newbie intro from snowed in upstate NY

[Green Dragon]

Well, not sure where to start - just found this forum about a week ago, so finally signed up :?

New to the Rat Bike scene, used to build bikes in my teens ( not telling ho wlong ago )... when my bro and I gave it up for Hot cars we junked most of our bike stuff - to include a few skiptooth bikes,and a grape krate frame n fork set , and yes, I cry everytime I remember that .....

was given a few bikes 4-5 yrs back, have not made the time for those, sadly. But picked up a Schwinn Typhoon at a yard sale 2-3 yrs back, been in dad's garage since - tried to sell it on craigslist, but no takjers - good for me I guess, now I get to ratstore it. (tm).

crappy pic attatched ( building it in my bachelor pad livingroom, ignore the clutter ), interestingly, I just decoded the serial # and today is the bikes birthday - serial B461324 = JAn 25, 1964... happy 47th :lol: .

So far have the bike stripped,am sanding the scratches and chips to level em out, then coating with rust converter ( turns the rust black oxide ), and then will clear coat it all .. not sure how much I'm going to deviate from stock on this one, being the first, but you never know, you guys are inspirational

Got the bug bad, cause I already picked up a new project, guy brought this one by the shop today ( I'm a furniture upholsterer ).. vintage rollfast girlie bike, might cut on it, might not, wait n see.... ideas ?

Anyways, enough of the novel,look forward to getting to know you peoples. and to quote Abe Lincoln - " Party on Dudes "

~ AL

 

[HotRodJen]

hiya!

 

[Fireproof]

Hello and welcome from California!

 

[Green Dragon]

Thanks for the welcome.

Been fighting a cold all week, so not much progress.... did get out sat , answered a CL ad for a few Mtn bikes ( one was a Schwinn HIghPlains, so went o check just for future fodder, at 10 apiece I figured why not - did grab am all, too .... go there and he had an old Pixie on the wall. paid too much for it ( 25 bucks ), but it;s all original,complete, cleaning it up now while watchign TV ,etc ( in my livingroom, lol ) .

Not sure what I'll do with it when done, but hate to mess it up,m survivors are few and far between anymore. will grab a pic when done - guess I got the bug, went from junking all my bikes 20 yrs ago to 'picked one up cause it was neat ( the Typhoon ), and now after that one sat a couple years untouched, now have 3 project bikes and a few parts / fix n sell project bikes.... :?

~ AL

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

where in NY? my friend lives up in Cortland.

 

[Green Dragon]

I'm just outside Owego,in Apalachin, NY .

Cortland is about 45-50 minute drive, I think, used to go through there on the way to Cicero, NY race track.

Don't know many custom builders local, though there are aparently a few guys trying to beat me to any vintage stuff .

can't wait for the weather to break so I can get gung ho ( and over this darn cold

~ AL