Proud Mary - A throwback Huffman ratrod bike

[gowjobs]

(Scene opens in a hazy flashback...)

It all started with a set of hubs. They were 45 years or more old, and most people wouldn't have paid them any mind, but I did. I fell in love, and money was paypal'ed to a Canadian seller, and a week or two later I had them in my hot little fists.

They were Shimano D-series hubs. The ones that released just prior (mid-'70s) to the E-series coaster brake hub that they still make today. Some internal parts are interchangeable, and some are not. The really important thing (to me) is that they were large flange, and drilled for 11gauge spokes.

 

[gowjobs]

I ordered rims, calculated spoke lengths, and ordered custom-cut spokes from Taiwan. While I waited for the thicker than normal spokes to arrive, I sanded, primed and painted my double-wall SE Beastmode 650B rims a classic cinnamon brown-orange.

Once I laced them up, I painted an old Felt frame, wrapped them in Electra rubber, and rode them for a couple of months until I decided that I didn't necessarily want that Felt, but I still loved my wheelset.

So the Felt got a set of 72 spoke, wood-grained 24 in wheels from a Giant cruiser, and I went off to find a new bike for my wheels.

 

[gowjobs]

...which is how we got here:

"Big wheels keep on turning..."

Okay, intro complete. Let's get down to brass tacks:
I went back through hundreds of old RRB pics/threads, and found the bikes that really spoke to me. It turned out that the bikes that I really wanted to steal ideas from use as inspiration were mainly from RRBBO #12 and before. So that's what I am going to do: build a bike in the old school RRB bobber style, but with my new favorite (slightly oversized) 650x2.35b wheelset.

And do you see that crazy tight clearance in that old Dayton Huffman frame? Isn't that kind of awesome? Speaking of that old Huffy, I really think this is one of the most attractive of the postwar tank bike framesets. The lines just look jet age to me. The Columbia fork? That's a NOS '80s repop from Columbia's short-lived comeback. Wait, don't call it a comeback...

 

[gowjobs]

Now, I am sure you're wondering:

"What in the name of OddJob is that huge finned thing on the back hub?!?"

That, my friend, is a heat sink made by Monē Bikes. I don't know how well it works, but it sure looks neat!

Also, while we're on the topic of looking neat...
I've never owned a Columbia springer before but have often been intrigued by the way the spring works in tension, rather than compression, and I haven't heard any real horror stories, so I figured it was worth the $60 they were asking. Also, depending how my trail looks once I get a headset mounted up, maybe I'll flip it, and kick the front wheel out another inch or two.

 

[kingfish254]

Those wheels and tires are sick!!!
Great frame too. Looking forward to your old school RRB build.

 

[OddJob]

@gowjobs is up to his old tricks again! And we all get to watch! Yahooooo!

Just a side note, maybe 'all' the bobber style bikes weren't made pre - RRBBO 12.....just sayin'.

Your custom built wheelset on that frame and fork, and what's to come have me on the edge of my seat....

RaT oN~!

P.S. ....this cracked me up....."What in the name of OddJob is that huge finned thing on the back hub?!?"

 

[gowjobs]

@gowjobs is up to his old tricks again! And we all get to watch! Yahooooo!

Just a side note, maybe 'all' the bobber style bikes weren't made pre - RRBBO 12.....just sayin'.

View attachment 191802

Your custom built wheelset on that frame and fork, and what's to come have me on the edge of my seat....

RaT oN~!

P.S. ....this cracked me up....."What in the name of OddJob is that huge finned thing on the back hub?!?"

I didn't mean to cast aspersions toward bikes from later build-offs, but I feel like one-upsmanship has steered the direction away from the elegant simplicity of many of the builds that brought me to this site in the first place, back in '09. While I can't avoid the geegawcity completely, I'll try to integrate my little details so that they don't distract from the whole.

At least, that's the plan.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

That Moné coaster cooler is cooler than cool! Had to look it up

They've got some nice brazing going on over there too...

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

I have one of those D series 110s and am saving it in case I ever decide to put a coaster brake rear bike in the dirt. The internals are definitely different from the E series and seem to be made of higher quality metals.

 

[gowjobs]

I located NOS D-series replacement internals for mine, so I can do at least one full rebuild if it ever needs it.

 

[gowjobs]

My plan is to work on doing crankset mods this weekend, and maybe beginning to clean up/mold the frame while I figure out a paint job.

 

[gowjobs]

I totally forgot that work gave us this Friday off, paid. I guess I'll start in on this thing a day earlier than expected.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

this is looking quite promising.

 

[gowjobs]

For the record, I just want to declare that I generally despise using cottered cranks. I had a few sets as a kid, and they always ended up loose and wobbly, and as many issues as square taper cranksets have, I find them the far superior option.
Now that's out of the way, I should also inform you that I do like the way that they look. They tend to be thin, nicely shaped, and the old chrome (too cheap to buy collectible roadie alloy ones) usually cleans up really nicely. So I'm going to try a set on Mary.

These were originally on some American Flyer - branded 10 speed from the '70s. I took them apart, cleaned and inspected them, and then reassembled the drive side, minus one chainring. The "finned" trim pieces are chromed sheet metal, but if this is going to be a classic RRB build, it needs a few geegaws.

 

[gowjobs]

Honestly, there were no plans to put fenders on Mary. Every vision that I had of her finished form proudly displayed her fat Electra squishy bits, nekkid to the world.

After realizing that my repro Columbia springer is 22.2mm ID and not 21.1, and my planned stem wouldn't work without a shim, I went hunting for the 22.2 integrated stem/bar combo that I have attempted to fit up at some point to almost every RRBBO entry I have ever built. That run-on sentence merely explains how I ran across these old fenders in my stash. I think they may be Colson, but could have also been meant for a Schwinn DX project that I never got around to finishing.

Asides aside, here's today's mock-up with the racey handlebars, fenders, a diamond-tufted seat, and cranks:

 

[Couch tater]

I like what you are doing with this. I prefer ratty rats and my build is going OG rat style too.

 

[gowjobs]

I like what you are doing with this. I prefer ratty rats and my build is going OG rat style too.

Yeah, my builds have gone more and more over the top as time has gone on, and I am trying to turn that knob down a few notches this year.

We do love our geegaws in these build-offs, though. I have been building bikes for lots of years now, and I have amassed a fair collection. We'll see how many of them make it to the final version.

 

[marshall hudson]

I've been looking for one of those headlamps forever.

 

[gowjobs]

I've been looking for one of those headlamps forever.

That headlamp is actually an old bakelite reading lamp from the '30s. When I got it at a swap meet, it had a big spring-loaded clamp to attach it to the headboard, and a pull-chain switch.

 

[OddJob]

I was just going to say , "That head lamp looks like bakelite." Really cool! Now all you need is this radio to mount somewhere and you'll be all set.