Murray Beach Comber/AMC VII

[ParkRNDL]

Got some deliveries from China over the past week:

Looking forward to getting this set up. I think it's actually kinda cool looking.

 

[ParkRNDL]

Ok, so I love this shifter so far.

It's a Shimano Tourney SL-TX50 and it can be found for less than $15 on Fleabay.

Not gonna lie, I'm a sucker for anything on a bike that mimics a corresponding component on a car. Stingray stick shifters, white letter tires, bucket seats on musclebikes, portholes or exhaust headers on tank bikes, what have you. So I loved the idea of the little gauge-style dial indicating what gear you're in. This was the one I was using before (pictured on the bike it came off of):

It's obviously yellowing with age, and the needle doesn't line up very well in the lower gears, and because it's an early model it only goes up and down one gear at a time. It also wasn't a great fit for this application with the curve in the handlebar. On top of all that, it was getting finicky about shifting down accurately in the 6-5-4 range.

But this new one, wow. Besides looking cool, the new one lets you shift down as far as you want in one shot with the thumb lever, and the upshift button is sufficiently quick to rip off several gears in succession. I've only tested it up and down the block so far, but if my initial adjustment was correct and it continues to shift like it did on the test ride, then it's exactly what I wanted. I might pick up another one or two for future projects.

Better pictures soon in full daylight.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

the new one lets you shift down as far as you want in one shot with the thumb lever,

That's an excellent feature, some Shimano shifters are also set up to allow double upshifts with a longer push of the lever. Their indexing system is so helpful. Tick tick, and you're in the right gear, love it

 

[JA331]

My 89 Shogun Trailbreaker had those shifters fitted as standard equipment. They work really well for a budget priced shifter. It is amazing they are still available new. Photo below is how I got it back after a friend of mine rode it into the ground for years. The shifters still worked perfectly.

 

[ParkRNDL]

That's an excellent feature, some Shimano shifters are also set up to allow double upshifts with a longer push of the lever. Their indexing system is so helpful. Tick tick, and you're in the right gear, love it

For a while I wasn't a huge fan of index shifters. Kinda the same mentality as driving a stick shift as opposed to an automatic, I guess... "I know enough about how a bike works to find my own gears, thank you." Then I got my daughter this cool old green 5 speed Collegiate and she didn't like riding it. She preferred the old 3-speed Free Spirit I had because it was easier. So I scrounged up some castoff MTB parts and converted her Collegiate to a 6-speed index shift. It worked so well that I started looking for other bikes to convert, which was how my red Collegiate got built for RRBBO 16, and how its drivetrain ended up on this bike.

 

[ParkRNDL]

y'all am I crazy? Or would some of you have done this too?

Ok let me explain. I got this nice AMC head badge sticker because I wanted to rebadge the bike as an AMC to match the chain guard I'm using.

I figure AMC was a department store brand made by Murray, so no foul. It's not like I'm putting Schwinn stickers on it.

So I finally got the old sticker residue cleaned off the head tube enough to put this on. I like it.

However, there's some cable rub on the head tube where the sticker goes. I intended to just use this frame with its scars and scratches and so forth, so it's not like I was going to repaint it or touch it up. But it was bugging me that I just put the sticker over the damage.

Is it crazy that I took a tiny little round file and scuffed the edge of a brand new sticker that I just put on to blend it in?

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Is it crazy that I took a tiny little round file and scuffed the edge of a brand new sticker that I just put on to blend it in?

Yes. Crazy. Like a fox

 

[ParkRNDL]

The AMC branding continues...

I mentioned earlier that my friend's Schwinn Cruiser 5 is an inspiration for this build. I decided to try to create a seat tube graphic reminiscent of the Cruiser 5. I looked up "pinstripe designs" on Google and came up with lots of hits. I found one that was the right look and modified it a little in (don't laugh) MS Paint.

Then I found an image online of an AMC logo that matched the one on my chainguard and headbadge. I asked my daughter to clean it up in Photoshop, which she did, but the lines ended up too thin to reproduce in the small size that I wanted so I had to redraw it in (again) MS Paint. Not perfect at all, but at the size I was going to use it you can't really see the difference unless you know to look for it.

I put it together on the Cricut and played with sizing.

Then when I had something that looked like it would fit I cut a stencil. (Didn't think to take a pic at the time, this is the first attempt that was too big and had to be reworked)

Then I used a sponge brush and some cheapo flat white spray paint sprayed into the cap to dab the design into the stencil on the seat tube.

Next up, maybe: fork darts!

Interesting history note: In searching for more information on AMC bicycle manufacture and branding, I found evidence that suggests there were bikes made by Schwinn branded "AMC Flash" and sold by American Merchandising Company and/or Hudson department stores in the late '40s and early '50s. By the 1960's, it seems that Murray was the manufacturer, but the oval AMC logo carried over.

 

[ParkRNDL]

So here are some progress pics in decent light.

And now I have ANOTHER idea. I'd like to get the name Beachcomber somewhere on the bike, but there's not a whole lot of real estate available. The tank from my initial idea stages is way more beat up than the frame and I don't want to get involved with trying to mount it without having be a huge source of rattles that doesn't really fit correctly anyway. I thought about creating a thin plywood "tank" to serve as a billboard, as I have seen lots of guys here do with great results. But then I noticed an arc function in the Cricut software, and I tried arcing the word "Beachcomber" in different fonts and configurations. I struck upon one I liked and photochopped an image of it over a picture of the guard:

Debating now if it would be a good addition or if it would make the bike, which I think is pretty clean looking now, too busy...

 

[ParkRNDL]

And here's one more idea:

For the record, I showed my wife both the guard idea and the wood tank/billboard idea and she told me to cut it out. She said it looks good as is and I should stop trying to find stuff to add to it. Her analogy made me laugh... she said it's like when you cut your own bangs and they look okay but you keep cutting to try to make them look better and then you overdo it. I said we have a phrase for that: "If it ain't broke, fix it till it is."

At any rate, I may use one of these ideas or just file them away for future builds. One more thing I AM going to do on this one is the fork graphics; but I'm creating a new set of stencils. I'm using the Roman numeral VII to match the VII on the guard and to signify the 7-speed drivetrain instead of using the letters AMC.

 

[Captain Awesome]

That small accent panel is just the right touch. Very nice

 

[BobbyStillz]

And here's one more idea:
View attachment 240362View attachment 240363

For the record, I showed my wife both the guard idea and the wood tank/billboard idea and she told me to cut it out. She said it looks good as is and I should stop trying to find stuff to add to it. Her analogy made me laugh... she said it's like when you cut your own bangs and they look okay but you keep cutting to try to make them look better and then you overdo it. I said we have a phrase for that: "If it ain't broke, fix it till it is."

At any rate, I may use one of these ideas or just file them away for future builds. One more thing I AM going to do on this one is the fork graphics; but I'm creating a new set of stencils. I'm using the Roman numeral VII to match the VII on the guard and to signify the 7-speed drivetrain instead of using the letters AMC.
View attachment 240365

Honestly, I love the wood addition. It makes it feel a bit more 'beachy'. Kinda surfboard / woody wagon vibe. I really dig it, as well as your pinstripe modification

 

[user 35233]

she said it's like when you cut your own bangs and they look okay but you keep cutting to try to make them look better and then you overdo it. I said we have a phrase for that: "If it ain't broke, fix it till it is."

Dabbing the stencils rather than spraying looks great. Less is more, but this principle is typically applied to things that can't be reversed I found the tank/panel positioning as appealing as the fork, (and the post). Doesn't hurt to try. Nice work!

 

[OddJob]

Wood on a bike build? C'mon, you know me better than that!

I love the connotation of the word Beachcomber on a piece of wood. To bring it all the way, make the wood look like drift wood. Start with a bare piece of pine or ash or other light colored wood that can be transformed into an old worn, washed out look; like driftwood on a beach. It would also compliment your colors that are so spot on perfect on this build.

I used some cherry wood boards I had laying around for the front beer carrier on Beer Boy Delivery. And then a little RaT-ification later, aged wood. Doing it over, I would use a heavier grained wood, like oak or one of the above ^^ to bring out the look. Even on this rack, now I would rub it more, and probably add another color, a darker grey, and work that in as well.

Here's a short 1:10 video on how I achieved the look.



The final product ....

 

[ParkRNDL]

Dabbing the stencils rather than spraying looks great.

thank you! I've had pretty good luck using this method before on old, weathered chain guards:

In retrospect, I kinda think I should have been more careful with this one about getting even coverage like I did on the Manta Ray one, since the paint on that part of the frame is in pretty good shape.

 

[ParkRNDL]

Wood on a bike build? C'mon, you know me better than that!

I love the connotation of the word Beachcomber on a piece of wood. To bring it all the way, make the wood look like drift wood. Start with a bare piece of pine or ash or other light colored wood that can be transformed into an old worn, washed out look; like driftwood on a beach. It would also compliment your colors that are so spot on perfect on this build.

(snip)

Honestly, I love the wood addition. It makes it feel a bit more 'beachy'. Kinda surfboard / woody wagon vibe. (snip)

That small accent panel is just the right touch. Very nice

Well, you guys have me convinced. Off to find some suitable lumber, with visions of woodie wagons dancing in my head. I should warn you I don't have great luck working with wood, but we'll see what I can come up with.

Question for those of you who have created wood "tanks", or more specifically, thin wood panels to fill that space: How do you attach the panel? I am hoping to find little 1" clamps that looks something like this:

And I swear I've used clamps like that before but I can't for the life of me remember what the application was. I just know I'll wander around Lowe's for an hour scanning the hardware and plumbing and whatever sections and never find them.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Well, you guys have me convinced. Off to find some suitable lumber, with visions of woodie wagons dancing in my head. I should warn you I don't have great luck working with wood, but we'll see what I can come up with.

Question for those of you who have created wood "tanks", or more specifically, thin wood panels to fill that space: How do you attach the panel? I am hoping to find little 1" clamps that looks something like this:
View attachment 240421

And I swear I've used clamps like that before but I can't for the life of me remember what the application was. I just know I'll wander around Lowe's for an hour scanning the hardware and plumbing and whatever sections and never find them.

Pipe hanger brackets

Clamps

Can use with or without the rubber strap

 

[OddJob]

Conduit hangers. Home Depot is a good source.

Or for a more 'invisible look' I used these on my window panel for Shelby Flyer Woody. Kind of disappear with the acrylic. Clear plastic card or display holders. Adhesive backed. Mine on the Woody have been on for 8 years. Still stuck on.

And I used them on RaTs GaSs as well.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I've seen silverware used for brake arm straps, you might be able to do that to make some brackets for the panel

 

[ParkRNDL]

I've seen silverware used for brake arm straps, you might be able to do that to make some brackets for the panel View attachment 240429

Hmmmmmm very interesting...