(WBO 2015) The Half Fast Flyer

[late for dinner]

I've had this early '50s Western Flyer frame for a few years now and although it has seen a few different builds, none have ever quite stuck.
I'm hoping it's time to take another shot and give it a more cohesive design and make use of the remaining parts and materials on hand.
The Before Pic

The After Shot

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Cool!

Luke.

 

[deven_science]

Love that chain guard!

 

[Bike Bum]

Yes!! BOTEN is coming up. ??

 

[late for dinner]

Love that chain guard!

I actually wasn't diggin that chainguard at the time you mentioned it Deven, but it is right for the vintage of the frame and I know it'll fit the 65 tooth sprocket I'll be using. So I prepped it again. Thanks

Yes!! BOTEN is coming up. ??

BOTEN ah....Yeah!!? I dunno Bike Bum,
I have enough (too many) bikes already and I think I may be ahead of the curve for the local old bike market.
I figure I may throw a nanner and apes on my Evans so I can ride it more comfortably.
I love the original condition of the bike, but if no one wants her, I'll store the rack, fenders and seat and just make her mine for awhile longer.
(BTW- Looking for $500+ actual S&H (could be up to $150?) from Canada. Anyone can PM me if interested)
So... back to the Flyer, I had a chance to mess with it a bit.
I had stripped the bike to bare metal once and already painted it twice, so took the vintage motor oil finish off the flat black, spot glazed and sanded and shot the finish colour that I had on hand. It'll probably get some scallops or 2nd colour details as well. I did paint the inside of the guard and fenders yellow, but I'll see if I actually like it when tha parts are back in place.


I stripped and painted (using only materials on hand) both forks and think I'll use the WF blades with trusses.
I haven't decided on fenders, but painted the bobbed X53 fender as it was bare and may work out on this build. I have original blue pair from the '40s Hawthorne and a few misc others to play with also as this bike evolves.
The paint came out a bit gloosier than it did when I used it on my tool cabinet.
(which now sits 1/2 empty due to some thieving dirt bag.
The pic will at least show how this questionable grey may work with a second color.

 

[late for dinner]

Well I think it's all over and this is the sort of anti climactic result. This frame and I have tried to get along, and we had our fun, but I think it's just time to let her go to a home where she'll be loved and ridden.
It ended in a whirlwind today to just git 'er dun and lessen my parts surplus.


I also picked up a new prospect today that I am sure to love a little stronger.
Late '30s/early '40s CCM Rambler

 

[Walker]

Sometimes you gotta say goodbye to a dear old friend.

I see lots of potential with that CCM!

 

[late for dinner]

Sometimes you gotta say goodbye to a dear old friend.

I see lots of potential with that CCM!

Thanks Walker, The CCM does have good bones. I think I'll do it justice by keeping it clean and simple when the time comes.
It's too bad the old flyer turned out way more 'half fast' than I intended.

 

[Ratter]

Nice bug '67???

 

[late for dinner]

Nice bug '67???

Yep, '67.
It's a neighbour's who said he gave it to friend, but it's still sitting there.
I left him a pic of my old 2 owner '66 Kombi and told him about the Cal style Beetle I built both of which ended up on different continents.
I guess I should talk to him again!
Have you posted pics of your bug anywhere ratter?
Drop one here if you'd like.

 

[Ratter]

I have not yet....Ill have to find one

 

[Pushie Pirate]

VW fan here sorry for the hi-jack!
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/vwcycle-cruiser.55616/

 

[late for dinner]

Thanks for the Jack Pirate,
My build kind of swerved off the road with a flat, so it's good that viewers now have a real build thread to view.(lol)

 

[late for dinner]

I found another bit of paint so added a set of scallops to break up the grey.
The 2.125 won't tuck under the fenders and I think the 1.75s are in their last days.

 

[late for dinner]

I got back to bike this morning and everything seemed to fall into place at the last minute.
After finding the old tires too far gone, I decided to intall new ones and replaced the front wheel, bobbed the fender a bit more, added scallops and paint where needed (under fender/ behind chainguard) and installed the headlight/horn unit to finish it up.
Aside from maybe a little pinstriping in the future, I think I saved this build at the final hour.

Maybe I can have this thread moved to the build off for the heck of it.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Nicely done!

Maybe I can have this thread moved to the build off for the heck of it.

Post up the pics in the finished bikes thread if you are serious and I will move the thread for you...

Luke.

 

[late for dinner]

Nicely done!


Post up the pics in the finished bikes thread if you are serious and I will move the thread for you...

Luke.

THANK YOU LUKE for your work on the Build Off and transferring my post over from the build thread.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Luke.

 

[Funkme]

Nice color combo...

 

[late for dinner]

Nice color combo...

Thanks Funk.
It really was the only on-hand leftovers that were enough to do the job.
The Gold was hiding in a dark corner of the shop until a day ago.
The Grey was a dollar store buy from last year with the wrong caps on the cans when I wanted a dark metalic grey. :banghead:
Paint job - Priceless!
Build Budget - $0.00 (Parts Bin Raid)

Shucks!.... I'm actually liking this bike again!
I originally put it together fairly simply to offer up to some new Rat rider as a cheap and easy way to make the scene and then move on to the next one, but now have the big showy 64 tooth Schwinn chainring, a Higgins tombstone reflector, a pair of apes and a nice shiney set of HD rims left over. Hmmmm.