The Graverobber: Complete

[IronDio]

I've really been itching to build this bike for a few years now. But, having gone back to school, I have very little spare time to build anything very involved. I also don't know if I would be finished in time for the build-off. How much can they be modified? Anyway…
I got this Schwinn frame from a friend who hauls scrap metal for extra money. I'm not sure what model it is…but I do know it's pretty early compared to my other bikes…probably early enough to upset some people with what I'm doing:

The seat and sissy bar are obviously not original, so, thus began the stripping. I want to try not to lose any of the original frame, but I want a completely different look on the bottom end of it. I have a 30" triple tree fork that I will be using for the bike as well.
First cut, I took off the bottom tube right below the cantilevers. Then, I cut the seat tube and chain stays from the bottom bracket. I had to cut about 3 inches off the lower tube, and then flipped it around to swing it forward. Then, I separated the cantilevers from the seat tube and manipulated them upward to lower the bike.
First mock up…the bottom tube does not come low enough for what I want, so I cut a section off a scrap frame to scab in. And…

Now, we're getting somewhere!
Future:
I want to heat the top tube to try to get the seat tube closer to its original position. Then, I have a 20" muscle bike frame I have plans for to fill in the lower end.
Hope you guys like it so far!

 

[IronDio]

Took yesterday off, mostly…I did clamp the head tube in a vise and, while my dad heated the top tube, moved it back to its original position. Worked out well.
Tonight, it was time to exhume another corpse from the graveyard!

A nice little Huffy frame. I only need a little bit of this body, but no progress can be made without sacrifice…

This is exactly what I was looking for!

I laid it back out on the driveway, and, the lines worked better without the extension piece I cut the first night.

I love it!

I got the teardrop shape I wanted!
I love when a plan comes together!

I was hoping to get it lower, but I will see what I can do at the dropouts later, if time allows. Like I said, I might try to get this in the build off.
Then, like I said, I need to bend the Huffy seat tube to meet the Schwinn tube…I'm really liking what's going on though!

I'm glad that Huffy was red, it KIND of works with the Schwinn…I love the patina on this frame! I want to try to preserve the look.

Also, as you may have noticed, I plucked some period correct white rims from the graveyard as well. I love the patina on the rims and spokes and think they work well with the Cheng Shin whitewalls. (I had one mounted in an earlier pic)

Like I said earlier, I have been dreaming of this build for a long time. I had a seat in mind, Brooks style hairpin seat, but it's already speaking to me to go a different way…I do love when the dead speak to me! LOL

…stay tuned

 

[IronDio]

Didn't get to do much last night again. I did stand it up to take a look at it.
I didn't want to, but I'm going to have to take like 4" off the fork tubes to get the look right.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

If you drop the front 4" you will have to raise the BB up too...
Will make all the difference to the looks though!

Luke.

 

[IronDio]

If you drop the front 4" you will have to raise the BB up too...
Will make all the difference to the looks though!

Luke.

I think it will be okay with the crank off the Huffy. I put the original Schwinn crank back in, and it just cleared the tire. The Huffy crank is an inch or better shorter. Worst case, I'll cut the bb off and put it inside the frame instead of outside.

...I should note, the last pic was with the 4" drop. I haven't cut the tubes yet, so it's sticking up above the top plate

 

[IronDio]

Couldn't do much tonight, but I did get some more things done.
I've had the head of a Unity spotlight that I picked up shortly after I got this fork. It looked like a really good fit for that front end. So, I started to work on a bracket. It's not exactly the lightest thing in the world, so I knew it needed to be fairly beefy.
The tubes are 1-1/4", so I grabbed a couple of 1-1/4 exhaust clamps from work.
I had some strapping that I found in a scrap pile, but the holes didn't line up properly with the clamps, and, when I cut the length I needed to span the tubes, there wasn't a hole in the center, so I slotted some holes in it and drilled a hole in the center.

Here's how I clamped it to the tubes.

Worked perfectly!

I was going to clean up the slots a little better, but, this is a rat! Right?!

I will probably heat shrink or wrap the u-bolts with electrical tape during final assembly, just so they fit tighter and I won't have to clamp them so much that I pinch the tubes.

I also made a little headway on the seat, but that's staying under my hat for now.

 

[IronDio]

Went to the annual swap meet this afternoon and ended up picking up a couple of bikes. ..but, this one is still on the front burner.
I did get a chance to make a bracket for the taillight.

 

[IronDio]

 

[LukeTheJoker]

That is a nice chunky light!

Luke.

 

[IronDio]

Well, I almost scrapped the whole project yesterday after something really got me torqued...but, after sleeping on it and realizing that it was a momentary lapse of reason, I am going to drive on with it.
Should have it welded up tonight! (crossing my fingers)

 

[Funkme]

Love the shape of the whole bike,hope you get it finished in time...

 

[IronDio]

Love the shape of the whole bike,hope you get it finished in time...

Thanks! I like the look so far. Hopefully I can get it the way I want it in time.
I've been a member during the last two build-offs, but have never participated.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Nothing like waiting til the last minute... Come on bro!

Carl.

 

[IronDio]

Got a lot done on the frame tonight with help from my dad, actually, apart from grinding some welds...it's done! Here's some progress shots, without giving away too much.
Used an old hawthorn seat mount. Decided to mount it sideways in the top tube, tacked it to the fender support for strength. This is also where we welded the upper cantilever back in place.

Here's the frame with the down tube in place.

And here's the frame with the lower cantilever in position.

 

[IronDio]

Stopping for the evening...

Not bad for a night's work!
And, yes, the front tire clears the chain guard. Lol

 

[Moisstink]

Man that is a ton o work. Very cool direction!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Looking good!

Luke.

 

[IronDio]

More goodies!

 

[white_cross]

looks really good keep up the good work! love what you did to the frame. reminds me of the old Petra song

 

[IronDio]

Thanks for all of the comments/compliments!..really helps keep me going on it!