So me and my brother have been building customs bikes for the last few years, and I do believe it's come time to compete in our first build off. We've built quite a few bikes and I do believe I own what may become my first rat rod build off entry.
This is going to be quite a massive undertaking, so I'll begin with how I found this bike.
Couple of months back I found an early 2000-something Dyno roadster stashed behind someones garbage cans. I was riding by in my car and all I saw was a long red frame behind a few old garbage cans. I immediately pulled over and jumped out to go take a closer look. I've become a pro at spotting junky gold on the ride of the road. I knocked on the door of whoever it was who was living there and asked them about the bike. An old woman with curlers in her hair answered the door looking disgruntled. She said it was her sons and he doesn't ride it anymore so I could have it if I made an offer. Tires were completely flat and the fenders were thoroughly rusted. I told her 40 bucks and she let me have it. I gave her the $40 and told her I'd be back in a few hours to pick it up. I came that night and scooped it up in the back of my brothers vintage (aka beater) corolla and only when we pulled the bike out from behind the garbage cans with all the leaves on it did I realize that the bike was as cool as I had thought, with its huge swooping fenders and extremely stretched out frame we never saw anything like it.
Ever since, the bike has been sitting in my basement and ideas have been swirling in my head about an Indian-style motored bicycle. I believe the idea will be to fabricate a steel gas tank in the frame with Indian style swooping fenders just like the classic Indians of the 30s and 40s. Im not sure of the color just yet but the red that the bike is now looks great. Im going to work on some mock up photos of what the bike will look like when it's done. As it is now I know we are going to be cutting it .... close with an August 1 deadline, but I do think if we dont run into any major issues, we can definitely get her on the road by mid-July and hopefully iron out all the wrinkles by the deadline.
I will post some photos when I'm home from work.
I got extra excited about the build tonight and just mocked up the fenders and tank with some thick paper stock. these will serve as my templates for cutting the sheet metal. Hopefully the sheetmetal fab will take no longer than two weeks. while we mock up the sheet metal I'll also have to be fitting the motor to make sure I have clearance for both drive chains and plumbing, exhaust, etc. tomorrow will begin disassembly and stripping the fenders to prep for welding.
This is going to be quite a massive undertaking, so I'll begin with how I found this bike.
Couple of months back I found an early 2000-something Dyno roadster stashed behind someones garbage cans. I was riding by in my car and all I saw was a long red frame behind a few old garbage cans. I immediately pulled over and jumped out to go take a closer look. I've become a pro at spotting junky gold on the ride of the road. I knocked on the door of whoever it was who was living there and asked them about the bike. An old woman with curlers in her hair answered the door looking disgruntled. She said it was her sons and he doesn't ride it anymore so I could have it if I made an offer. Tires were completely flat and the fenders were thoroughly rusted. I told her 40 bucks and she let me have it. I gave her the $40 and told her I'd be back in a few hours to pick it up. I came that night and scooped it up in the back of my brothers vintage (aka beater) corolla and only when we pulled the bike out from behind the garbage cans with all the leaves on it did I realize that the bike was as cool as I had thought, with its huge swooping fenders and extremely stretched out frame we never saw anything like it.
Ever since, the bike has been sitting in my basement and ideas have been swirling in my head about an Indian-style motored bicycle. I believe the idea will be to fabricate a steel gas tank in the frame with Indian style swooping fenders just like the classic Indians of the 30s and 40s. Im not sure of the color just yet but the red that the bike is now looks great. Im going to work on some mock up photos of what the bike will look like when it's done. As it is now I know we are going to be cutting it .... close with an August 1 deadline, but I do think if we dont run into any major issues, we can definitely get her on the road by mid-July and hopefully iron out all the wrinkles by the deadline.
I will post some photos when I'm home from work.
I got extra excited about the build tonight and just mocked up the fenders and tank with some thick paper stock. these will serve as my templates for cutting the sheet metal. Hopefully the sheetmetal fab will take no longer than two weeks. while we mock up the sheet metal I'll also have to be fitting the motor to make sure I have clearance for both drive chains and plumbing, exhaust, etc. tomorrow will begin disassembly and stripping the fenders to prep for welding.
