*The 76er* (I. Think. I'm. Done. update: 7/29)

Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Re: *The 76er* (some assembly and wheel paint update: 6/15)

Dr. Tankenstein said:
OK, you may have converted me to try the straw trick too...... :roll:

As for the rest of the build, man, it's looking great! Your front end concept is 'part' of an idea I've been kicking around with DonOne and Double Nickle for about 4 months now (I work slowly :mrgreen: ). Can't wait to see what you do for bars.

Have you figured out how to 'plug' the top nut on the steer tube yet?
I stumbled onto a possible solution while 'experimenting in the lab'. My triple tree came with push in caps for the tops of the fork legs. The cap also conveniently fits in the steer tube, I pushed it in and threaded the nut down on top of it.
I'm thinking a bar end plug from a road or BMX bike, would work as well. If so, you could choose your button color, perhaps a red 'FIRE' button! :lol: :lol:

Keep up the inspiring work!

OK, first off, thanks Doc. Yeah, I can't wait to see what I do for bars either, usually my bar choice is short and straight, so I'm really struggling, though I do know I will be welding on the bar seen in the photos as a "support" therefore my stems will be stuck unless I cut them off or leave a gap in the middle.

As for plugging the top hole, I have several different plastic and metal caps that will plug the hole, but as discussed earlier I might put a headlight switch there.

I'm not sure the work is inspiring, but I will keep it up.

And Double... no, not a love sac, but a comfy sack... yours just sounds... wrong.
 
Re: *The 76er* (some assembly and wheel paint update: 6/15)

You forgot to mention for the beach trip the bike was actually kept outside ocean front 100 yds fom the waves, And their was a Hurricane, and we were evacuated once it got bad....


With all that salt spray, the wheels and once shiny parts on my DK are now brown and fuzzy.



that is a Cool fender along with lots of other neeat stuff cool build!
 
Re: *The 76er* (some assembly and wheel paint update: 6/15)

Whitfield said:
You forgot to mention for the beach trip the bike was actually kept outside ocean front 100 yds fom the waves, And their was a Hurricane, and we were evacuated once it got bad....

With all that salt spray, the wheels and once shiny parts on my DK are now brown and fuzzy.

that is a Cool fender along with lots of other neeat stuff cool build!

Yes, that hurricane gave my bikes a beating that week. Thanks for the props, I'm hoping that fender will look good once it's installed, I think with the dark color it will be subtle. Plus, if my plans continue it will be under a rack! haha
 
Re: *The 76er* (some assembly and wheel paint update: 6/15)

Day 46

I called Cody and let him know I didn't have much planned tonight, just going to put the final coat on the wheels, so like a good friend, he showed up anyway. Not wanting to smoke us out early I decided not to paint my wheels till last and find something else to do. Just yesterday a neighbor gave me 4 bikes and asked what I did with them. I told him about fixing them up and donating and such, and he said "My son would like a trick bike." Now this really confused me since 3 of the 4 bikes he had just given me were "trick" bikes. All needing very little work... I guess what he was saying was that he didn't know how to work on them.

So tonight Cody and I took apart 2 of the bikes to build the kid a decent freestyle bike. It's just a Next bike, but it will do fine for him. We ended up stripping down the frame and primering it:
IMG_4326.jpg


While Cody was doing that I went back inside and wiped down my primered wheels with tack cloth:
IMG_4327.jpg


Then I got out my paint. I had this paint in mind all along. I've done a flat black bike with bright red wheels and whitewalls, so I wanted to do something a little different. The ivory/cream paint looked old to me, I liked the brown on it, and thought with those earthy tones the gloss green wheels would look good. I bought these cans of "Army Green" (though I don't agree with that name) years ago on clearance at Walmart for about $2 a can. The first can sprayed horrible and I called Rustoleum and they sent me a $5 coupon and apologized. The next can works just fine, so I guess this paint can be considered free.
IMG_4328.jpg


I layed on the gloss olive paint and hung out in the fumes for a while. I think I can now tell what color a paint is by it's smell. I also noticed tonight how I rarely paint with gloss paints, this stuff makes the hairs on your arms feel all sticky, along with the floor and everything else.
IMG_4329.jpg


I really like the way it turned out, though it's hard to see through the fumes. I'll give it a few days to cure before stretching the tires over it.

Once the tires are on and the bike it rolling I can start figuring out the bar and rack angles and start getting to the finishing touches.

In 1976 filming began on George Lucas' Star Wars, years later kids would later ride their '76 Murray Skybolts to see the movie, not knowing that one day, their beloved bike might be going to the dark side... as a Rat Rod Bike!
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

Looking good, I like all the stuff you are doing on the build.

You really need to get some ventilation going in that room to exchange the air.

I hope you are at least wearing a resperator. They are not that expensive, lots less than new lungs! :D

Keep up the good work!
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

jerrykr said:
Looking good, I like all the stuff you are doing on the build.

You really need to get some ventilation going in that room to exchange the air.

I hope you are at least wearing a resperator. They are not that expensive, lots less than new lungs! :D

Keep up the good work!

Thanks.

No mask, I don't spend much time in there, but I might be paying this morning, I woke up with a headache. :(
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

When you come up next Sat ~ Remind me that since I work with chemicals for a living I have a FREE Respirator with spare filters for you 8)
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

Whitfield said:
When you come up next Sat ~ Remind me that since I work with chemicals for a living I have a FREE Respirator with spare filters for you 8)

That'll be GREAT! I've heard using one of those things can really give you a renewed spray painting energy.
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

I don't want to sound like your Mom, but if you woke with a headache and if you are harking up color from the paint, it can't be good.

I paint outside, and with a cheap mask, I still get some color. I'm guilty too, but I try to minimize what I inhale. Still no excuse on my own part. I have a respirator mask, I need to start remembering to use it for all the jobs, no matter how short or small.

I'm not a research chemist, but to my way of thinking, the better they make the paint to work on the metal parts, the worse it must be for human tissue.

The one that scares me the most is that rattle can aircraft paint remover. I used about a half a can, and won't do that again. Too much of it in the air, and my lungs don't need to have paint removed, far as I know.

You are young and bullet proof, I'm old and thought I was. Take care of yourself. Small steps lead to the hospital you know.

(I'm on your side, if you have not realized it by now).
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

jerrykr said:
You are young and bullet proof, I'm old and thought I was. Take care of yourself. Small steps lead to the hospital you know. (I'm on your side, if you have not realized it by now).

Thanks man, I was kinda expecting someone to get on me about the headache. I really wasn't around it much last night, I really think it was the gloss paint, I don't know what kind of difference that makes, but besides the headache today, I got one back in 2002 after using some gloss paint inside, same thing, very little exposure, and I use spray paint alot. I think the pressure of the build off deadline and having to work at night have made me make stupid decisions about painting inside (really messed up some fenders years back painting outside in heavy humidity). I haven't been having paint show up in my nose or throat, so that's good I guess. Luckily the painting I have left is less and less and maybe with the small stuff I can just prep it at night and then come home and shoot it during lunch with the hot sun to bake it on.

I'm over the young and bulletproof thing, I learned that a few rides back when my buddy and me challenged a set of stairs when we strayed off the bike trail onto the hiking trail. We both backed down, and I'm almost 10 years older than him. I learned about 8 years ago that I don't bounce as high as I did when I was a kid or young adult. I make a pretty big "thud" now. haha
 
Re: *The 76er* (A/C, wheels, and faux BMX update: 6/14)

yoothgeye said:
Day 45

I was just halfway through this update and hit the "back" button my browser... :x

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. As usual, got a late start tonight, heading into the shop around 10:30pm. Texted Cody, but I think the wrench fest the night before combined with a long hard day of work wore him out, so I would be working alone tonight. I turned on public television and got to work with the A/C on and the fan running.

First order of business was to finally bring the frame back upstairs onto the stand:
IMG_4311.jpg


I then thought about some assembly I could do that I wouldn't have to undo later and decided to start with the fork. Before throwing it on I would thoroughly grease the bearings:
IMG_4312.jpg


That is a large coffee can full of white lithium grease. My brother-in-law offered me a 3/4 full 5 gallon bucket of the grease years ago, and not seeing a use for that much I just filled a coffee can, now I wish I had kept the whole thing. Oh well. I also dabbed some into the cups:
IMG_4313.jpg


Next I slid in the fork and quickly realized that if you are going to install a triple tree fork off the ground you better have all your parts where you can reach them... I didn't. I used this shop rag to tie the fork up so it wouldn't fall on the floor while I grabbed the stuff I needed:
IMG_4314.jpg


Next I slid on the 3rd triple tree mount, now a light bracket, then the top mount and tightened down all the clamping allen screws:
IMG_4315.jpg


Then I moved to the back and for the first time ever installed the homemade layback seatpost and refurbished saddle.
IMG_4316.jpg

(Yes, that is an old GT bmx seat clamp.)

It was time to install the crank, but one look at the black sticky bearings and cups (not removed since installed in 1976) and I knew I had some cleaning to do. I went downstairs and found some Wynn's cleaner of some sort for internal engine cleaning. I dumped some in a bowl and dropped in my parts. Man, this stuff was potent! Known to cause cancer in the state of California... luckily I've never even been to California so I should be safe, so I scrubbed away and man did they clean up nice!
IMG_4317.jpg


After installing the crank, little skiptooth, and pedals, I dropped in the stems with a piece of leftover fork leg material:
IMG_4318.jpg


View from top:
IMG_4319.jpg


Still not sure about bars until the bike is on it's wheels and I can guage the flow of the bike, I tapes something on for ideas:
IMG_4320.jpg


Satisfied with the assembly for the night, I went back to the wheels. Using the straws I split earlier in the day I started sliding them on the spokes:
IMG_4321.jpg


Once the straws were on the spokes I pushed the over the nipples and taped them close to the hub so they wouldn't slide out of place:
IMG_4322.jpg


Then I took them downstairs for a coating of self etching primer:
IMG_4324.jpg

(Ahhh! Flying Saucer Attack!)

This self etching primer, besides the paint stipper, had the strongest fumes of any of the other paint so far, but it made a nice primer coat and it doesn't hurt at all that it has a green tint to it. :wink:
IMG_4325.jpg


If I wasn't married to the build name already I'd have to call this thing "The Late Night Bike." It was just after 12:30 and the paint fumes were heavy in the air, so I took a little rest on my comfy sack:
IMG_4323.jpg


Wait... if I'm sleeping there... then how am I typing here? :shock:

Must be some good paint fumes.

Did you know that many spills occur during the transportation of hazardous materials and one study found that 18,000 hazardous materials spills occurred during 1976! Maybe this accounts for my ADHD, the tumors in my legs, and my scoliosis... not to mention the uneven cantilever bars and other parts on my 76er.
I have those goose necks on my AMF cruiser and bmx
 
Re: *The 76er* (A/C, wheels, and faux BMX update: 6/14)

AMFjunky said:
I have those goose necks on my AMF cruiser and bmx

Once the concept was in my head I went searching for 2 matching stems. I knew I had some matching cheap China stems I could use (I made sure of that) but I wanted to do something different. These Wald stems matched though one was nice and one was rusty, but the nice one came stock on this bike, so these are OEM.
 
Re: *The 76er* (76er goes green update: 6/16)

Day 50

Weekend spent partially out of town, I was having bicycle withdrawls, so I carried all my bike tools just in case I came across a bike that needed assistance, or parts removed. :wink:

Got back late last night and had church activities today. Went out in the shop tonight to get a little done. Cody came over to help, so first off he sanded and prepped the frame of the freestyle bike we are building for a neighbor kid, meanwhile I started back where I left off, the wheels.

Here's a bad close-up of the spokes with the straws on painted:
IMG_4330.jpg


And here's a worse close-up after removing the straws. Though the straws were split, no paint went in through the split and remember these were not taped on the spoke nipple end, and no paint got onto the nipples, it looks great up close! Remember, this is real rust on the spokes, nothing fake here:
IMG_4332.jpg


At this point I had to mount the tires and put the wheels on the bike, once had it on it's wheels, I just stared alot... I really like the way this is coming together!
IMG_4333.jpg


And from the front quarter:
IMG_4334.jpg


And more of the side (please excuse the messiness, we've got a lot of projects ongoing):
IMG_4335.jpg


At this point I stared at the bike some more, then sat on it and tried to get some inspiration on the bars... I think I have a good idea of the direction . So we left the air conditioned upstairs and went down to do some dirty work, removing some paint from a crank (another bike) and I messed with my chain guard for a while, then I remembered something I found washed up on the riverbank this weekend:
IMG_4336.jpg


Some fisherman's old stainless steel thermos. I took the sawzall to it:
IMG_4337.jpg


Looks like since I have a stainless steel headlight, I should have a stainless steel taillight:
IMG_4338.jpg


The old faded lens will be cut to fit inside, the plastic disk (GPS suction cup dash adapter) will house the LEDs inside:
IMG_4339.jpg


Got the mounting surface ready:
IMG_4342.jpg


Changing gears a bit, I looked around the shop and found some new steel someone had given me. This stuff will be better for my rear rack than the previous idea I had posted on here, so Cody rigged up this "jig" for us to bend the steel:
IMG_4340.jpg


With alot of heat from the little torch we ended up with 2 matching bends, just need to bend them inward a little for the top mount, then cut and flatted the ends for mounting, then construct the top:
IMG_4341.jpg


Getting later and the rain falling, I had to give Cody a ride home (he rode his bike over), so we shut down for the night.

Did you know that in 1976 the Nobel Prize in Science for Chemistry went to William N. Lipscomb, Jr. of the U.S. for work on the structure and bonding mechanisms of boranes? Yeah me neither, hey, check out my 1976 Murray Skybolt again!

IMG_4343.jpg
 
Re: *The 76er* (It's rolling! update: 6/20)

The bike is looking awsome.Cant wait to see what idea you come up with for the bars.
 
Re: *The 76er* (It's rolling! update: 6/20)

I'm really liking the forks and the headlight! Great build so far.
 
Re: *The 76er* (It's rolling! update: 6/20)

jerrykr said:
I'm really liking the forks and the headlight! Great build so far.

Thanks, it's really neat to me how all this stuff is falling together.
 
Re: *The 76er* (It's rolling! update: 6/20)

Bike looks awesome and in this build off wether you know the person or not there are lot of talented builders/restorers with awesome bikes. Now I need to get to work and do some updating myself I am a little behind.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top