George...Sweating it ...(7/27/11)

[whoinphx]

Hello,
I'm in for RRBBO 6.
This is my first build off. I've been putting together bikes form spare parts, and learning to work on them as a hobby for awhile now.
Anyhow, I'm naming this "George" In reference to the old saying..."the best laid plans of Mice and Men".
Look it up if you need....or watch Bugs Bunny .?!

These are some, maybe not all, the parts I'll be using. The frame is an old, 80's maybe, beach cruiser frame(Saint Tropez..? I've never heard of it, looks like a Huffy) that was sitting around rusting for years. My brother gave it to me and I've already used some parts from it. I've been gathering some of these parts for the last month or two. I've had a number of ideas running around, enough for two complete bikes, so Ill enter one of them.
I'll be trying to do new things in this build off. I've never painted a frame and parts before, I know how, just never felt the need to.

Some other parts I might use.... Great respect for all other entries... as my first post here I'll be putting up an "Introduce Yourself" bit shortly.



I

 

[garagegoon]

Re: George...

Welcome... The the buildoff and Rat Rod Bikes.... Kool thing to jump right in on yer first post!!! Good luck and have mucho fun!!

 

[nbiehl]

Re: George...

I hope you're using that skull. I've got a few skulls in my garage. Don't know what it is about them, but I like having them...

 

[Hammond Eggz]

Re: George...

Ha! Too weird, the first thing I thought of when I saw the title name was, "I will name him George, and I will hug him and pet him and..."!!! :lol:


Should be a cool build - even if, uh, you and I are the only ones who get the reference! :mrgreen:

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: George...

I see a rack and I see a banaseat in your stuff-to-use pic. How you gonna do that?? :mrgreen:
Cheers mate! Good luck, and have fun building.
Welcome to RRB.COM

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...

Sorry nothing new... I just wanted to quickly say thanks for the kind responses from everyone so far( herr_rudolf I totally dig your artwork, Hammond Eggz I'm glad someone got it, and I love your moniker ).
As I said I would in my first post, I've posted an Introduce Yourself (good song from Faith No More) in the appropriate thread http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39956 .

Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some things done.....

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...

My first progress report.....
I had a chainring I wanted to use for this build, that I'd gotten in a load of junk parts I bought from an older guy awhile ago (Upper left). I didn't want to use the original one, boring. I swapped the new ring onto the crank but it was just too straight, no character(Upper right).
The crank and chainring I was going to use instead was from a 70 Stingray (Lower left). I love that magnum look, but I'm not convinced it'll fit in with what I want. So.... I took apart a 4 leaf clover chain ring and swapped on the chainring I want to use(Lower right).

The crank is from a ladies Schwinn I've had hanging around (Built Nov 1963, my JFK bike).

The final product I like. I just need to choose which pedals to clean up and use later on. I much prefer the Schwinn crank because of how it flows wide from the chainring, character.

As I said in the beginning , I'd be doing new things...This is the first time I've changed out a chainring on a one piece crank.

By the way if anyone recognizes the chainring, I'd be interested to know what it's from....Thanks

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...New Pics..(Need Help)

No real work done have been busy getting things and life in general ....

I need your help though I made a post in Bike Talk...http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40142 and would love any advice / help you all could give me.

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...New Pics (5/11/11)...Still Need Help....

Howdy Neighbors...

I finally did a mock up

VERY...very rough still.....
I probably will have a back fender (see above Firestone pic), and might steal a fender off another bike of mine for the front. Of course different seat post, recovering seat, paint polish ...yada,yada...
I do want to try and find a laid back seat post like from a BMX.. hint,hint...let me know if you all have one for sale or trade...

One thing I did was turn the Ramshorns backwards. I think I like them even better this way... we'll see...
Let me know what you all think....

I will have a post in "Fresh Finds" today, AND.....
I still need your help, PLEASE see my post in "Bike Talk" http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40142

Thanks for looking, have a good one today and tomorrow....

 

[aka_locojoe]

Re: George...New Pics..(Some Progress)

That little tank is cool. I assume it's from a convertible? I did similar thing here.

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...New Pics..(Update 5/18/11 ?progress?)

I really want to make this build about trying to do new things. I'm all about using old things in new ways.
Here is my "progress and some pics,(which I'm having fun taking, but am having a hard time getting used to stopping what I'm doing to take).

I wanted to use a laid back BMX seatpost, but don't have one. So I took the idea a few of you have used, taking a handlebar stem and using it as a seatpost. I want my banana seat more laid back so I used a "racing" bike stem instead of a mountain bike stem. Problem#1 The diameter is too small for the seat post area. Solution#1....

That's a broken off threaded part of a springer fork I have. I ground it down and threaded it into my frame, and now the stem fits perfectly...yeah....

I mocked up the seat and I'm pleased where it'll be. Of course later on I'm going to trim the seat post and drill a hole to attach the seat to.

Also been working on my tank, adapting it to fit my bike...
This is something I don't really do much, beating and cutting old parts, but I'm fairly confident where I'm going with it and how it'll turn out.

That's it for now ... check out my "Fresh Finds" if you want...http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40534
Thanks

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...New Pics..(Some Progress)

That little tank is cool. I assume it's from a convertible? I did similar thing here.

I think it is... I got it off e-bay....had one too many PBRs ...now I own it !
Glad about it though, I've never had a "Tank Bike" so I'm starting small...easing into it I guess.
I do like how you did yours looks cool...

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: George...New Pics..(Some Progress)

Fun ideas for the seat. The quick release and the racingstem. 8)

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...New Pics..(Re-Progress 5/23/11)

"The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men".....

I've been working on little details (as we know they are important), and then coming up against brick walls, and redoing everything I've had planned...you know, what I'd call a typical build....

Here are some new mock up pictures I took this morning...

As you can see not a whole heckuv alotta "progress" but I've been doing some,

I bent out my front forks,(Thanks to Kotas' tutorial and finally getting my hands on a conduit bender I could use).

I'm using different fenders and chain guard.. they came off a 1960 ladies Schwinn I have. The reason for this is that I'm not going to chrome anything,(except maybe replating the Ramshorns). Those fenders were house painted at some time, so I won't feel bad stripping them and repainting.
The rack change was for the flow of the bike as well as not doing chrome accents in the color scheme.

I went in another direction with my rack.

Though I need to do some more work on "the flow"...

I have plans for those areas though,(DETAILS....).

In the discussion area Bendix wrote:
And......

if you professionally paint a turd.....it's still a turd.

if you bolt a motor on a turd.....it's still a turd.

if you profesionally rechrome a turd...it's still a turd.

if you cut and stretch a turd....it's still a turd.

if you apply professional graphics to a turd....it's still a turd.

if you bolt a bunch of funky parts to a turd...it's still a turd.

if you buy expensive parts at wholesale for a turd.....it's still a turd.

if you use computer skills to mock up a turd....it's still a turd.

I unfortunately feel that's what my bike looks like right now....
But I'm confident when all is said and done she won't be a turd....I have plans.

(You know what they say about plans though....)

 

[whoinphx]

George...New Pics..( 5/28/11)

Smaller update...

I haven't had much time this week to work on things, my dog got attacked by a Pitbull Wednesday morning. She'll be O.K. though a trip to the vet and she's on the road to recovery. She has to wear "The Cone of Shame",she hates it I think...

As far as the build, I had an idea I wanted to try from the get go and in MY mind I have it all planned out.
I think reality will be a little more unforgiving in execution of my ideas.... I've never done large scale "fabrication" but I'm going to give it a go....

Yes that's an old washing machine I took apart to scrap, I thought the sides would make for good sheet metal. I love re-using things, and it's free....

I love a bunch of the builds out there, I really should make more of effort to say so when I see them.
Keep up the good work everyone, and a stiff upper lip, and all that.....

 

[2dawgs]

Re: George...New Pics..( 5/28/11)

This build is coming along really well; when you are done she is going to be stunner. Glad to see you are using what's available in the true spirit of ratrod builds.

 

[KOTA]

Re: George...New Pics..( 5/28/11)

The beauty of building is "nothing" goes as planned! You come up with a plan, do it...then change your mind. :lol: Looking at your bike, each step you take it gets better and better. The subtle bend on the forks changes the attitude of the bike completely. Nice!.. Watching!

 

[Jake Sensi]

Re: George...New Pics..( 5/28/11)

Way to go. Ok I like it . That nana seat is hot . Have a pbr and get ya buildin'!! Peace

 

[whoinphx]

Re: George...New Pics..( 5/28/11)

Short update I think.
I've been working on "Details". Unlike most other builds here I'm probably going to be doing painting last, or at least near the end. I've ideas for the paint scheme but how I actually do it depends on what I can pull off before hand.

And to that here's a couple of things Ive been doing....

I also have been stripping and sanding paint from the rear fender....

As I wrote in my last update I've not done alot of metal work in the past, so I'm experimenting as I go along.
I want to share just how I'm shaping my fender skirts....

Bottom right is my "Anvil", its actually an old electric elevator motor. Next an old Bowling ball and 25lb weight,( I'm at about a 160 average). Finally my metal flatterer/shaper. An old HEAVY pipe I picked up out of an alley years ago, sitting atop a two ton car jack. I sit on it (adding a little bit of weight....well not SO little), and roll back and forth leaning over and holding the sheet of metal how I want to bend it. I'm trying to accomplish what Would be much easier with one of these....

But you work with what you have....

Once again I'm following a number of builds out there...INCREDIBLE stuff going on....

 

[Fisch]

Re: George...New Pics..( 6/3/11)

Yes! Love the skirts. I am planing on a form of skirt for my build, so thsnks for the inspiration!