Rockafella - 1953 Ruff Firestone Super Cruiser - Completed Ride Video +MajorAward+RollingStoneCover

[kingfish254]

see what you mean didn't notice that on my quick look,
1- wish you were closer could maybe shrink it around for ya?
2- just a thought if you follow the fender with frame how much would you need to trim off fender could just use some black tape to see if the fender would look weird tapered? which it may just thinkin out loud
or if you do it to the bottom of chain would at least fill in some? seems that's where it really kicks in to frame closer below chain

I think I am following your suggestion in my head. Basically taper the extension so that is more like the point of an old ink pen. That way it's not restricted by the unflexible beefiness of these fat deep fenders. It could become a more stylistic element and actually be bent to follow the curve of the seat tube and end at a point just inside of the lower chainstay curve. Like you said it should be easy to semi mock it with some black tape. This could be pretty cool. Thanks for getting my brain working brother.

 

[kingfish254]

I don't know if I would go to the extreme of a concave taper as above or a convex taper like you would see on Elgin fenders. I'll play around with both ideas.

 

[kingfish254]

I like the extension, but I think it should extend more. Down to the stay.
As shown, there's still a gap. It just doesn't seem to flow.

In one of my mocks I played around with flipping the fender snub. I really didn't like the full blunt ending of the fender for some reason.

 

[kingfish254]

I like the look of the extensions but I see what you mean by not following the seat tube curve . Maybe shorten The fender couple inches. It will not be so drastic that way . Won't be perfect but shouldn't be as noticeable. Bike is looking great & not just because of the cute girl . [emoji6]


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That is a possibility. Actually that wouldn't be much different than just leaving the fenders stock. Which is actually a real possibility. That would be more in line with most any other old bike. The perceived blank space on this Ruff frame hasn't really bothered me.

Mentally, I am leaning toward an artistic pointy taper as a cool design element. We'll see where that takes me.

 

[OddJob]

Will the extension fit inside of the fender? It appears in the early pics to not line up with the 'visual' line on the inside edge of the fender. Hard to tell, but it almost seems like it might not have the same radius as the fender does.

My eye was gauging he ext more on the black showing on the tire than the seat tube. The seat tube, if it remains bare, doesn't deter as much for me.

I like your idea of painting the top part of the inside chain guard the gumby green. Seems too white.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

To play devil's advocate, I don't like the extension.
Not for the curve mismatch though, more because of the paint mismatch and now instead of leaving the vintage parts alone, they're being modified. Obviously from my nickname, I'm cool with the tank mods [emoji16]. But they were almost 'required' to get it to work. Those fenders 'work' just the way they are, for me. If you weren't going to keep the original paint, then I'd say extend it, but that's not the case.
As for painting the inside of the chainguard, yeah, I like the idea of bringing the green to the inside of it. That would look 'factory'.
Just my.02..[emoji16]


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[kingfish254]

This is why the build offs are the best. You guys are great! Thanks for all of the feedback on the fender extension. All five of you looked at it from five different views and each time it got my gears turning on a final solution. If this was a chopper build or a normal Ruff Dean build, I think I would go with some flavor of fender extension (probably the tapered vibe). But my overall goal with this build has been to make it look like it's an old 1953 bike that was built by Ruff for Firestone. With that said, I am going to thank Tank for reigning me back to the roots of the build. So I am going to keep it "original" and not mess with the 1953 "factory" parts from Ruff.

 

[OddJob]

So, you're basically saying, "Tanks" to the Dr.

Your point about making it look more like a '1953 bike that was built by Ruff for Firestone' is well tanken, er , taken.

I still think a 'rust-ified cream' color would look good on the bones. Especially if it was all originally done together as a complete bike in 1953....

 

[The Renaissance Man]

To play devil's advocate, I don't like the extension.
Not for the curve mismatch though, more because of the paint mismatch and now instead of leaving the vintage parts alone, they're being modified. Obviously from my nickname, I'm cool with the tank mods [emoji16]. But they were almost 'required' to get it to work. Those fenders 'work' just the way they are, for me. If you weren't going to keep the original paint, then I'd say extend it, but that's not the case.
As for painting the inside of the chainguard, yeah, I like the idea of bringing the green to the inside of it. That would look 'factory'.
Just my.02..[emoji16]


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Great point.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Here's a look at @Dr. Tankenstein 's suggestion along with my own suggestion for mounting it. Just drill through the seat tube and make a spacer out of some tubing to bolt through. Place the tubing parallel to the bottom of the frame and paint it to match the frame (what ever that will be). Then cut off the remaining tab on the fender.

Look close just below the chain.

 

[kingfish254]

Here's a look at @Dr. Tankenstein 's suggestion along with my own suggestion for mounting it. Just drill through the seat tube and make a spacer out of some tubing to bolt through. Place the tubing parallel to the bottom of the frame and paint it to match the frame (what ever that will be). Then cut off the remaining tab on the fender.

Look close just below the chain.
View attachment 56919

Great idea, but it actually doesn't require a mounting point that far down on the fender. I do however plan on replacing the seat tube guard bracket with a spacer mount similar to what you show. I had already decided that I didn't like the left side view of the ugly wraparound bracket.

In regards to securing the fender, I tested this old mouse trackball that I have hung onto for some reason as a spacer at the seatstay. Not quite sure if I'm am going to use this splash of red whimsy or use an old Slaymaker lock as the spacer. But the advantage to putting a doodad spacer here is that it is invisible from the side views and still secures the fender just as well.

EDIT: I just noticed that you mocked in the painted area of the back of the guard for me. Thanks brother. Now I can see that it is the right way to go.

 

[G-Matt]

Here's a look at @Dr. Tankenstein 's suggestion along with my own suggestion for mounting it. Just drill through the seat tube and make a spacer out of some tubing to bolt through. Place the tubing parallel to the bottom of the frame and paint it to match the frame (what ever that will be). Then cut off the remaining tab on the fender.

Look close just below the chain.
View attachment 56919

Well said I was think the same on the mount I've done some thing very similar on some of my bikes it works great and look like it was meant to be . As far as the fender KF I think you have made the right choice . The only modification I would make is to the drive side . By filling in the notched out piece on the bottom of the fender . Make it continues down to the top of the chain guard . It will make for a
Cleaner proper fit .


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[kingfish254]

TICK TOCK!!!!
I know we have 12 more days, but in that time I have to get two rental units we just closed on ready for tenants, plus a 4 day biz trip next week. UGH!!!
So how to I spend the after work hours tonight? On an idea that I'm not gonna use.

I had this old school car tag tail light that was with the extra stuff that I scored with the old Rollfast Whizzer a couple of years ago. I also have this cereal prize 1953 GA Peach State tag. Well after mocking it all up, I liked it okay, but then the more I looked at the more I felt it took away from the tailight looking Monark reflector. I even tested it with a huge mud flap. Anyway here it is for the blooper reel.

 

[G-Matt]

I don't like it . But I wonder how just the light would look under the back of the seat


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[kingfish254]

I did get the spots marked on the frame to tap for the chainguard standoffs and determined placement of the rear fender brace spacer. I am gonna use this old Slaymaker Rustless lock that I cut the latch off of. Since it is rustless, I'm gonna age it a little darker. It's too newish looking right now.

One helpful hint to you guys that are fighting the auto rotation of portrait pics to landscape when you post to the forum. I have found that if you just edit something about the pic, even red eye reduction or such, then save it, then it will upload in portrait.

 

[kingfish254]

I don't like it . But I wonder how just the light would look under the back of the seat


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I'll play with it there in a few days when I get to touch the bike again.

 

[Fv2]

I like the tail light, but I agree with you. It takes away.

To get back to the point Doc made, you're going for a Ruff built Firestone. Accessories are cool, but you don't want to go all Pee Wee Herman bike on it.

 

[kingfish254]

I like the tail light, but I agree with you. It takes away.

To get back to the point Doc made, you're going for a Ruff built Firestone. Accessories are cool, but you don't want to go all Pee Wee Herman bike on it.

Yes that is the general vibe I am going for, but I try to never lock myself down to any "theme". If some doodad makes me smile and doesn't clash, I'll go for it rather than worry too much if Ruff or Firestone or Monark or Shelby or Felt would have used it or not. That is why I could never do a restoration. It would drive me crazy.
In the end the only thing this ends up being is a Kingfish build. Peewee can only wish that his doodads were as cool as my doodads.

 

[G-Matt]

You know the saying work before play . I'd like to slap who ever came up with it though. Luckily you got a good jump on the build .


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[G-Matt]

My God did you see the dodads on the ol bike wow .


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