attachment 133427
https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/i...re-metal-barely-in-the-finished-thread.98454/

My second entry, What we're all pretty sure is a '27-'28 Shelby. Old: Frame, hubs, crank, chainwheel, chain, pedals, fender, seat. New: Wheels, tires, bars, grips seatpost, springer, brass hardware. it was good for 5th place in what I would say had to be the most competitive year ever. There were rare Monarks and moon discs everywhere! I still have my flaming skull trophy from Kingfish displayed proudly! belive it or not, this bike has 50 or 60 miles on it this point, and hangs on the wall near the Racer. Zero changes or repairs since the build.


View attachment 133428
https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/cheep-teena-completed-tons-o-photos.106544/

My last entry was the year before last. I was pretty proud of it but it didn't do much in the polls. 20th place, I believe. It was an '80 Schwinn ad the theme was to make a total rat/deco/patina/barn find bike using extremely easily obtainable parts. Repro springer, tank fenders, pedals, tires; Electra wheels and bars, red band hub, Thompson grips and seat. 5 step painting and patina process to resemble a white bike with black trim, faded with red primer underneath and full rust on all the accessories. This was the grand prize giveaway for the Long Beach Chopper Rally, a charity poker run/ bar crawl that I did for 10 years.

NOW, BACK TO POLISHING!!!

You've got some pretty sweet Build Off bikes there, LBCJ! I personally love your '27/'28 Shelby best out of the 3 you've done so far. It's got that cool old-school board track racer vibe going on, and it looks darn good in bare metal!

I'm looking forward to seeing how your next build will turn out!

 

[kingfish254]

Classy skills for sure!

 

[BeachBucket]

So while I'm sanding and semi-polishing away on the Duralius frame and fork, i thought I'd take a short trip down memory lane with my other three entries. it will definitely give you all an idea of my aesthetic. I even included the links if you're really bored!

View attachment 133426 https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-nuthin-special.60635/#post-588654

My first entry. '55 Racer that I've had for many years. I missed the deadline by like a half hour but got a lot of kudos from you all anyway! Since the BO, I found the correct S6 drop center wheels, a 3 speed coaster brake hub, and was putting miles on it until the ancient Brooks seat disintegrated on a 10 mile ride with the Cyclone Coasters here in Long Beach. Once I keep them this long I just have to keep on keepin' 'em!


View attachment 133427
https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/i...re-metal-barely-in-the-finished-thread.98454/

My second entry, What we're all pretty sure is a '27-'28 Shelby. Old: Frame, hubs, crank, chainwheel, chain, pedals, fender, seat. New: Wheels, tires, bars, grips seatpost, springer, brass hardware. it was good for 5th place in what I would say had to be the most competitive year ever. There were rare Monarks and moon discs everywhere! I still have my flaming skull trophy from Kingfish displayed proudly! belive it or not, this bike has 50 or 60 miles on it this point, and hangs on the wall near the Racer. Zero changes or repairs since the build.


View attachment 133428
https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/cheep-teena-completed-tons-o-photos.106544/

My last entry was the year before last. I was pretty proud of it but it didn't do much in the polls. 20th place, I believe. It was an '80 Schwinn ad the theme was to make a total rat/deco/patina/barn find bike using extremely easily obtainable parts. Repro springer, tank fenders, pedals, tires; Electra wheels and bars, red band hub, Thompson grips and seat. 5 step painting and patina process to resemble a white bike with black trim, faded with red primer underneath and full rust on all the accessories. This was the grand prize giveaway for the Long Beach Chopper Rally, a charity poker run/ bar crawl that I did for 10 years.

NOW, BACK TO POLISHING!!!

You have the So. Cal style mixed in there!! Love it

 

[LBCJ]

Sanding my fingers off with 400-grit. Above is what I started with.

This is after sanding and a little polishing with 0000 steel wool. Definitely going to see the 84 years of life on this Hawthorne.

More sanding on the frame. And a little before and after.

More polishing. Steel wool and Mothers

It’s getting more silver at least. Got a long way to go.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

View attachment 133471 Sanding my fingers off with 400-grit. Above is what I started with.
View attachment 133472 This is after sanding and a little polishing with 0000 steel wool. Definitely going to see the 84 years of life on this Hawthorne.
View attachment 133475
More sanding on the frame. And a little before and after. View attachment 133473More polishing. Steel wool and MothersView attachment 133474
It’s getting more silver at least. Got a long way to go.

Ooooooooooo.... That is looking NICE!

 

[nosferatu1381]

View attachment 133471 Sanding my fingers off with 400-grit. Above is what I started with.
View attachment 133472 This is after sanding and a little polishing with 0000 steel wool. Definitely going to see the 84 years of life on this Hawthorne.
View attachment 133475
More sanding on the frame. And a little before and after. View attachment 133473More polishing. Steel wool and MothersView attachment 133474
It’s getting more silver at least. Got a long way to go.

That's a lot of work no matter how you do it. Totally worth it when they are done.

 

[kingfish254]

Yes, everyone should experience the effort and reward of sanding and polishing a Silver King at least once.

 

[LeMad Hatter]

Yes, everyone should experience the effort and reward of sanding and polishing a Silver King at least once.

I used to sand and buff 29-52 ft. racing boats. I'm good, lol

 

[LBCJ]

That's a lot of work no matter how you do it. Totally worth it when they are done.
View attachment 133525
Wow! Looks awesome! I feel like I’m doing the are minimum and I still have a couple days work into it