Extended Cruise - Added to Finished Build Thread

[The Renaissance Man]

Looks good. I appreciate the well organized photos also!

 

[tjwilson]

Looks pretty good in the pics!

Thanks. You know how that goes though... always trying to chase down a perfect result.

 

[tjwilson]

Looks good. I appreciate the well organized photos also!

Thank you very much.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Duplicolor is great paint. Looks good man, Clear Effex to follow?

Carl.

sent from a banana phone...

 

[OddJob]

Nice and smooth, coverage looks good too. Lugs fit the paint and vice versa.

 

[Jaypem]

Blown away!
This is one of those builds where you absolutely love the look but even more... I want to ride it !

 

[tjwilson]

Duplicolor is great paint. Looks good man, Clear Effex to follow?

Carl.

sent from a banana phone...

Thanks. No Clear Effex this build. I do wonder though how Clear Effex would look over a darker color, as ghost flames or a lace panel. Will have to keep that mind.

 

[tjwilson]

Nice and smooth, coverage looks good too. Lugs fit the paint and vice versa.

Thanks. I wasn't sure how the head tube was going to look with the lugs top and bottom and a smooth tube in the center. Would have been nice to have a third lug but I like it this way too.

 

[tjwilson]

Blown away!
This is one of those builds where you absolutely love the look but even more... I want to ride it !

I'm itching to ride it too! Hope to put more than a few miles on it this summer. Thanks.

 

[tjwilson]

Fork fill, sand, prime.

So I took the opportunity while finishing off the fork to revisit a suggestion from my last build ( http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/mbbo-05-class-2-flashback-gt-done.100172/page-5 ). I went with bare metal and @The Renaissance Man had suggested lead-free solder as a possible way to smooth out the welds. Ran out of time to try it then but, because I was thinking on this build of leaving the fork in bare metal and polishing it, gave it a try. I've since decide to paint the fork. The variation in color between the bare metal and solder didn't seem to fit the overall look of this build to me. Would look great on a completely bare metal build though.

I did have a few pits that didn't fill with the solder. I'm pretty sure the issue was that I hadn't cleaned the pits well enough before tinning. Primed piece still needs additional clean-up and some spot putty to finish filling the pits.

Frame polishing in process, recycling Schwinn head badges.

 

[Jaypem]

Insane.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

The solder definitely has the look of old school lead, glad you gave it a try! The frame looks good so I'm sure the painted fork will look good also.

 

[tjwilson]

The solder definitely has the look of old school lead, glad you gave it a try! The frame looks good so I'm sure the painted fork will look good also.

Thanks. The solder is nice to work with once you get it to stick. A little tricky, something that could take a lifetime to really learn. Both the paddles that came with the kit now look like charcoal briquettes from not being able to keep them out of the flame!

 

[tjwilson]

Painted, polished and assembled forks.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Forks are sweet!

 

[Jaypem]

That fork....
I've been saving my fork for last, and definately pulling ideas in from all over...Yours looks like it'd function beautifully.
Did you fab the pieces that connect to the stem?
Look like stainless...

 

[tjwilson]

Forks are sweet!

Thank you Sir!

 

[tjwilson]

That fork....
I've been saving my fork for last, and definately pulling ideas in from all over...Yours looks like it'd function beautifully.
Did you fab the pieces that connect to the stem?
Look like stainless...

Awesome, hope there's something you can use or that sparks another idea! I just had a short test ride before I took everything apart to finish it off. The fork suspension seemed to work really well. I will say though that this design puts a lot of weight out in front of the steering tube. Probably could have used a little more trail to offset that weight and help it track straight better? It's not bad enough to be uncomfortable but was noticeable.

For the connection to the stem I started with a handlebar extension. I cut off the grip area and basically ended up with a clamp. Then I welded on two flat pieces cut and shaped from 3/16 mild steel. Then it was sanded and buffed with a buffing wheel I have mounted to a drill press. Used the same mild steel, shape, sand, and buff for the rockers.

 

[Jaypem]

Thanks for the blow by blow...
I'm thinking of doing a rat trap style and probably go with fairly long rockers. III want a little more weight out front and a bit lower look than what I've got.
Your bike looks built for speed!
Definately want the best handling you can get

 

[tjwilson]

Final assembly started!

Before and after polishing comparisons.

Rear fender and mounting bracket details.