Higgy Baby!

[10~18 Kustoms]

Ok, I just picked this higgins up last weekend at a flea market and then the build off is announced, so I guess fate had it as my entry. From what I can tell, with the help of RRB members it is a 55 - 57 J. C. Higgins, pretty origional except for the handlebars which didn't work for me in the first place. First day home I aired the tires and tried out a couple different bar options but still needs work. I'm not a big fan of middle weight tires and they are very badly dryrotted anyway, so I'm thinking I might try this old pair of real weathered whitewalls I have had laying around from a ditch find, a lazy 7 seat post and possibly a truss fork, beyond that, I'm not sure where this build will go yet?

w/ handlebars reversed? Possible, but really didn't like the way it rode.

apes???????

These are the closest to what was probably stock, that I had laying around.

 

[xddorox]

I would go with the ape hangers, but I'm biased! Very sweet looking ride already.

 

[Galtbacken]

I'd go with the apes too...and I don't even know what biased means!! :lol: Hm, I'll go and look that word up... Nice bike!

 

[BrigmasterA]

Galtbacken: biased means already has an opinion formed in favor of one thing, so favor tends to gravitate towards similar things. Unbiased would mean completely objective, able to look at something and be impartial. Biased would be to have a favorite/preference on a given subject matter.

And I too am biased towards the apes. :mrgreen:

 

[texasbigjon]

cool! thats the same frame i picked for the buildoff,too! :mrgreen:

 

[deorman]

Galtbacken: biased means already has an opinion formed in favor of one thing, so favor tends to gravitate towards similar things. Unbiased would mean completely objective, able to look at something and be impartial. Biased would be to have a favorite/preference on a given subject matter.

And I too am biased towards the apes. :mrgreen:

And here I was thinking about obsolete tire plys. :wink:

 

[Uptonogood]

APES all the way!

 

[bikeriderx]

As for me, I'm a traditionlist-stock bars or maybe a wide buckhorn? May I ask what you paid for the bike, I'm trying to get a feel for the market when I go out shopping. :mrgreen:

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

No problem with the price. The bike was origionally priced at $120, but a friend tipped me off that the booth at the antique/flee market it was in had a 1/2 price on all items sale, I went to check it out and couldn't pass on it for $60.

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

OK, finally got work out of the way and was able to get back to the project....After a good wax clean, I really couldn't believe how nice the origional paint is, gona leave it like it is. The tires were very badly dryrotted, (plus I'm not a big mid weight tire fan anyway) so I had this old set of balloon white walls off a ditch find that have the best cracked weathered outer surface, but the rubber inside looks great. I wasn't sure how the whitewalls would look with the white rims, but I'm kinda digging the look.

 

[ChopaderoT-Flo]

Nice buy, I would go with the apes and I'm not a fan of apes but they look the best on that bike.

 

[aka_locojoe]

That's looking really good. Any chance you could post bigger photos?

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Here is a bigger one Joe.

I also had an old set of swap meet fork trusses I'm wanting to put on, just no top mount, so after checking out a few pictures from other RRB members rides I fabed one up out of some 14 gauge scrap. Don't know how close to correct they are but should work.
templet on post-it note

transfered to scrap metal

after cut and grind

bent to shape and 3 coats of rattle can metalic

I'll get pictures after installation once the Krylon drys

Oh, yea. for a $1.88 I got a foot of 5/8s and bent a lazy 7 post also. with a little heat and special instant rust formula it matches the seats metal pretty close. but still need to make a shim before I can mount it.

 

[BankerRAt]

wow nice work so far!

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

I've been riding this bike a lot the last couple weeks and really digging it. Starting to get used to the big 52 tooth, you have to stand up in the hills, but it really takes off when you put some leg in it. I got the L7 seat post shimmed and installed, but lazied it a bit too much the first round. Happy with it now after re-heating it and taking some of the lazy out, the extra few inches really helps with my long legs.

Also got the front struts I had mounted, with the top bracket I made. It works great, and looks pretty close to origional for not having one to use as a templete.

I still need to figure out something for the handle bars??? The majority thinks I should go with apes (and I'm a big ape fan too. have 3 bike with already) but for this build I'm thinking something old s'kool/pre war like this might fit?????????

 

[sensor]

the cross bars will fit but it might be a p.i.t.a. to get them through the stem youve got on it now

 

[Pappy]

If you have a set laying around you might try a set of angel wing handle bars or a low set of apes.Love the bike...paint is MONEY!!! Great job on the truss rods too...yer well on your way with plenty of time to make the all important handle bar decision.Fantastic purchase...$60 are you kidd'in me?!?..Winna,Winna,Chicken Dinna!!!(LOL)...Pappy 8)

 

[emanon]

I dig the cracked & checked whitewalls...I say run 'em as long as the rubber is good.

Nice bike BTW...so far, so good...

 

[jon]

Hey marty, im a fan of apes but if you have several go different!! I also like the columbia cross bars. A set of large moon bars would be cool to,like "road king big".