TRADITIONAL THUNDERBOLT

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

️️️THUNDERBOLT️️️
️️️1938 HAWTHORNE ️️️
This is my entry for the 2024 build off 19. I started with a Wards Hawthorne frame that had many layers of paint and quite a bit of rust. From there, I chased down parts and came up with a nice collection to build from.
Features:
* Custom made tank from scratch (made by me)
* Custom paint: Smoke Gray & Satin Apple Green
* 1930’s Elgin Skirts & Chain guard
* 1940’s rear fender (front fender flipped)
• Vintage Troxel saddle in white on a lucky 7 post
* Vintage Sachs Torpedo 3 speed hub
* Vintage Shimano 333 twist grip shifter
* Vintage Beehive Springer
* Vintage lucky 7 36 tooth sprocket on 70’s crank
* Vintage white pedals
* 1970’s Huffy cruiser handlebars & vintage stem
* New Wheel Master rims with 12 gage spokes
* New Ralson nylon off-road tires 26x2.235

Thank you for for checking my new ride out!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BUILD!
https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/️️️thunderbolt️️️.119755/

 

[kingfish254]

CONGRATS on a superbly beautiful build! This was a great one to follow.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Wow!!

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

CONGRATS on a superbly beautiful build! This was a great one to follow.

Thank much @kingfish254 glad we got to knock out another one! Great times!

Wow!!

Thanks Man! We did it!

 

[Uncle Shish]

OMG! The last I checked in (sorry, my bad) you were still shaping the tank. Yowza, what a build!!! Love the color choices.

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

OMG! The last I checked in (sorry, my bad) you were still shaping the tank. Yowza, what a build!!! Love the color choices.

Thanks for checking it out! I appreciate the kind words!

 

[Pondo]

Beautiful build! I love the custom work on the tank and, well, all of it!

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

Beautiful build! I love the custom work on the tank and, well, all of it!

Thank you much! I appreciate the kind words. It wasn’t till later while going over your finish build, that I had chosen the same kind of land scape as you. Sorry if I stepped on your toes. Maybe great minds think alike

 

[Pondo]

Thank you much! I appreciate the kind words. It wasn’t till later while going over your finish build, that I had chosen the same kind of land scape as you. Sorry if I stepped on your toes. Maybe great minds think alike

I hadn't even noticed that, that's quite a coincidence. We live so far apart but you can find natural beauty everywhere.

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

Hit the Heritage Center lake again. Great place to ride and take photos. Lakewood Colorado

 

[kingfish254]

YES!! Ride that trophy!!!

 

[OddJob]

Great work! The tank creation was fun to follow, and the tie-in with the vents on the skirts was a nice surprise once you put it all together. Of course, the big ol' knobbies tug at my off-road heart strings! Kudos!

 

[Da Gas Man]

This is such a great image. At that gray line between day and night.
Dimensionally this awesome bike is coming at us. To avoid the obvious
temptation to sharpen and enhance the colors makes it all the more
powerful. For me, this was always the time of day when I would hear
my mother calling us home for supper from a half mile away. This can
be any season too. Hot, dry summer or cold winter or any day between.
Brilliant. You have created a beautiful bicycle that people want to ride.
I know I do.

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

YES!! Ride that trophy!!!

It’s a fun one to ride. When they ride smooth it’s so satisfying

Great work! The tank creation was fun to follow, and the tie-in with the vents on the skirts was a nice surprise once you put it all together. Of course, the big ol' knobbies tug at my off-road heart strings! Kudos!

Thank you! I really enjoy getting creative with the tanks. This one came with no real plan before I started creating it. I had created a tank in cardboard early on, but was a lot bigger than it needed and I had minimal materials to work with. I went with the knobby tires for an “aggressive” look and surprisingly, they ride quietly on paved road.

This is such a great image. At that gray line between day and night.
Dimensionally this awesome bike is coming at us. To avoid the obvious
temptation to sharpen and enhance the colors makes it all the more
powerful. For me, this was always the time of day when I would hear
my mother calling us home for supper from a half mile away. This can
be any season too. Hot, dry summer or cold winter or any day between.
Brilliant. You have created a beautiful bicycle that people want to ride.
I know I do.

View attachment 276846

Thank you for the kind words. I was very happy with this photo. I nearly used it as my finish photo, but it just didn’t show enough of the bike. I love the golden hours, and I have those same memories as you as a kid. The feeling when you know you should head home but you’re having too much fun to leave where you are.

 

[Wildcat]

That came out great! That's one of my favorite frames and I always like the 3 speed twist grip. A lot of bikes I had as a kid had those even if they weren't hooked up. We rode our bikes into the ground. Usually we were stuck in high gear or a pebble would hold it in second on the shimano hubs.

My research shows a straight down tube before 1941. Did you ever get a look at the bottom bracket for a serial number? I'm still compiling all the info I can in my pile of notes.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Congratulations! Super clean custom build!

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

Congratulations! Super clean custom build!

View attachment 277258

Thank you for doing this! I appreciate the work! I’m going to have to get this printed. Very cool.

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

That came out great! That's one of my favorite frames and I always like the 3 speed twist grip. A lot of bikes I had as a kid had those even if they weren't hooked up. We rode our bikes into the ground. Usually we were stuck in high gear or a pebble would hold it in second on the shimano hubs.

My research shows a straight down tube before 1941. Did you ever get a look at the bottom bracket for a serial number? I'm still compiling all the info I can in my pile of notes.

Those are great memories you shared. I’m glad I came upon this frame. I really like the twist grips. They are a bit small but have. A good feel to them.
I only found two marks. I believe it was an 8 on the drop out and an H on the bottom bracket. The only two marks that look like a stamp. The frame was originally red with blue darts, if that helps date it. @Wildcat

 

[Wildcat]

Yours will be on the bottom bracket. The H is probably part of E H and 2 digits reversed for the year. If you can post a photo maybe I can make out some features. Here's what my 42 looked like:

 

[Shrunken_Head_Pedaler]

Yours will be on the bottom bracket. The H is probably part of E H and 2 digits reversed for the year. If you can post a photo maybe I can make out some features. Here's what my 42 looked like:
View attachment 277314

I was only able to find an “H” with no other marks that look like stamping on the bb. There is an “8” on the left dropout.