"Hot Rod Charlie" the return of Bullet ( 1953 schwinn varsity)
- Thread starter Ben lay
- Start date
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Unfortunately I won't be finishing the building this year. I had a super tight deadline goal to get my dreamliner car project to a show ( in unfinished project form ) this weekend. We made it ! Here are a few photos of it and shortly after the story of how the race went down for hot rod charlie. Hope you enjoy
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Charlie and Mr. Sticks finished refurbishing old bullet just in time. Bullet was mean looking with it's fades green and white original paint , red wheels , drag bars , and set back lucky 7 seat . The solid white tires popped and it looked just like a racer from the old black and white photos around the bike shop. Mr Sticks handed charlie an old school leather helmet , lettered a number 7 on the side of the tank , patted him on the shoulder and said " good luck hot rod Charlie ".
Charlie got to school super early and hid bullet in the bushes behind the gym. All the talk all day was about the big race. Charlie was nervous as the end of day school bell rang .
Charlie got to school super early and hid bullet in the bushes behind the gym. All the talk all day was about the big race. Charlie was nervous as the end of day school bell rang .
The big race
THe nervous slow ride from school seemed to take forever ... Hundreds of kids all walking and bicycling toward walnut hill. A confident JP and his gang out front , and our underdog Charlie toward the back.
The hill was lined with kids from top to bottom , the crowds roar was deafening. Becca ran up to Charlie and gave him a kiss on the cheek. His heart pounded. Charlie reached down and undid the bolt for the coaster brake. He was not going to slow down. He would win the race and ride off into the sunset , and surely Becca would be his girlfriend forever if he won...
THe nervous slow ride from school seemed to take forever ... Hundreds of kids all walking and bicycling toward walnut hill. A confident JP and his gang out front , and our underdog Charlie toward the back.
The hill was lined with kids from top to bottom , the crowds roar was deafening. Becca ran up to Charlie and gave him a kiss on the cheek. His heart pounded. Charlie reached down and undid the bolt for the coaster brake. He was not going to slow down. He would win the race and ride off into the sunset , and surely Becca would be his girlfriend forever if he won...
The hill is steep , and after a slight right hand curve , it ends in a small parking lot. The parking lot is just big enough for a few fishermen to park. At the back of the parking lot is a little dirt bank , then a dropoff down to green river....
The while world went into slow motion as the cap gun fired for the start. Charlie and JP left fast on the flat leadup section , then both got down low and sleek as the decent started. Neck and neck they both began to pedal as they went faster and faster " I'm gonna beat you Charlie ..." JP yelled
Charlie never let off through the loose dirt covered curve ... The back of his bike fishtailed a little as JP hit his brakes and skidded off the road in a cloud of dirt
Charlie crossed the little dead end parking lot at over 60 miles per hour , bullets white tires smelled of burning rubber , a smoke trail behind him
Mr. Sticks truck was the only vehicle in the parking lot , he threw Charlie a thumbs up ... Becca screamed " I love you Charlie " as he hit the small dirt bank and launched out if sight ( in the tv version Becca is totally allowed to have been at the starting line , and still magically beat him to the finish line )
Charlie crossed the little dead end parking lot at over 60 miles per hour , bullets white tires smelled of burning rubber , a smoke trail behind him
Mr. Sticks truck was the only vehicle in the parking lot , he threw Charlie a thumbs up ... Becca screamed " I love you Charlie " as he hit the small dirt bank and launched out if sight ( in the tv version Becca is totally allowed to have been at the starting line , and still magically beat him to the finish line )
Charlie launched over the dirt berm , cleared the steep hill leading to the river , cleared a fisherman in a boat ( dukes of Hazzard style ) , and landed like a pro , riding a wheelie to the other side , racing back across the bridge and into the parking lot into Becca's arms. A dirt covered , skinned up , beaten version of JP pushed his broke bicycle off in one direction alone as Charlie rode Becca home on bullet in a heros parade of the entire school. They married , Mr Sticks left him the bike shop , and old bullet still sits in the display window , a legend in waiting for the next kid in need ...
The end
The end
And now for the realistic version ...
8 or 10 kids followed Charlie and JP to the hill after school. As the boys lined up Charlie tried to make eye contact with Becca but she was busy with chatting with her friends. A fat kid named Stevie screamed ready set go...
8 or 10 kids followed Charlie and JP to the hill after school. As the boys lined up Charlie tried to make eye contact with Becca but she was busy with chatting with her friends. A fat kid named Stevie screamed ready set go...
Both boys started off wobbly , and settled in to a downhill coast with a pedal here and there . It was silent. Around the half way point Charlie went to bump his brakes a little and they didn't work. He instantly remembered Mr Sticks telling him not to forget to tighten the coaster brake arm.... The bolt had come loose
Charlie was two bike lengths behind JP as they reached the slight curve toward the end ... Charlie quickly caught up as jp pressed his brakes and Charlie couldn't. The bike went into a wierd embarrassing speed wobble from that point on ...
Charlie and JP passed the finish line too close to be determined , and Charlie continued on, not by choice , dragging his chuck Taylors as brakes ...
Charlie and JP passed the finish line too close to be determined , and Charlie continued on, not by choice , dragging his chuck Taylors as brakes ...
Our hero crossed the parking lot at 15 miles per hour , eyes closed , screaming at a pitch usually not attainable unless female and under 15 , or inspired by lots of fear. ....
Charlie struck the small dirt berm and the bike stayed put , launching him over the handlebars and tumbling down the steep hill behind it... Charlie came to rest about 5 feet into the edge of the river , knee deep and covered in mud. The river claimed a shoe as he climbed from it's clutches.
Becca ran down from the hill a few minutes later and did help her friend charlie up the hill to the parking lot. They say on the tailgate as Mr Sticks took them and the battered old bent wheel bike home.
Becca went on to marry JPs brother and move away after high school. Charlie is an accountant with a house full of kids and still gets a little chuckle when he sees the old bike behind the shed when he mows the yard. He just never could throw it away. Every year it gets a little rustier , and the legends and stories of the big race get a little crazier ... Maybe ....
Charlie struck the small dirt berm and the bike stayed put , launching him over the handlebars and tumbling down the steep hill behind it... Charlie came to rest about 5 feet into the edge of the river , knee deep and covered in mud. The river claimed a shoe as he climbed from it's clutches.
Becca ran down from the hill a few minutes later and did help her friend charlie up the hill to the parking lot. They say on the tailgate as Mr Sticks took them and the battered old bent wheel bike home.
Becca went on to marry JPs brother and move away after high school. Charlie is an accountant with a house full of kids and still gets a little chuckle when he sees the old bike behind the shed when he mows the yard. He just never could throw it away. Every year it gets a little rustier , and the legends and stories of the big race get a little crazier ... Maybe ....
We close our tale with Charlie's son approaching him in the back yard after he mowed. Charlie junior is 12 and confesses to his dad that he has been challenged to a race by the school bully.... Charlie senior grins as they walk behind the shed
The end.
Beat of luck to everyone in the buidoff. See ya next year
The end.
Beat of luck to everyone in the buidoff. See ya next year
Really enjoyed your story of Hot Rod Charlie.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
Good stuff Ben, thanks for coming back to finish the tale(s), even if you couldn't get there with the bike
You get the writers award anyway.🎖
