Schwinn Drop Out - Finished, just need to take some pics.

[gowjobs]

I really hate to see the top tube get covered with that tank. One of my favorite parts of the frame is where the chain stays pass in front of the seat tube and connect to the top tube.

Have you tried hanging the tank under the top tube?

Now that you mention it, I've been trying to decide how much of the back of the tank I'm going to trim off. That junction of the seatstays to the top tube is one of my favorite bits, too.
EDIT: The front portion of that tank has a great flow, but gets unattractively square in the last five inches or so. I'm thinking that I'm going to cut notches in the sides to accommodate the seatstays, and then trim the top and bottom back to where I can shape/weld them to get the contour right.
The sides of the tank angle in at the bottom. The shape is really very sympathetic to my triangular-ish headlight.

 

[gowjobs]

Have you tried hanging the tank under the top tube?

I just realized my failure to address this part of your earlier reply. I did look at hanging it below, as well as using it as a third bar between the seatpost and the downtube, but that all got pretty funky-lookin'.

As Captain Lincoln F. Stern once said: "I've got an angle."

 

[gowjobs]

Quick concept sketch/self-portrait :

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[OddJob]

Dude, I dig your art. You should design some shirts and present to RRB powers that be.....

 

[GuitarlCarl]

sweet Heavy Metal reference...
cool bike too.

Carl.

sent from my banana phone...

 

[gowjobs]

sweet Heavy Metal reference...
cool bike too.

Carl.

sent from my banana phone...

I'm glad that somebody recognized it.
I spent today grinding and sanding, smoothing everything to get ready for installing the tank. Once it's finished, I can start filling, priming and sanding some more.

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[gowjobs]

I made a little progress this weekend.

 

[kingfish254]

Catching up on this one.
Love the addition of the tank. It's gonna flow well with the frame and with the vibe of your build.
You definitely need to buy more hacksaw blades though.

 

[gowjobs]

Catching up on this one.
Love the addition of the tank. It's gonna flow well with the frame and with the vibe of your build.
You definitely need to buy more hacksaw blades though.

I'll put them on the shopping list.
I'm calling an audible and making the tank a bolt-on. I figure anybody can weld something on and mold it with filler. My talent is fitting things together that started out somewhere else, so I'm going to play to my strengths.

 

[kingfish254]

Thought you'd get a kick out of this old wish book pic of a bike with your tank on it.
It R-R-ROARS like a hot rod

 

[gowjobs]

That's awesome. So, are those Ross-built bikes?

 

[kingfish254]

That's awesome. So, are those Ross-built bikes?

I really don't know. Most of Sears stuff from that era was Murray built, I believe, but who knows.

 

[brett4christ]

That's awesome. So, are those Ross-built bikes?

The red "convertible" bike with the faux-engine is a Murray...check the rear drop-outs!

 

[gowjobs]

The red "convertible" bike with the faux-engine is a Murray...check the rear drop-outs!

Yeah, you're right. And I as I go back and look at the pic again, the tank looks like it's got flatter sides than mine. Looking at it from the front, mine is like an upside-down pyramid with the points knocked off of it. I'm guessing the bike that my tank came off of was a knock-off of that Murray convertible.

 

[gowjobs]

I got the tank all trimmed and fit up today. Nice to work in a real shop for a change.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Tank looks good!

Luke.

 

[gowjobs]

So, I decided to go back to the weld and mold plan. Had to make some patch pieces to finish it off...

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[gowjobs]

In case you didn't read the previous post, I flip-flopped on doing the tank as a bolt-on and went back to the weld-and-molded plan of attack. The welding is complete, the frame has a new coat of etching primer, and it's time for Bondo.

 

[kingfish254]

Even without the bondo that is looking sick!!!!
Love this frame!!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Tank work looks good!

I am a little worried by your rear triangle design, looks like it could sag if it hit a big bump as it is not actually a triangle but has 4 sides. Depends on what you weigh and how you ride it though!

Either rotating the chainstays up until they are straight to the rear drops or adding braces from the seat clamp area down to the bends in the chain stays would solve the issue, if it is one.

Just trying to help...

Luke.