Midnight Flash

[CRASH]

Here’s the freewheel with the thickest spacer.

The wheel was having a tough time dropping in, so I had to open up the stays again.

I got the wheel in, but the alignment is really crooked. I’ve tweaked the dropouts, but can’t find the spot. Where it passes through the seat stays it’s leaning towards the non-drive side.

I’m not sure how to tackle this

 

[CRASH]

I checked the frame alignment. It’s roughly 1/2” wider on the non drive side.

So, keeping the width on the rear drop outs, how do I shift the entire rear triangle over 1/4” to the right?

 

[Pondo]

Can you bend both sides to the right and then re adjust the dropouts? Is the rear triangle twisted?

 

[CRASH]

It wasn’t before, and all I did was spread it, so I guess I spread it unevenly.

How do you suggest I bend then back?

 

[Pondo]

I use a 2x4. Go slow, measure often.

 

[twojs.bike]

I have done this a few times. My method is to put a spare hub in the dropouts to keep the spacing intact. Then I position the frame with the head tube on the floor and the dropouts propped up on the bottom shelf of my workbench. (Anything stable will do). Then gently and very gently step on the seat tube. This will push the dropouts back in the right direction. Key is to take your time.

Here is a picture of the same method, but straightening a fork. Just picture a bike frame instead.

Example photo

Also, do you have a derailleur alignment tool? Looks like that might be part of the problem.

 

[Pondo]

I have done this a few times. My method is to put a spare hub in the dropouts to keep the spacing intact. Then I position the frame with the head tube on the floor and the dropouts propped up on the bottom shelf of my workbench. (Anything stable will do). Then gently and very gently step on the seat tube. This will push the dropouts back in the right direction. Key is to take your time.

Here is a picture of the same method, but straightening a fork. Just picture a bike frame instead.






Also, do you have a derailleur alignment tool? Looks like that might be part of the problem.

Great idea! Much easier than the 2x4 method too.

 

[CRASH]

I don't have a derailleur alignment tool because I don't really need one. These old hanger derailleurs can be tweaked to work. That's one of my last steps of gear set up. As far as where it hangs, that's aligning the dropout itself.

Thanks for the step method. I'll work on that this afternoon.

 

[CRASH]

A lot of progress made today. Where we left off…

Rear triangle was out of alignment. I got a 2x4 and used it to slowly tweak the sides.

It took a while of work, but I wrangled the two sides into an even space and realigned the dropouts again.

So back the original problem, the chain rubbing the tire. I tried the wide spacer and it was just too wide. So I worked with the thinner one.
There’s still a lot of crowding with the freewheel moved over.

This protruding lip is hitting the derailleur retaining nut.

So…

The flange of the nut is causing some spacing issues

So ground it down and shaped it to get out of the way.

I had to add a thin spacer. It did the trick. You can see it between the washer and the lock nut.

And it all worked. I have some space!

But will it be enough space for the white letters? There’s a pretty sharp corner and those lines on the sidewall.

So I took an orbital sander to it and smoothed it out.

And then…

And they fit!

With the wheel all taken care of, I threw a good portion of the mock up together.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

holy shnikees, that's cool.

 

[Endlesschain]

love your builds Crash, always a man of detail and finish

 

[CRASH]

Today was accessory day to finish the mock up so I can start paint prep.

First, there isn’t any turning clearance from the fork’s top plate to the cover of the console. So tomorrow at work I’m going to cut off the corners on a band saw and smooth them out on a belt sander.

I didn’t take a lot of pics, but I bought an aftermarket wheelie bar kit. I wanted the wheelie bar pretty close to the rear wheel because I’ve seen them farther back and I don’t like that look. Mounting it on the first hole leaves a lot of excess, so… I removed the excess.

The lower bars were hitting the sissy bar, so I added some dimples for clearance and tweaked it to fit.

I think the sissy is sitting too far forward because of the types of mounts I’m using, so when it’s off I’m going to lean it back about 4 degrees.

I love this fat rear slick!

@Captain Awesome can I enter this in the MBBO? It won’t be done until September!

 

[CRASH]

I have a sissy back pad, and a drag chute accessory. I could mount them offset, but I’d like to mount them back to back like shown, but I can’t get my head around how. I’m open to suggestions.

 

[Wildcat]

A lot of progress made today. Where we left off…

Rear triangle was out of alignment. I got a 2x4 and used it to slowly tweak the sides.
View attachment 277637

It took a while of work, but I wrangled the two sides into an even space and realigned the dropouts again.
View attachment 277638

So back the original problem, the chain rubbing the tire. I tried the wide spacer and it was just too wide. So I worked with the thinner one.
There’s still a lot of crowding with the freewheel moved over.
View attachment 277639

This protruding lip is hitting the derailleur retaining nut.
View attachment 277640

So…
View attachment 277641

The flange of the nut is causing some spacing issues
View attachment 277642

So ground it down and shaped it to get out of the way.
View attachment 277643

I had to add a thin spacer. It did the trick. You can see it between the washer and the lock nut.
View attachment 277648

And it all worked. I have some space!
View attachment 277650

But will it be enough space for the white letters? There’s a pretty sharp corner and those lines on the sidewall.
View attachment 277651

So I took an orbital sander to it and smoothed it out.
View attachment 277652

And then…
View attachment 277653

And they fit!
View attachment 277654
View attachment 277655

With the wheel all taken care of, I threw a good portion of the mock up together.
View attachment 277656

Stretch frame with a choppper fork, looks good, like 8 feet of wheelbase. And the frame isn't jacked up, it looks right.

 

[CRASH]

Cut, shaped, and smoothed the top plate.

Now it clears the console.

 

[CRASH]

Something I get lost in is the actual size of these bikes I work on. They are mainly on a stand, so I have them up at my chest to look closely at and work on. My friend @JNOACK told me I build “10mm bikes”, meaning they look good even when you’re up close to it at 10mm away. I think I spend so much time staring at them closely that I lose perspective of how small they are. They are huge to me. But sometime I get pulled back into reality. Today I’m standing next to it. I’m 6’4” tall. The console only comes up to my knee.

Shocking

 

[CRASH]

I posted a progress pic and someone said they liked the whole thing except the brake lever. The last bike I built needed a V-brake lever because it was a modern disc caliper. So my brain immediately assumed I’d need a V-brake lever for this brake. But this is a vintage Shimano. I didn’t use a modern lever for the 442 Slingshot I built with a vintage Shimano disc. So… I dug this vertical mount Excel lever out of my stash. My last one! It will be used to be more authentic. It’s the small details that are important!

 

[CRASH]

And just for perspective, another accessory

 

[CRASH]

Tapped and tacked in a mounting stud for the dice before it leaves for chrome.

Spent most the day breaking the bike down and prepping pieces for chrome plating. For instance, the bottom bracket cup lips are rough metal. New chrome will make the shiny rough metal. But having a smooth lip will reflect more light and really pop against the paint. It’s those small details that add up on these bikes for me.
Before

After

And the spacer normally isn’t easily seen, but since I’m using double spacers they stick out more. Still hard to see, but I still want to make it look right against the new chrome of the sprocket.
Before

After

And here’s the pile of small parts heading to plating.

All in all I have 55 individual parts going in on Monday.

Next it’s Bedtime for Bondo.

 

[CRASH]

Round 1 of all the sanding is done. Look how beat up the Solid Stack was! I was lucky to find one, so had to take what I could get. It’s testing the limits of my bodywork skills!