The Tank Rat

[white_cross]

I recently acquired a really unique bike from one of my friends dads. It is my next bike project. The bike has probably sat out side in the same place at my friends parents farm for over 10 or so years. I am not sure who makes it or what kind of bike it is, It says it is a sprinter Made by Avis bicycle co. It looks like an old dirt bike. I call it The Tank because it is a beast to lift and it is so heavy i cant even pop a wheelie on it. what I got a kick out of was the warning lable that said not made for jumping or the warrantee will be voided

Here is the bike when I first got it home and had not done anything to it yet:

The bike mechanically needed so much I decided it would be best to send it away for a tune up before I started the restoration. when i got it back From the shop I had to laugh when i saw the bearings that were in the crank. They were so mangled and the rear rim was rusted right through.

here are some pictures of one of the barings and a race and the the baring cover:

Here is the bike in my garage after the tune up. I think it looks pretty ratty right now but it rides like a new bike:

The next step is to paint the frame and polish the rust out of the chrome shocks, and recover the rear seat in new black vinyl. I found a really awesome color it is off of a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, It is called Electric pearl blue.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Ok not wanting to rag on you ,and I know the bike shops can use the money...BUT you could have done all the repair work yourself. This is kinda what Ratrodbikes is all about. There is a how to section ,and the changing the bearing races and bearings is an oh so simple task. I would imagine that several people had a new 20''rim and tire you could have picked up for cheaper than you paid your LBS. Try these things yourself....Its really easy and you need to learn. You will pick up other bikes ...its a madness. Its alot easier and fulfilling to say I fixed all that...and I can do it in my sleep...We don't need no stinking repair man :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[AussieJester]

So you went and paid a bike shop to take it apart change the bearings now your going to take it apart again paint and polish it and put in the bearings again...makes no sense at all too me.

KiM

 

[ElChupacabra]

I think you guys might be forgetting what a pain in the *ss it can be to get crusty old bikes apart. There are lots of times I would rather take a bike to a shop and have them deal with getting through 40 years of rust to remove a crankset or such. If he can afford to pay the man for new parts and labor more power to him. Its still his vision for the project. I dig this bike. Keep wrenchin....

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I think you guys might be forgetting what a pain in the *ss it can be to get crusty old bikes apart. There are lots of times I would rather take a bike to a shop and have them deal with getting through 40 years of rust to remove a crankset or such. If he can afford to pay the man for new parts and labor more power to him. Its still his vision for the project. I dig this bike. Keep wrenchin....

Thats true ,and while your at it removing all that rust and paint is a real pain too...Hey maybe a bodyshop could do that and paint it...oh and dont forget how nasty the old seat material is..hummm maybe run it by an upholstery shop. It gets your hands really dirty trying to get that chrome back looking good.....maybe a good chrome plater around. :lol: I have had lots of bikes a bike shop wouldnt touch. Pb blaster,liquid wrench and a little work and they ride like the wind. We all have our own ideas some like to do it some like to spend money. Its all in what you like.

 

[SSG]

That's a cool bike, does it have a CCM sprocket? I have a Silver Fox that is similar, it weighs a TON.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Cool looking bike, I'm using the same stem on my bike.
Good luck...

 

[ElChupacabra]

Ok not wanting to rag on you ,and I know the bike shops can use the money...BUT you could have done all the repair work yourself. This is kinda what Ratrodbikes is all about. There is a how to section ,and the changing the bearing races and bearings is an oh so simple task. I would imagine that several people had a new 20''rim and tire you could have picked up for cheaper than you paid your LBS. Try these things yourself....Its really easy and you need to learn. You will pick up other bikes ...its a madness. Its alot easier and fulfilling to say I fixed all that...and I can do it in my sleep...We don't need no stinking repair man :lol: :lol: :lol:

I hear ya Stretch. My point is this... I sure want a spaceship but I dont know the first thing about building one. You can be sure though if I had enough money to pay somebody else to build one I would fork over the cash. :lol:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Hey El Chupacabra I think there was a post way back in the How To Section on how to build a spaceship...naw I think it was a spaceliner...close. Well NASA is only 20 minutes from my house I will run down there and see how much they will charge to whip you one up. I understand what your saying , but if we all help each other with the knowledge to do everything , it's alot cheaper . We can all use the extra coins to buy welding supplies to transform all these old bikes into dreams . :wink:
Sorry White Cross for taking over you post. Nice start and I'm sure it will turn out well.

 

[white_cross]

thanks for all of the positive comments. Though I do remember this was supposed to be a friendly web site. I really appreciated that about it. In the "bike build" section check out my "Sour Apple" build up. This was my first ever bike restoration. This bike build is what got me hooked on building bikes. I did all of the work on this bike myself (Mechanical, painting, Custom painting, chrome refurbishing).

 

[sidsky]

hey, if you steer away from fully restoring that, i suggest doing a cafe bike :wink:
i was doodling something that would look like a cafe racer, and it ended up similar to your bike well, close, i kinda curve the down tube as to straight on yours. mann!!! with tank, cafe'd seat and rear fender, just giving idea mann!!!
good luck!!!!

 

[Floyd]

My Brother had one of those back in the day. He used to do some crazy stuff on it with that suspension. Jumps that extremers would think twice about! Broke the frame so many times he finally had to trash it.

 

[theVULTURE]

Oh man! look at those old OAKLEY grips! i don't think i've ever seen white ones.....
dig up some white (or paintable) bar ends, and slide those bad boys back into position 8)

cool bike

 

[white_cross]

My Brother had one of those back in the day. He used to do some crazy stuff on it with that suspension. Jumps that extremers would think twice about! Broke the frame so many times he finally had to trash it.

I like it sounds like it would make a sweet old school bike video. made me smile just thinking about it

hey, if you steer away from fully restoring that, i suggest doing a cafe bike :wink:
i was doodling something that would look like a cafe racer, and it ended up similar to your bike well, close, i kinda curve the down tube as to straight on yours. mann!!! with tank, cafe'd seat and rear fender, just giving idea mann!!!
good luck!!!!

you should show me a picture. what is a Cafe bike? I have not heard that tearm before.

Oh man! look at those old OAKLEY grips! i don't think i've ever seen white ones.....
dig up some white (or paintable) bar ends, and slide those bad boys back into position 8)

cool bike

I wonder if I could just clean them to look like new. it would be cool.

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

Those are some of my favorite bikes! Ive built a few of them now,and yours looked new compared to some Ive gotten.Usually the fork legs are so rusted it takes 2 days of sanding and resurfacing per leg! I really like where your taking it!Keep up the good work and keep the pictures comming please!!Just please dont cut it up!!There are not too many of these left out there.The funnest thing about these bikes,is they are wheelie machines!Sit all the way on the back of the seat,and the shocks will sink and the front end just comes right up!if your ever in California bring it by and have some fun on that thing!haha.This is a picture of my last one.

 

[white_cross]

Those are some of my favorite bikes! Ive built a few of them now,and yours looked new compared to some Ive gotten.Usually the fork legs are so rusted it takes 2 days of sanding and resurfacing per leg! I really like where your taking it!Keep up the good work and keep the pictures comming please!!Just please dont cut it up!!There are not too many of these left out there.The funnest thing about these bikes,is they are wheelie machines!Sit all the way on the back of the seat,and the shocks will sink and the front end just comes right up!if your ever in California bring it by and have some fun on that thing!haha.This is a picture of my last one.


your bike looks sweet! what can you tell me about these bikes. I will send build pictures as I get them.

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

There were a few companys out there making MX back in the days.Graco,Matthews,LRV,Rampar,and Kawasaki.there was a few more but all just rad! I'll post a ....... picture of a real MX racer from back in the 70s.Please post up build photos.Here is a picture of my bike before the work started.

 

[white_cross]

There were a few companys out there making MX back in the days.Graco,Matthews,LRV,Rampar,and Kawasaki.there was a few more but all just rad! I'll post a ....... picture of a real MX racer from back in the 70s.Please post up build photos.Here is a picture of my bike before the work started.


do you know if there was a ccm version or a brand called sprinter? I will post build photos once i start. i will be starting to fix the rust on my ford ranger soon so i may have to wait a bit before i continue the bike, I will keep you posted

 

[elvis51]

Those are some of my favorite bikes! Ive built a few of them now,and yours looked new compared to some Ive gotten.Usually the fork legs are so rusted it takes 2 days of sanding and resurfacing per leg! I really like where your taking it!Keep up the good work and keep the pictures comming please!!Just please dont cut it up!!There are not too many of these left out there.The funnest thing about these bikes,is they are wheelie machines!Sit all the way on the back of the seat,and the shocks will sink and the front end just comes right up!if your ever in California bring it by and have some fun on that thing!haha.This is a picture of my last one.

whoa whoa whoa, i dont see the bike. am i missing something here??? wait there it is....nope still dont see it.....lol :lol: :lol:

Easy E

 

[stretch]

i like the seat.. :wink: