Malvern Star project from Australia - FINISHED (with pics)

[reverendrally]

This bike is a malvern star that a young mate of mine was given by a family friend after it was found on the side of the road ready to be picked up for scrap. It's a family star model and came with a cool luggage rack and I believe it also to have a 3 speed back hub although the mechanism is missing.

Malvern star bikes were the top aussie made bikes from about 1940 through to the late 70s. This one was obviously designed for girls, but we're gonna fix that.

The reason I say we, is cos the boys group (called C.I.A.) I am involved with at church is gonna use this as the basis for a lowrider project. I have a few things intended for the project. Firstup, the main frame tube will be cut about 4" from the pedal cranks and lengthened. At the same time, we're gonna turn the goose neck upside down to give the front forks some extra rake. I'm also planning to fit triangulated extentions onto the forks.

any comments re the mods would be appreciated. this is the first lowrider I've ever built. The last similar project I worked on was a bike component based gocart.

http://www.geocities.com/peterwood73/bi ... ycart.html

The idea is that when finished, the bike will be auctioned off (ebay or similar) to fund other projects for the group in the future.

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

been a while since I touched this, the boys and I spent a saturday doing it, but they didn't have the concentration and wear with all to see it through so I will have to finish it. we did some pretty wicked mods, i'll try and post some pics.

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

some initial mockups with the boys... but really this was always going to be unworkable.

here's what we had tacked in place at the end of the day. i've now welded it (werl, welded checked, cut, straightened and rewelded). :roll:

and I'm thinking of adding a top bar...

off to the shed to do some more.

 

[icyuod2]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

just lovin this build, and the fact ya got the family involved makes it that much cooler.
that being said, it looks like your gonna need a couple few more to keep everybody happy on those family rides.

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

extended bars (old patinad lawnmower push handle) and mocked up. what do y'all reckon?

 

[sensor]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

looking good :mrgreen:
also looks like the kids are enjoying it also....

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

I was thinking of making up some extended forks to go on it too, but I don't know if that's overkill with it being so long and all.

 

[deorman]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

With that sort of build, overkill MIGHT be just the thing!

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

i'm putting this piece of strap along the top bar to break up the "straightness"

I have a liking for speed holes too, it will probably get some of them before I weld it on. I'm also going to fit some sort of foot rest up front to you can stretch out while not pedalling. off on hols for a few days now. will finish the structure next week before a car show next saturday that I'm hoping to take it to.

thanx for all the kind words. i know what you mean by overkill, maybe I will make those fake springers afterall 8)

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

more pics soon...

 

[snfargle]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

haha thats a proper shopper chopper

over in the UK we call them type of bikes shoppers, strangely they are unisex :shock:

id go with extended forks, if your gonna make it long

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

well, last night I started on the extended forks. two tiangular bits of 3mm steel plate tacked together so they were drilled the same.

a few speed holes first up. poor old hole saws copped it again...

then some cutting with the grinderera...

now mocked up in place and ready to make some other bits...

btw, i should say. I only have the most basic of metal working tools. a little mig welder, angle and small bench grinders, hack saw, files and some holes saws, etc. everything so far done was done with offcuts from previous projects. unlike the guys from the US, we can't easily get all the fancy bits you buy so I make everything that is not standard. time consuming but very satifying. my aim is to have the bike finished in primer for a car show on sunday.

 

[deorman]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

Funky rockers. Waitin' to see how that hooks up. :|

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

here are some more pics. did a few things today. first up was the extended forks.

here they are tacked in position. the top support is just a bit of 6mm flat stock drilled so the 10mm solid bar could pass through it. getting the two bits of bar the same shape was a bit of a drama.

all welded up an in position...

this lowered the front of the bike noticably and it looks really good I reckon. be interested to know what you all think.

this is the beginning of a tractor style saddle that I started making. I'm not sure if I'm going to use it thought as it doesn't feel quite right for the bike.

Just before dinner tonight I got this sorted. just a little grinding and it's ready to weld on. as you can see, it scored a few racing holes. it also has some holes for support bars to go through.

 

[icyuod2]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

i love the strap with the holes, but i think its in the wrong place.

the bike looks good long and straight, and that strap would look kick ass welded beneath the lower bar, sorta like a skid plate. just my $.02.
like i said before, i' lovin it!

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

well it's welded on and i've started bondo-ing the welds. should look a lot better with a lick of paint I reckon. more pics soon.

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

after a lot of sanding and some bondo, the frame has a coat of primer. this is the colour for now. I could have been more anal about the welds and joints, but I just want to get it ready for sunday and ride it. it's gonna a look a little ratty anyway so I don't really care.

It will get some pinstripes of some colour although I'm not sure what exactly.

 

[icyuod2]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

thats too bad, it would of looked wicked on the bottom bar.

such is life!

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

I put it together last night. there are a few bits of trim yet to go on but I reckon it's looking good.

front

back

forks

sorry about the pics, the matt paint is hard to see against busy backgrounds.

 

[reverendrally]

Re: Malvern Star Family Star project from Australia

just took it for a spin. I thought it had a back pedal brake. I was wrong! no brakes. and i found out something else. it's got 22" rims :shock: which adds to the cool factor, but getting tubes and tyres for it is going to be interesting. have to comr up with a cool brake setup now.