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Bluebirds are symbolic of happiness and contentment. There are few things that fill me with joy and peace like working on and riding my bikes. Also. . . This 1947 Dayton stepthrough bike is a striking combination of navy and turquoise. I love a blue bike! Hence her name: The Bluebird of Happiness. A love of all things bicycles is something that I share with my father. Using the rear wheel with the Torpedo Duomatic 2 speed kickback hub is a tribute to him and one of the first resto-mod builds we did together.
During this first Build Off for me, I learned that it is hard to stop in the middel of a creative process to take pictures, my biggest challenge during this project. The last photo is where I started. My goal was to clean her up but keep the patina. The rest of the build was all about elegant lines and complementary colors.
Here is a link to my Build Journal so you can see my process.
https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-bluebird-of-happiness.112045/
The tires are GT Heritage series in Cyan. Note the copper bluebird on the rear fender.
Non drive side shot showing off the pinstriping.
I have wanted to do a fender mascot for quite some time. I'm very pleased with the results of my copper wire bluebird "flying" over my front fender. The vintage headlight, stem and bars were all chosen based on how they complemented the mascot.
The telltale "soup can" ridges of the Torpedo Duomatic hub and a great shot of the wood pedals.
A beautiful Loveland Saddle by Rivet Cycle Works. I count the "Rivetress" among my friends and am so pleased with how well this saddle goes with this build. This is also a great shot of the wear along the top of the chain guard and down tube. This tells me that this bike has been loved and ridden for generations and gives me a sense of kinship with the women who rode her through out the last half of the 20th century and on into the 21st. Isn't a bicycle a marvelous thing?
On the South Branch of the Raritan River in Clinton NJ. Pinstriping by Paul of Vintage Motorcar of Hunterdon. Paul is a colleague and friend who shares my love of things with wheels.
Heading over the antique pony bridge into downtown Clinton NJ.
On the pony bridge with The Red Mill Museum Village in the background. Located in Clinton NJ. I organize a vintage bike ride called The Red Mill Retro Ride in the spring and will be using some of the photos I've taken for this build to promote the ride. I expect I will also be riding The Bluebird myself that day!
The Bluebird the day I brought her home. One of the dirtiest bikes I've ever cleaned!
Ride Video:
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