I agree!This might be my favorite of all your builds, Carl. The bare metal with the splashes of color, the 'double parallelogram', the stretched but not super-stretched design;.
El Chiggins!
- Thread starter GuitarlCarl
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Roughly 3 weeks to go. I'm hoping I can score a Schwinn exerciser bike sprocket. I want one with the holes in it. I also have a hole where the rear light was. But I'm almost there..
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Close to done just a couple of details left, tail light, seat work, sprocket mod.
Carl.
Carl.
A friend of mine swapped me an exerciser sprocket. So the dicey process of getting it to fit begins. Plenty of room on the stretched frame. So I'm hacking into the chainguard. It's a work in progress, my first attempt at an idler gear mount failed. 10/24 threaded rod isn't heavy enough to keep from bending. But the bracket is cool and I won't be deterred. So far...
The JC Higgins half of the guard is an overlay of the cut down Elgin...
The Evans sweetheart is a beater, but the Schwinn plate is in pretty good shape.
Vintage Wald crank.
I mounted the bracket flipped around so you can see the compass dial but 10/24 rod isn't enough, so it's back to the drawing board (actually I'm fixin' to use a larger rod, fingers crossed) and then there's some slicing to be done on the Higgins guard.
Carl.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
The JC Higgins half of the guard is an overlay of the cut down Elgin...
The Evans sweetheart is a beater, but the Schwinn plate is in pretty good shape.
Vintage Wald crank.
I mounted the bracket flipped around so you can see the compass dial but 10/24 rod isn't enough, so it's back to the drawing board (actually I'm fixin' to use a larger rod, fingers crossed) and then there's some slicing to be done on the Higgins guard.
Carl.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Last edited:
Now you did know that El Chiggins was going to be fast right? Single speed 250 lbs of fast. It's gonna take a big leg to crank this exerciser sprocket around. Of course I did increase the rear cog too, so it's right about 87 gear inches if I remember correctly. This same rear wheel was on Harlequin T. (I'm upgrading it to a 3 speed) with a different but the same sprocket on it and for a tank of a burrito it was pretty quick. So it's a WIP but to get the sprocket on we gotta slice and dice.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
This is gonna be fun
I love the top of the chainwheel poking through but the chain going back down, very nice touch!
Will the jockey wheel hold up to the torque though? They usually only run on the backside with limited tension on them.
Will the jockey wheel hold up to the torque though? They usually only run on the backside with limited tension on them.
That one didn't... I made it from half of a rear derailleur and it twisted so I'm on to the next idea...
Carl.
Its rather crude but still does what it needs to do. I used both halves of a derailleur this time. You know what won't go thru it? A master link. To be honest it is a single speed chain, but how that master got in there is beyond me because I don't use them... Also check that second pic. If you have something you don't want to thread off while you're riding, drill a little bit into the end of the bolt to create a rivet you can then tap with your ballpeen hammer. Simplisty.
Carl.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Carl.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Great idea with the rivet screw. Love the sun dial doo dad on the tensioner.
That is gonna have to be pretty strong since it is on the pull side of the chain. When you start cranking there is gonna be a lot of force against those cogs.
It's 10-24 threaded rod thru the frame right now, and working thru testing. There is a bit of flex, so I may be going up in size. I'm also thinking of raising it up some, so the chain still clears the guard but deflects the chainline less. It's a WIP, and I want it bulletproof.
Guitarl.
Mad scientist hard at work!
Just needs to have a bit of sheet metal work tack welded. The tensioner is holding fine with no modifications after all. But I really butchered the JC Higgins guard up. So I've had to fab a new nose and am creating a backside to the piece to add to the illusion of the sprocket cutting it's way into the guard.
Carl.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Carl.
Sent from the edge of an alternate universe...
Or maybe a rolled part at front like the spam cans use to open with the key thingy
This is really a super cool visual effect! Glad you got the kinks worked out. Nice work.
More pics soon. I'm taking El Chiggins to a show tomorrow. Jalopy Fest in Morris Il. I won the promoter's pic last year with Little Neutrino and I'm hoping for a repeat... This bike is perfect for a Rat Rod Car show.
Carl.
Carl.
pics from the show...
no repeat lol but still had a great time!
Carl.
no repeat lol but still had a great time!
Carl.
Ya know I never quit messing with em' and I think I may eliminate the tensioner and run the chain on top of the guard. Just need a little window in the skirt guard back there, and maybe a strip of teflon along the top of the guard... hehe.This is really a super cool visual effect! Glad you got the kinks worked out. Nice work.
Carl.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
It'd be cool if you could put a plexiglass dome over the chainring.
