Stretched Murray cantilever

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

more of my applause goes to you sir. im beyond impressed with this bike. quite possibly one of the best stretches ive seen, especially a homemade stretch!!!

Easy E

Thanks once again for the compliments. :mrgreen: I feel that in the last year I've (for the first time) begun to build bicycles I've been happy with... any before I just never really took a liking to. After I finished my Hawthorne, I realized it was the first bike that I felt I had done right, and I'm feeling good about this one too. I've always liked the classic lowriders and stretches, and have never felt like I could capture a look influenced by these styles into a build until recently, and I'm very happy to see the response this particular build got. Thanks!

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

frame looks amazing right now..but for the seat, you might be able to lower it even more and be a bit more flowing with the frame if you have like the font tip of the seat where the seatpost currently is, but just chop the post down a bit more..and then just weld posts to the rear of the seat, or possibly use a spring seat and have it welded to the seatstays a bit forward of the fender

Here's what I was thinking. I'm not running a saddle seat as originally anticipated, and I'd rather not weld my seat in permanently in case I'd ever like to change it. (Thank you for the suggestions, though!) My seatpost collar is actually sitting as low as it could possibly go (touching the top tube of the frame). I thought about it, and I could take the seatpost clamp off, cut the seat post tube level with the frame, and then spread the clamp apart and stick it back on below the top tube/cantilever joint, but I think that would look funny. It would drop the seat down even more, but I jut don't like the idea. I think I'm going to run a longer old banana seat on it, tipped down a little in the back, which should be comfortable, farther back, and lower. If not, I'll try chopping the seat post tube off more.

 

[Quanah]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

Ask and I shall receive, looks great. Seat tube/collar looks a-okay to me.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever

Well, the frame is mostly stripped (with only some stubborn blue paint at the BB tubes and at the dropouts left). I also welded in the bracket for the fender,filed it out to match, an started gathering some other little parts for the build (pics soon). I found some cool 70's chrome screw on pegs for this build (only two, four would have been better...) and I think I made up my mind on bars. Here is the frame now (I mgiht finish stripping it tonight):

The (fine) instrument of mutilation :lol: :

I think that I'll use the later, taller style ape hangers on this build... I feel pretty certain that is what I'll do, though I'm still considering other things just in case I find something better. This build is near completion, or getting there, anyway... anything after this will just be searching for the right parts... I think I'm going to try and find two more pegs to match the ones I currently have on the rear wheel...

 

[deorman]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

Great work! and way beyond anywhere I am going.

 

[stretch]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

try either laquer thinner, degreaser, oven cleaner, or maybe even brake fluid to lift the stubborn paint. might work. but if its powdercoated it wont do anything.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

try either laquer thinner, degreaser, oven cleaner, or maybe even brake fluid to lift the stubborn paint. might work. but if its powdercoated it wont do anything.

Thanks for the tip- it's the original paint, not a powdercoat, so I will resort to this if all else fails... I switched the cup brush on my father's die grinder tool and that really made short work of most of it- unfortunately, due to bulkiness, it left some on the underside of the seat tube/cantilever joint where it just didn't fit... that's the ONLY place where paint is left now. I'm really excited....

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

Great work! and way beyond anywhere I am going.

Thank you!

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

As of last night, the frame is now completely stripped... unfortunately, due to the timing of unrelated things and other projects I need to finish, this one will be on hold for one or two months... probably two, possibly more depending on how things go.

 

[Quanah]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

I've noticed when everybody paints a bike, they strip it all the way down to the bare metal. I used to do that, but have found that the stock paint is so hard to get off, it must stick pretty good huh? Have you ever noticed how easily a newly painted frame scratches? Even after the paint has cured for a long time? And when it scratches, its always down to the bare metal? For the last 3 decades, I have left the stock paint on as primer, sanding out the scratches and priming the bare metal. Sanding all the shine off the original paint, gives the new paint a surface with some "tooth" to adhere to, just as primer does. Unless you have access to an oven to bake the paint on, it won't stick nearly as good as a factory finish. If your bike was originally a dark color, say black, and you wanted to paint it white, the results may not be as quite as great, as if the white was put down over some white, or light grey primer. Take this for whatever it is worth, but it works great for me, just my

.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

Great advice! Thanks! Well, this one probably isn't going to be painted, I think I'm leaving it as a bare metal stretch; and so that's why I was so intent on getting all that factory paint off. :mrgreen: I have been thinking though and might paint it after all... I can't make up my mind about how to finish this one off.

 

[stretch]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

leave it bare metal and get it pinstriped! get the 'stripes in all different colors!

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

leave it bare metal and get it pinstriped! get the 'stripes in all different colors!

That's a neat idea, I hadn't considered that...

I have a lead on a very suitable donor bike to finish this one off... unfortunately this build is probably going on hold for a month or so. I have a '68 Orange Krate in the shop that has been sitting off the battered original wheels for a third of a year... It is my first Krate and I really want to finish it up finally. I have some other things in line and need to take care of them even before the Orange Krate, (donor bike) and so on it goes. :wink: I need opinions on what to do next... while this bike is on hold i need to figure out just how to finish it, so here is my unofficial poll of options.

Tire size: 26x1.75, 26x 1.95, or 26x2.125

Tire color: Brick tread all white tire, or Brick tread WW tire

Accents/Details: Weld in some steel skirts and tank made of sheet metal or leave it as is

Finish: Leave it bare metal, or paint it

Color (of painted): No idea where to go :lol: Thinking like a fifties teal, red or orange...?

 

[deorman]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

If it's truly paintless, and on hold for now, start saving up for nickle plate. Not harsh like chrome, nor constantly rusting like polished steel.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

If it's truly paintless, and on hold for now, start saving up for nickle plate. Not harsh like chrome, nor constantly rusting like polished steel.

That's an awesome idea! Thanks! Any idea how expensive that would be for a frame like this?

 

[JoeyMac]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

You're killin me with this one, I can't wait to see it done. I bet it will be sweet.

 

[deorman]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever *Updated Frame Pics*

If it's truly paintless, and on hold for now, start saving up for nickle plate. Not harsh like chrome, nor constantly rusting like polished steel.

That's an awesome idea! Thanks! Any idea how expensive that would be for a frame like this?

This is the second step in high quality chroming, I'd guess probably similar cost.

 

[Unchained]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever > new direction...

Well, after much indecision and pondering I've sent this project off in a new direction. The rain is hooking me up with a super ratty finish, though it's a bit of a slow process. :lol: In two weeks the frame should be consistently rusted to an orange/brown tones, looking like 50 years of Neglect... I think it should look really nice on this one. It will be very comfortable and with no paint to scratch or care for. Check out the rusting process and the new bars I made tonight:

Foreshadowing... The poor curbside Free spirit had no idea what was coming to it.

These bars are much longer than they look... even longer than those on my Hawthorne cruiser. Some filing and they will be ready for the rain treatment special too. :mrgreen: I am loving the wet New England spring.

If the rain lets up, I have a good garden hose to harass my victim with. 8)

 

[elvis51]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever > new direction...

thatll look kool once it gets completely rusty! theres a way that you can speed up the process by putting something on it and then letting the rain get to it. i dont remember what though. something to do with vinegar maybe. i dont remember.....look it up in the search area

i like the look of those bars!!!

Easy E

 

[OUTLAW]

Re: My first Stretch: Murray cantilever > new direction...

how many inches did you stretch the bike. can't wait till it's done.

Outlaw