Rat Rod Bikes Build Off #17: Let's Go!!

[The Renaissance Man]

Unfortunately I've already disqualified myself for 17.

Back in January I decided to start a build that I really wanted to do for myself. I thought that I had some extra days here and there through the winter to work on it. As it turned out most of my time has been spent on other people's commissions and after starting work on fitting a tank, my project bike stalled. Now that the build-off is a month away I find myself stuck. I'm not going to start something else just for the sake of the competition.

I dubbed it "TRM.SK.2022" and posted a few times on my facebook page. If you'd like to check it out just go to TRM Convertible Tanks.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I'll probably be on the sidelines. Having shoulder surgery in a few weeks and by the time I'm healed from that about June we'll be going full bore on our new property. Digging septic, adding fill to get an additional 5' of elevation where the new slab for the 16x40 shed will be going, cutting a driveway

Actually I'll probably be thinning my hoard of stuff very soon. Curb alert!!!!

 

[OddJob]

While digging through a fellow forum member's garage, with the primary goal of extracting a rare and very cool cruiser hot rod bike for @kingfish254 that he had purchased, my head was on a swivel with all the vintage bikes jammed into this aging one car garage.

Using only the natural light coming through the open garage door, I spotted two bikes that I was interested in, if the guy was willing to let loose of them. When I inquired about their availability, he told me he'd be willing to part with them.

These are the two bikes that I will be combining parts from to create my entry for BO 17. More to come later, once the clock strikes May 1!

 

[kingfish254]

It'll be tough in the Philippines but these days anything pre K-Mart is vintage...
and I can hear the kids now, "What's a K-Mart?"

Carl.

You would be surprised how many vintage American bikes are in the P.I. https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/pickers-paradise.83765/#post-818763

 

[kingfish254]

I'll probably be on the sidelines. Having shoulder surgery in a few weeks and by the time I'm healed from that about June we'll be going full bore on our new property. Digging septic, adding fill to get an additional 5' of elevation where the new slab for the 16x40 shed will be going, cutting a driveway

Actually I'll probably be thinning my hoard of stuff very soon. Curb alert!!!!

Hope you find time in between surgery, new house, and Labor Day.
In the meantime, I'll have to keep a vulture eye on Marketplace.

 

[Wildcat]

There are a few places here, all of them a day long trip, that have old bike stuff. I've joined many of the klunker FB groups here hoping to latch onto a decent American vintage frame.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I can hear the kids now, "What's a K-Mart

Man, I used to leave school and walk to the Kmart because their cafeteria had better fries. My first "mountain bike", also my only new bike ever, was from Kmart.

I'll probably be on the sidelines. Having shoulder surgery in a few weeks

Actually I'll probably be thinning my hoard of stuff very soon. Curb alert

Been there, done the rehab, 7 or 8 screws and a plate as souvenir. Good luck, my man. Miss your content bruh, stay visible. And consider costs of shipping to Canada when you are downsizing.

 

[GTHOtrod]

I'm in x2.
My daughters is keen to get stuck into her build for class 1.
And we'll come up with something for class 2

 

[SwissGuy]

I have this as a starting point:

Plus an apehanger in my basement storage, a parcel with a banana seat in it stored underneath my desk at work and of cours my parts bins on the campground...
My older kid (10) is eagerly awaiting what I'll build for him to ride around the campground in style...

 

[Starnger]

I'm in this year too!
Still not sure what i will be building, but probably i am in for both class.
My friends and i are having this idea to build a oldschool chopper for their kid for a while, so maybe class 2 entry will be this. With class 1 it would be harder since i have a lot of builds i have already started and never had time to finish. But i definitely want to try out all the new possibilities of my workshop that i have now and that i didn't have on the previous build-offs

 

[LeMad Hatter]

This will be my fourth attempt, and I'm fully determined to make it my second finished build. Last year was insane, with the bike industry nearly collapsing from too much demand and not enough product, I couldn't find even basic nuts and bolts to finish my build. I will be participating in both categories this year, and I guarantee I'm going to make quite a few people sad with my class 2 entry, at least until they see where the build is going. This is my class 1 entry, a junkyard Huffy Sportsman

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Both classes, hmm...
Dual themed? That's a push, but... I'm still trying to get the house ready to move into and then actually MOVE. Plus side jobs I don't want but are friends. So I'm probably staying with one build in class 1. Of course class may change and or if I get done and have time I may "Shootout" a crazy class 2 build at the end.

Carl.

 

[gowjobs]

I'm going to build a crazy, drag racing Hawthorne this year. It should be barely rideable, and I don't know that brakes figure into the plan. Maybe bring back the drag chute of build-offs past?

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I'm going to build a crazy, drag racing Hawthorne this year. It should be barely rideable, and I don't know that brakes figure into the plan. Maybe bring back the drag chute of build-offs past?

That sounds like fun. I've actually never built an authentic "burrito" with nothing above the tops of the wheels. But I've got some cut down handlebars that would be a sweet dragster looking set up.

They're very "tunable" as the bar ends swivel. I've been saving them for the right build. Maybe a real burrito as a dragster is what I've been waiting for.

HEY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE UNOFFICIAL MARCH SHOOTOUT 4 VOTING? ANYBODY INTERESTED? DROP IN AND VOTE, COME ON IT'S GOING ON UNTIL THE 8TH DOWN THERE IN THE BASEMENT. YOU KNO - BUILD CHALLENGES. THERE'S ONLY FIVE OF US BUT WE ALL WANT YOUR VOTES TO COUNT. HELLO...HELLO...HELLO.....HELLO.....IS THERE ANYBODY IN HERE?

Carl.

 

[SwissGuy]

That sounds like fun. I've actually never built an authentic "burrito" with nothing above the tops of the wheels. But I've got some cut down handlebars that would be a sweet dragster looking set up.View attachment 189978
They're very "tunable" as the bar ends swivel. I've been saving them for the right build. Maybe a real burrito as a dragster is what I've been waiting for.

HEY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE UNOFFICIAL MARCH SHOOTOUT 4 VOTING? ANYBODY INTERESTED? DROP IN AND VOTE, COME ON IT'S GOING ON UNTIL THE 8TH DOWN THERE IN THE BASEMENT. YOU KNO - BUILD CHALLENGES. THERE'S ONLY FIVE OF US BUT WE ALL WANT YOUR VOTES TO COUNT. HELLO...HELLO...HELLO.....HELLO.....IS THERE ANYBODY IN HERE?

Carl.

I was the first one to vote.... ...just sayin'...

 

[SwissGuy]

Go and vote!

 

[JA331]

I’m in and this will be my first build off entry. Cool too because my birthday is on the 17th.

I recently snagged a mint reissue Luxury Liner frame for $25 and will enter it under class 1. It should arrive downunder in a month. I already know what I want to do with it and will draw most of the parts from my stash.

 

[metalchewy]

I have two bikes for this year. A rustification restore of Mons old 50s firestone,.

Class 2 will ba a Repair shop work bike with air tank, tools, storage and more. It will have a Starman built (RIP Larry) front 2 wheel frame that I will be modifying a little to add an old frame to. Thinking of using the stretch double bar frame for it.

 

[metalchewy]

I have two bikes for this year. A rustification restore of Mons old 50s firestone,.

Class 2 will ba a Repair shop work bike with air tank, tools, storage and more. It will have a Starman built (RIP Larry) front 2 wheel frame that I will be modifying a little to add an old frame to. Thinking of using the stretch double bar frame for it.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

@metalchewy that's a cool idea. Imagine the "Tour" guys relying on a support/repair bike and crew as opposed to the chase vans they have now. It's gonna need a good drivetrain to run down the racers up ahead! The ultimate pit bike...

Carl.