Silver King Unchained: BELT DRIVE....What a ride~!
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Right after the BACK40 was built, in November of 2015, I spent a few days adding some recycled barn boards and roofing tin to 'finish off' the inside. That was pretty much it, till the snow melted in March the next Spring.
As I was chomping on the bit to build a bike, I got a note from my friend Matt (former member on RRB) that he had some bikes I might want to lool at. His first child was on the way, and he was downsizing. He knew how to play his cards right with his wife.
I buzzed across the metro to his lean-to shed where all the good stuff was stashed. He had this '40s Monark men's frame, with a original but tight and true wheelset, a bent fork, and rusty seat pan and stuck handlebars. He also had a woman's Monark of about the same vintage with great fenders, and a functional, albeit slightly bent original Monark springer fork.
I handed over what I assumed would be diaper money, and went home to build my first bike out of the BACK40.
With a combination of real and surreal rust, and a mash -up of the two bikes, along with a brand new pair of Fat Franks, and a thrift store leather purse seat cover; 'Faded Glory' was born. Dedicated to my father, a Navy communications officer on a aircraft carrier in Guam fornthe last two years of WWII. This bike is one of my favorites to ride, you can stand and 'pump' as we used to say in the '60s up hills, and the gearing is doable even for our hilly and 3 block long climbs around the neighborhood.
Tonight I cruised a 4 mile trek to the local gas station for an evening ice cream treat. And had a fire in the BACK40 to commemorate the coming holiday, and my self-proclaimed pyromaniac father.
As I was chomping on the bit to build a bike, I got a note from my friend Matt (former member on RRB) that he had some bikes I might want to lool at. His first child was on the way, and he was downsizing. He knew how to play his cards right with his wife.
I buzzed across the metro to his lean-to shed where all the good stuff was stashed. He had this '40s Monark men's frame, with a original but tight and true wheelset, a bent fork, and rusty seat pan and stuck handlebars. He also had a woman's Monark of about the same vintage with great fenders, and a functional, albeit slightly bent original Monark springer fork.
I handed over what I assumed would be diaper money, and went home to build my first bike out of the BACK40.
With a combination of real and surreal rust, and a mash -up of the two bikes, along with a brand new pair of Fat Franks, and a thrift store leather purse seat cover; 'Faded Glory' was born. Dedicated to my father, a Navy communications officer on a aircraft carrier in Guam fornthe last two years of WWII. This bike is one of my favorites to ride, you can stand and 'pump' as we used to say in the '60s up hills, and the gearing is doable even for our hilly and 3 block long climbs around the neighborhood.
Tonight I cruised a 4 mile trek to the local gas station for an evening ice cream treat. And had a fire in the BACK40 to commemorate the coming holiday, and my self-proclaimed pyromaniac father.
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Congrats to the bride, groom and all the happy family!
Sounds like a delightful evening.
Holiday weekend up north.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
I did a bunch of those over the campfire last week for the lads, taught ThundrrrJr the golden technique, but he "prefers" burning them to a crisp, quickly 
I was the only one in my family with the patience enough and technique to pull of the 'golden tan'. My boys watched me for years, and they are pretty good at it.I did a bunch of those over the campfire last week for the lads, taught ThundrrrJr the golden technique, but he "prefers" burning them to a crisp, quickly
My young guy is the most pateint person on in the world he'll toast those golden brown every time.We all just gave up and get him to do it.
After a nice holiday weekend up at the lake, I'm back in the city with a new project in the BACK40.
One of my neighbors found me on our Nextdoor.com page, a neighborhood related page to share news and happenings around the 'hood, buy and sell items , and advertise services. I have generated a number of bike repairs and income off this page. He asked me if I "worked on old bikes at all?"
I got back to him right away, told him I had a wedding trike in the queue, but after the 4th I'd be available to start work on it. He brought it by for me to look at, after he told me it had been in the garden year - round for the past 4 years. Turns out, it is his trike that he got when he was around 2 yrs old. I'm guessing late '50s - early '60s.
Good thing he brought it over before the holiday weekend. I was able to shoot it full of PB Blaster twice before I left for the long weekend, and the rusted parts all got a good soaking. I jumped on the break down yesterday afternoon, and in an hour of using tools not usually used in bicycle repair, I got the trike apart. All the bearings are seized beyond hope. The front tire is completely broken apart ( semi-neumatic, no tube, a hollow, thick walled 'solid' tire) and the rear tires are both cracked through.
Not to fear! I found a couple 'donors' on fb marketplace within 10 miles of me, and hope to garner some parts from one of those. Stay tuned. Looks like I might have to change the name of my shop to TriKes R'(at) Us !
No photo of the bike in one piece, here's the result of my first hour of work yesterday....
One of my neighbors found me on our Nextdoor.com page, a neighborhood related page to share news and happenings around the 'hood, buy and sell items , and advertise services. I have generated a number of bike repairs and income off this page. He asked me if I "worked on old bikes at all?"
I got back to him right away, told him I had a wedding trike in the queue, but after the 4th I'd be available to start work on it. He brought it by for me to look at, after he told me it had been in the garden year - round for the past 4 years. Turns out, it is his trike that he got when he was around 2 yrs old. I'm guessing late '50s - early '60s.
Good thing he brought it over before the holiday weekend. I was able to shoot it full of PB Blaster twice before I left for the long weekend, and the rusted parts all got a good soaking. I jumped on the break down yesterday afternoon, and in an hour of using tools not usually used in bicycle repair, I got the trike apart. All the bearings are seized beyond hope. The front tire is completely broken apart ( semi-neumatic, no tube, a hollow, thick walled 'solid' tire) and the rear tires are both cracked through.
Not to fear! I found a couple 'donors' on fb marketplace within 10 miles of me, and hope to garner some parts from one of those. Stay tuned. Looks like I might have to change the name of my shop to TriKes R'(at) Us !
No photo of the bike in one piece, here's the result of my first hour of work yesterday....
I should mention also that he is getting it fixed up to give to a neighbor boy who is turning 2 years old in August. It will get some new paint, trying to maintain the design and color scheme of this vintage Murray trike.
Did it come with the truss rods for that cool ‘M’ embossed clamp shell bracket?
Gonna be a cool project for sure!
Gonna be a cool project for sure!
Awesome trike! Love that rear 'wing'.After a nice holiday weekend up at the lake, I'm back in the city with a new project in the BACK40.
One of my neighbors found me on our Nextdoor.com page, a neighborhood related page to share news and happenings around the 'hood, buy and sell items , and advertise services. I have generated a number of bike repairs and income off this page. He asked me if I "worked on old bikes at all?"
I got back to him right away, told him I had a wedding trike in the queue, but after the 4th I'd be available to start work on it. He brought it by for me to look at, after he told me it had been in the garden year - round for the past 4 years. Turns out, it is his trike that he got when he was around 2 yrs old. I'm guessing late '50s - early '60s.
Good thing he brought it over before the holiday weekend. I was able to shoot it full of PB Blaster twice before I left for the long weekend, and the rusted parts all got a good soaking. I jumped on the break down yesterday afternoon, and in an hour of using tools not usually used in bicycle repair, I got the trike apart. All the bearings are seized beyond hope. The front tire is completely broken apart ( semi-neumatic, no tube, a hollow, thick walled 'solid' tire) and the rear tires are both cracked through.
Not to fear! I found a couple 'donors' on fb marketplace within 10 miles of me, and hope to garner some parts from one of those. Stay tuned. Looks like I might have to change the name of my shop to TriKes R'(at) Us !
No photo of the bike in one piece, here's the result of my first hour of work yesterday....
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And a coincidence: I bought a very similar "newer" trike (made in Italy, its called 'rainbow') yesterday at a thrift shop for two bucks.
It needs some love but my daughter is not scared to ride this one, so I could not resist. Could look good with nice wheels and less plastic.
Here is a similar one:
I finally caught up with your Silver Bling
What a beast of a bike. Love the details with the belt and that frame!
Thanks BRE! Looks like we've both got trikes in the queue for builds!Awesome trike! Love that rear 'wing'.
And a coincidence: I bought a very similar "newer" trike (made in Italy, its called 'rainbow') yesterday at a thrift shop for two bucks.
It needs some love but my daughter is not scared to ride this one, so I could not resist. Could look good with nice wheels and less plastic.
Here is a similar one:
I finally caught up with your Silver Bling
What a beast of a bike. Love the details with the belt and that frame!
Trikes R(at) Us Video Update
Great find, this looks fun!
Good luck with putting that solid tyre onto the rim! This will need some soap andba lot of brute force!
Maybe you could rig up something like this
If all else fails, could you drill a valve hole and convert them to pneumatic?
If all else fails, could you drill a valve hole and convert them to pneumatic?
Um, yeah, but that machine that did all the work? That's the REAL trick to this vid!
I have read where soaking the tires in really hot water helps soften them up a bit, and the water residue left on the inside of the tire, maybe with a little soap applied to it as well, might help it slip into place?
However it happens, I know my hands are going to hurt like H - E - double toothpicks afterwards. That's where the arthritis pills and CBD gummies come into play.
