(WBO) "Slightly Dangerous" Bomber - Finished! 3/16

[horsefarmer]

According to the Net, "Slightly Dangerous" was a WWII Consolidated B-24 Liberator, optimized for long range bombing missions in the Pacific, flown by the 22nd bomb group, it completed 100 successful missions before retirement.
The name appealed to me because this is my first build off bike and I know nothing about the Chinese built bike I'm starting with.

Going to try these "Dumpster forks" which I guess are slightly dangerous too!

 

[Funkme]

kimakaze pilot in the mix...
A great starting point.Interesting to see where this lands...

 

[horsefarmer]

Hopefully not a face plant! What's the weather like in Greece? In Wisconsin it's like -15 f or -26 c.....

 

[LukeTheJoker]

"Slightly Dangerous" was a WWII Consolidated B-24 Liberator, it completed 100 successful missions before retirement.

Sounds like it was more than slightly dangerous!

Welcome to the build-off!

Luke.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I hope that you have a heated shop, those pictures make me cold just looking at them! Have fun.

 

[horsefarmer]

Ya I do. Bike is in the basement. 3 feet away from the wood stove.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Ya I do. Bike is in the basement. 3 feet away from the wood stove.

Sounds perfect!

Luke.

 

[CRASH]

B-24 build... love the concept!!

 

[horsefarmer]

Update 1/08 - Made some progress! ditched the handlebars and the plastic fenders.
Got my new tires mounted up (they are Duro Beach Bums)

and they really make the bike look massive!

I'm even beginning to like the looks of the stock fork.

Added bars from from some old Mongoose BMX I found at the dump (bent gooseneck stem)

The brake levers are really nice cast aluminum units - Probably been thru heck before I found them.

If the stock coaster proves unsuitable, I can upgrade to front and rear brakes. LOL.
Now I gotta get rid of all the crappy stickers and mount a better seat...

 

[Yooperman]

I see your making progress with those evil tires. Hopefully those tubes will last till April. Good luck on your project. I also got the thunderbolt posted in the WBO today!


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[horsefarmer]

Update 1/12 - After blowing rear tube, tried "baby powder" around new tube and less pressure seems good so far... I don't know if its the hardness of the tires, or the size (26x2.125) but 20 psi seems like plenty of air.
Pealed off all the stupid factory stickers with heat gun and I think it looks much better! Also swapped out cheapo "Magna" saddle for used "Velo" springer model.

swapped out original fork for springer fork.

Starting to look a lot different.

 

[us56456712]

I built a slightly similar bike for winter riding a few years ago, it has homemade studded tires. I see you live near me in N.E. Wisconsin. The dumpster type shocks on our bikes don't work in the winter. For half the first winter they moved a little, then they got rust welded from the salt and don't move at all anymore. I used them because of the mounts for a more powerful front brake, so they work fine in that regard. I don't imagine you are going to use this for the winter. Great minds think alike, cool bike.

 

[horsefarmer]

I built a slightly similar bike for winter riding a few years ago,... I don't imagine you are going to use this for the winter. Great minds think alike, cool bike.

Thanks!
Yes indeed, even thinking of a small front sprocket like in your pic.
Still not sure about the front suspension, but a front brake is a plus.
As far as "winter riding" goes when it gets icy I avoid 2 wheels!
Feeding the woodstove, feeding the critters, snowshoe hikes and now bike building keep me busy in Winter. But Spring is coming! (I hope)

 

[Yooperman]

Looks good so far but you need to lose those decals on the fork too!


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[horsefarmer]

I started peeling them off before I quit for lunch!
They could not make bigger and uglier stickers if they tried.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Heat guns are awesome on stickers...
Followed by a GooGone rub down.
I will submit all the lame stickers on an OCC
for bigger and uglier though...

Carl.

 

[horsefarmer]

40 min with the heat gun got the huge stickers off the forks, have to do goof off stuff another day - worth it when done, looks so much better!

 

[us56456712]

40 min with the heat gun got the huge stickers off the forks, have to do goof off stuff another day - worth it when done, looks so much better!

I am too impatient for the heat gun, I use a torch.

 

[us56456712]

Thanks!
Yes indeed, even thinking of a small front sprocket like in your pic.
Still not sure about the front suspension, but a front brake is a plus.
As far as "winter riding" goes when it gets icy I avoid 2 wheels!
Feeding the woodstove, feeding the critters, snowshoe hikes and now bike building keep me busy in Winter. But Spring is coming! (I hope)

I get my small front sprockets from old 24 inch or even the occasional 26 inch cheap department store type mountain bikes with one piece cranks. Around here you can buy a whole bike like this from a thrift store for less than the sprocket would cost. You have to look carefully at the small inner sprocket to make sure it has a hole in it for the crank drive peg. If you are patient you will find a 30 tooth and occasionally a 28 tooth. You can also buy a small 28 tooth front sprockets for one piece cranks from the bicycle polo folks on the web.

 

[horsefarmer]

Update 1/22
Got Stickers removed, everything greased and adjusted, and new chain fitted. Welded up holes in handlebars, added foam grips from old sears exercise bike. Took on test ride today (sunny 30deg and the hwy dry.)

Bike rides nice! Compared to any other bikes I own these are the biggest tires and they ride very nice. The coaster is quiet (Falcon copy of Shimano) after relube. What they say about Chinese bikes needing grease is true, man what ever they put in there - get it out pronto and put in 10x as much "real" grease.

Gotta put well used aluminum "GT" pedals on instead of plastic ones on it now. also have to obtain a front brake cable and noodle to get front brake operational. After I blew first tube popping rear tire off bead @ 40 psi , I'm only running 20 psi now.

Tires don't seem too squatted out with me (185 lbs) aboard, but bike does seem kinda tall geared. Front sprocket is 44 tooth and rear is 18. Think I should try a smaller front sprocket?