Huffy Tundra Recruited into the Army

[AndyA]

A friend with a pickup truck (it's good to have friends with pickups) dropped off some curb finds. Included was a Huffy Tundra MTB, which is the red bike in the foreground in the photo below. It was in fair shape and I was able to get it on the road pretty quick. It rode well.

For some reason, perhaps related to psychological effects of COVID19 isolation, I wanted to work up this bike as a quasi-military tribute. Let's say a military-inspired bike. So I picked up a couple of cans of Krylon "Satin Italian Olive" at the hardware store (curb pickup) and went to work. I swapped out the nubby tires for a pair of (relatively) skinny 26 X 1.50 tires from Nashbar and found a couple of wheels with black alloy rims in my parts department. Switched to riser handlebars and added an alloy rear rack. Hit various parts with the olive paint or flat black from a little Testors bottle. Results are shown below.

I'm thinking that it should be pretty good for trips to the library, the barber, and so forth, when they are open again. Be well you all.

 

[Captain Awesome]

A friend with a pickup truck (it's good to have friends with pickups) dropped off some curb finds. Included was a Huffy Tundra MTB, which is the red bike in the foreground in the photo below. It was in fair shape and I was able to get it on the road pretty quick. It rode well.
View attachment 121755
For some reason, perhaps related to psychological effects of COVID19 isolation, I wanted to work up this bike as a quasi-military tribute. Let's say a military-inspired bike. So I picked up a couple of cans of Krylon "Satin Italian Olive" at the hardware store (curb pickup) and went to work. I swapped out the nubby tires for a pair of (relatively) skinny 26 X 1.50 tires from Nashbar and found a couple of wheels with black alloy rims in my parts department. Switched to riser handlebars and added an alloy rear rack. Hit various parts with the olive paint or flat black from a little Testors bottle. Results are shown below.
View attachment 121762
View attachment 121763
I'm thinking that it should be pretty good for trips to the library, the barber, and so forth, when they are open again. Be well you all.

Just missing some canvas duffels or similar and maybe a touch of brown leather here and there.

Looks like a good cruiser

 

[wheelbender6]

Looks like a great way to patrol the neighborhood.

 

[AndyA]

Cap'n Awesome, gotta love the duffles! Gonna see if I can find something along that line.

 

[Duchess]

I used the same color on my USAAF bike. What I like about the military style is that if it gets scratched up, it can be sloppily touched up and look better for the patchiness.

 

[wheelbender6]

You can personalize them with a stencil kit. Maybe add the name, rank and branch of service of somebody you know that served.

 

[SpikeFC]

aaaaaaand a rifle

 

[wheelbender6]

I have an Enfield rifle like that. Has a nice kick like a 30.06

 

[Verrt]

View attachment 122079

This is interesting

 

[AndyA]

Fellow Ratters, you inspired me! I found a plywood box that once contained a couple of bottles of wine, attached a cleat to the bottom that fits into the rear rack, hit it with the rattle can paint, and fastened it with a bungie. I believe that it does add to the military feel. Thanks!
p.s. Do you think I can use this to explain to my wife why I don't throw out good stuff like old wine boxes?

 

[Duchess]

You can find military fonts online for free. I used an old US Army one.

 

[AndyA]

Further inspired and encouraged by fellow ratters, I added some stenciling this morning.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Just say yes to military theme bikes...

 

[AndyA]

Dear Uncle Karate:
Awesome! When I was a tad, I used to drool over pictures of P-40's with Flying Tigers decoration. If I could only find room on the bike frame for that paint scheme...

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Chennault wrote a chapter in the book of badazzery. I took that shot in the National Museum of The United State Air Force in Fairborn, OH in 2007. I had the chance to visit there with a couple of other Wingnuts I served with. It's a great place to spend an afternoon.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Dear Uncle Karate:
Awesome! When I was a tad, I used to drool over pictures of P-40's with Flying Tigers decoration. If I could only find room on the bike frame for that paint scheme...

Cousin Andy, maybe you could add a panel hung under the top tube.
Some sort of cross between this:

And that: