Found this rust bucket..

[Seijun]

Hello, this is my first post here. I love weird old bikes, so I could not pass up this used and abused cruiser when I found it at goodwill.

I can't find any makers marks anywhere on it, and it has seen a lot of rough days. Some fool cut off the top of the seattube. so the seat was tied directly to the frame! The rims don't match, there are patches of black spray paint everywhere, and I was told that the fork was probably an aftermarket addition. It is my first cruiser though, and I am proud to have it, even if it is a pile of scrap metal ^_^

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Welcome to RRB. Looks like the perfect start for ratting! Have fun.

 

[horsefarmer]

Welcome ! a clue to age and origin may be found on the coaster brake or the crank / pedals.

 

[CrazyDave]

Id rather ride your bike than a new one Welcome!

 

[Seijun]

So I have a question, probably the first of many. Because the headset area is taken up by the springer fork, how would I mount a headlamp? Is there a way to still use a bracket in that area, or would a headlamp have to be mounted on the handlebars? Additionally, is there a specific headlamp you would recommend that actually functions? I have seen so many retro-look-alike lamps online, but I suspect most of them are not very good for practical use.

 

[deorman]

Tear drop lamps that have clamps that are designed to attach to one of the stem bolts are pretty common. In stock form they help make you visible and can help you see your riding surface in full darkness to some degree. Quite a few people here have replaced their insides with more serious modern lights.

 

[Seijun]

I have never seen a lamp attached to a stem bolt. Do you have any pictures?

 

[deorman]

 

[deorman]

Or the other bolt.

 

[deorman]

There are also clamps that attach to the shaft of the stem, like this.

 

[RustyGold]

Welcome to the site Seijun!

I was going to go look at that bike Monday on my way to work, but I picked up a schwinn varsity that was on its way to the dump instead

Jason

 

[Seijun]

It is my lucky bike! When I found it at goodwill, I was told by an employee that it had nearly been thrown out the day before. He said no one had been interested in it. Thinking it would be safe, I turned my back for a few minutes to look at some electronics and when I came back, it had been bought by someone else! I hit craigslist just in case the new owners resold it, and a day later I saw it listed there, so I was able to get it in the end. I just need to find someone who can weld up the seat-tube for me.

 

[RustySprockets]

Looks like a Columbia chainring on that thing, but with so many items swapped out already, not sure how much that will aid in identification.

 

[Fv2]

That's a tricky one to tell just by looking at it, it could be something as modern as the early 90's. But as RustySprockets mentioned with the mish mash of parts it's hard to tell.

It is a great starting point for a rat, so good luck and welcome to the site.

 

[Seijun]

I found some more info on the frame. I think it might be a Torker Boardwalk from the early 90's, even though it looks like it has been in use for 50 years, lol. Under the frame it has a sticker that says "Manufactured exclusively for SBS Seattle". Here are some more pics of the various components if anyone can identify them.

 

[Fv2]

I just did a Bing search for sbs Seattle, I didn't see bicycles. What I saw isn't for this site, but I did find a link for Seattle bicycle supply. That link was ok for this site.
So this one may be a bit more tricky than I thought to get info for.

If it is a torker, it's a new one on me. I had no idea they built cruisers.

 

[RustySprockets]

That's some excellent sleuthing right there! I checked the recent catalog of Seattle Bike Supply and the frame is an excellent match to the Torker Boardwalk. Looks like you have forged dropouts, too. I wonder if those markings on the brake arm can be usefully decoded. Maybe 04 / 12 translates to Dec 2004? The KT is a modern Chinese-built hub, by the way.

 

[1oldbikelover]

....and the mystery continues.....nothing wrong with a rat rod as long you like it. I'm happy to hear you're wanting to get it altogether and once you do......ride that thing! Enjoy your new found treasure

 

[Seijun]

I found the website, FB page, and number for SBS, but their number does not work. Maybe if I contact Torker.

 

[Fv2]

I found the website, FB page, and number for SBS, but their number does not work. Maybe if I contact Torker.

Not a bad idea, they should have a database of their serial numbers.
Either way it's still a cool find.