The repair looks great. I’ve got a couple of old frames with similar cracks that need repaired but I need to improve my brazing skills for them. Nice save of a really cool frame!
Lost in Time
- Thread starter LeMad Hatter
- Start date
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It's a hot one today. 92° and very little breeze, so I fired up the portable hurricane.
Got the frame 100% stripped down. I'm amazed that only two screws on the entire bike were stuck, and they just needed a little heat to come free. The crank bearings were a little dry, but still look perfect. Gonna clean, regrease, and reuse them.
Gotta clean out the BB, it's really nasty
I'm just realizing that I'm a month into this build and I haven't even mentioned the direction I want to take it in. I have a vision in my head that this bike belonged to the son of a speed shop owner in the very early 40's. They used the bike as both a parts runner and a promotional tool, so just any plane Jane bike wouldn't do. They wanted a Shelby Airflow, but couldn't afford one, so they set out to make their own. Ultimately, tragedy would strike and the son would be drafted and the dad turned the shop around to help the war effort, so the bike was left to be forgotten, Lost in Time, until I found it
Tore down the wheels. Again, really wish I could have saved them, but the spokes are held together with nothing but hopes and dreams. Got a sweet set of air cooled hubs to throw into the new wheel build. Going to keep the rims completely crusty, and the spokes will be given a fauxtina to closely match
The Renaissance Man
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Considering your vision for the bike, I think I would keep the "It's not pretty, but the crack is finally gone." weld as is. Just work your rust solution into what's there. The 1940's speed shop guys probably didn't worry as much about show as they did go!
That was exactly my idea. Cleaned it up *just* enough so that it wouldn't catch on anything soft
Not trying to Deebo your thread, but I absolutely love that, and I have a bike that has almost all of those elements in real life lol!
Frame is a 1945 Westfield (made in wartime). Hot rodding, as we know it, started in the late '40s. This kid painted his bike with classic hot rod box pins sometime in the early to mid 1950s (based on 5 digit phone number he painted with his name and address on the underside of the chainguard).
When I became aware of the bike, it had been parted, so I only got the frame, guard, bars and crank assembly. I wanted to incorporate my design into his work, so I found a tank, color matched the paint, and 'hopped up' the original custom by building around it.
I am really excited to see what you do with this.
Original:
Final:
Got the front wheel built tonight. It'll get torn down again to fauxtina the spokes, but need it right now for mock up purposes
Playing with an idea for the fenders. Picked up these fenders from a early 40s roadmaster. They're darker red and slightly better shape than the frame, but let's see where this goes. I definitely want to run a pedestrian slicer license plate on the front, mounting it will be an interesting endeavor
The Renaissance Man
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Pedestrian slicer. 
Mocking up parts tonight. Gotta say I'm kinda digging these backwards fenders. I believe I'm borrowing the idea from Mr Kingfish, but not sure. The idea is that rather than cut off or bob the fenders, which both make the bike look unfinished IMO, they wanted the bike to look like it was going 100 mph standing still. Still have to make a few trick parts to pull off the look I want, but this helps visualize the end goal
I'm kinda diggin' the backwards fenders. Be cool to get the rear wheel / spokes looking like the front one.
That back wheel is only temporary for mock up. Still waiting on spokes to build the rear wheel with the original rim
Those backwards fenders are kinda kool. The stem and bars are looking really good with the frame and fork too. Really cool!!
I am liking your idea on the fenders. The preservationist in me wants to restore the chrome on that stem.
Mad Hatter? You there?
