Excelsior Boardtracker, New fork 02/19

[Walker]

All right, i cant keep a lid on it any more...

This bike started as a 1937 Schwinn Excelsior Ladies bike I fished out from under a barn a couple of months back. She was covered in flaking house paint over rust.

Here are some progress photos. I'm kind of hung up on the fork and front wheel at the moment. I have cut the lower legs off the rock shock and the plan is to make a straight blade fork or springer...Need a 36 hole high flange front hub to make this thing roll. The rear wheel is a Sun Double Wide laced to a Sturmey Archer Elite drum hub with DT spokes in a classic 3 cross interlaced patter. Schwalbe Thick Brick Creme's are on the way! I did a tank mock up with a scrap of rigid insulation, thinking a piece of Doug Fir would look nice in there.

New top tube and laid back seat post.

Now, what to do with those seat stays...

New seat post clamp, top view

What makes it go. and chainguard coming into shape.

Rear roller, freewheel is close to the chain adjusters, but i think i will have enough adjustment.

original fork had a bent steerer tube, so i used my steerer tube stretcher to make this old rock shock work.

Mock up with Hairpin

 

[elvis51]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

wow, totally not what i was expecting with this build. i was thinkin you were gonna do up this girls bike and make it all pretty but this sex change bike is looking great! ill definately keep up on this build.

Easy E

 

[bikeriderx]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Sweet! This is what I'm workin' on right now:

After seeing your work, I'm gonna make my tank smaller...Thank for the inspiration! :mrgreen:

 

[stretch]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

wow! looks cool! i like that hairpin saddle on it! i think you should lower it and lean it back a bit, to make it look like all the boardtrackers.

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

I've attempted to replicate the reach and seat height of my MTB. Its pretty close but the seat is already pretty far back due to the bent seat tube. I hope i can reach the bars

Didn't get anything done on it over the weekend, worked on some of my recent rusty junk yard finds, a frame mod for Bankerat and railings on the deck (almost done!)

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Front hub is on its way! Tires will hopefully arrive this week from LBS. While i like the crank /chainring set up now that i've seen some of those thick machined bmx rings i might be changing my mind....I also looked at some Excelsior Motorcycles on line to get some inspiration on paint but nothing is jumping out..The rims will stay black and the tires are creme...neet to keep it simple...i'm stumped...

 

[Boardtrack fan]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Great looking bike. I can't wait to see how you paint it.

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

I know there are lots of opinions on paint, but it looks like i will applying with rattle can. I've got local car parts shops that can mix me up something but what have people found to give the best results. I've never ventureed beyond Krylon off the shelf...

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Still waiting on spokes to get the front end laced up .

Kind of going round and round on the cranks if you know what i mean, the Pie Pan cleaned up fairly well and with some more effort and paint i think it would look good. Alternavely I've got a set of neat RedLine cranks... Unfortunatly the Pie Pan ring will not fit over the Red Line cranks as i had hoped.

The Creme Quick Bricks arrived earlier this week. What a bear to install on the Sun Rims though, haven't needed tire levers since i was a teenager. 4130 chro-mo came in yesterday so a decision on rigid or springer needs to be made shortly.

Pulled this kickstand off one of the boneyard bikes, i kind of like it in favor of the original schwinn stand..

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Not startling progress but some forward movement.
Did some bondo work to smooth out some blems and so forth. First coat of primer.

 

[yeshoney]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Wlaker,
This is looking wicked good. I like the lines and of course Sun Double wides tied up to a Nexus is my cup o tea!

Hope you come down for the Swap Meet and ride on August 22 and 23 and bring this one!

Joe

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

Thanks for the kind words Joe. I'm making a mock tank for it with some 5/4" clear cedar which really helps the look. After priming it i realized i forgot to drill holes for the internal cable routing, seem to have misplaced the brake hardware for that hub. that could be a problem..hmm... The final big project on this one is adapting the antique AJS girder fork i picked up to fit this bike. I need to make a fork steerer tube with lower mounting block. Just cant seem to dream up an easy way to do it.....

I would really like to make that swap! But, my frieids and I (the El Guapos) have aquired the use of a beach front house in York Maine that weekend. After hours of tedious negotiation i have obtained consent from my better half as well as coordinated child care providers through the weekend. If I can get the Excelsior together i'll be bringing it to Maine, otherwise it'll be Goldmember.

 

[user 135]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

The curved seattube is awesome. I like how it hugs the tire. Looking good all around.

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

I made great progress on the tank last night, shaped it out of some 1" thick cedar scrap. Lots of belt sanding work. I've got a couple of ideas to include before i post anything up.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

great work Walker. I really like it.

 

[white_cross]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

good work

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker mock up

I built up a fake tank with some 5/4" cedar and did a little creative belt sanding to give it a nice shape. Fits pretty well and i think i've devised a good attachment system with some hidden fasteners. Got a coat of primer on it late last night.

Got a few tricks up my sleeve for the tank.. :wink:

The frame got two coats of black enamel over the weekend between thunderstorms and torrential downpours. The paint seemed to flow pretty well and hide some of the tiny scratches, pitting and so forth. Considering the condition of this bike when i got it, its a huge improvement.

In lieu of the fact that i sold the Schwinn's (soul) headbadge and there is not very much actual Schwinn left and that I don't consider myself a schwinn fan, I'm going to go with the ChaLLenger badge I pulled from the junkyard. I'm hoping the sign shop nextdoor can scan the graphics off the badge for some tank decals.

Time to get that steerer tube situation sorted out, i've put it off long enough. Too bad i have to cut up some decent forks to do it but the dumps has been fruitless for donor parts..

 

[Walker]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker, wood tank photos 7/27

Here's where i'm at....Cant use the girder fork i wanted as it puts the front end way too high and the head tube on this bike is so tall the linkage will not be parallel. I'll have to save that fork for another project. I'm either going to use this Rat Trap fork and extend the steerer tube or build a truss rodk fork like those Hawk Classic bikes. The tank is just floating there, still need a final coat of paint and decal work. The aluminum top plate is polished, drilled and ready, the faux gas cap is done and the faux fuel level sight glass is made.

 

[stretch]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker, wood tank photos 7/27

perfect! i love the tank job!

 

[SSG]

Re: Excelsior Boardtracker, wood tank photos 7/27

Looking good! You should try flipping those fork rockers forward and seeing how that looks.