If only they made...

[fatkid]

Do you have punch presses and tool and die makers at your machine shop? You could sell Schwinn straight bar tanks for $150-$200 each. No repops are available any more as far as I know. $75 bucks each time the punch press cycles is good money. I'm a retired machinist, by the way. Set-up operator on Brown & Sharpe screw machines. Gary

Not too many machinists around these days, always nice to meet one. Unfortunately, we don't have any presses and I don't think the boss is interested in getting into it. We pretty much do straight CNC work, so I want to start with some small parts we can carve out of aluminum, maybe steel. I want to avoid the whole "billet" look that everyone was doing in the 90's. I want to do hot rod styled parts, maybe even streamlined or art deco stuff. I may just have to draw up a stem inspired by a drilled I-beam axle off of an old Ford hot rod... :wink:

 

[ozzmonaut]

If you try out stems, you might want to carve out a few that are super-decorative. Also maybe pedals like the late 1800's all-metal torringtons. I don't have a pic but they are kind of gothic looking. Also, dropstands are a safe sell.

 

[fatkid]

I like the old Torrington pedals, I would love to do something like that. Keep the ideas coming guys, these are gold!

 

[fatkid]

We're not really set up to do fab work like tube bending and such. We are just a plain ol' machine shop that can carve cool stuff out of chunks of metal. I don't even want to know how expensive getting stuff chromed in the US would cost these days. Would probably cost $100 per handlebar.

 

[thebearded1]

a bracket to mount disc brakes on a springer fork would be cool.

 

[clamdigger]

maybe you could design / carve a custom layback seatpost to fit the old school Murray bicycles. 20.5 mm ,think Spaceliner design.

 

[purple]

Many of these things sound cool but are more practical to make other ways like seat posts. Now the i beam inspired neck is the best idea so far. If you want to get fancy maybe a fender ornament and a fender mount taillight housing.

 

[ratcycle]

I don't know if this was said but how about custom rear/front dropouts, flat tanks or fenders with designs cut them into.

 

[xddorox]

a bracket to mount disc brakes on a springer fork would be cool.

x2 and one that could retrofit the back wheel to disc brakes too.

 

[deorman]

retrofit the back wheel to disc brakes

http://www.2bgoods.com/Brake-Therapy-Di ... g-1009.htm

 

[Spincycle]

a bracket to mount disc brakes on a springer fork would be cool.

x2 and one that could retrofit the back wheel to disc brakes too.

Those already exist
http://www.chainganglowrider.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VMB-DSC-SPG
http://www.chainganglowrider.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VMB-DSC-MRK
http://www.chainganglowrider.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=CHP06506

 

[ozzmonaut]

If you want a real money-maker, find some almost exact jewels and carve out some autocycle fender bombs and glue the jewels into the front. Just be sure to get the Schwinn script on the sides.