Cool Manchu: Finished pics (9/10)

[blsm]

I can't think of a good name, so I might as well ripoff the Supersuckers.

God bless crappy camera phones.

This is my first vintage/rat build and right now is about 85% done. The frame was billed on CL as a 1937 Hiawatha but came with the 1/2" pitch gearing (the bottom bracket bearings have Schwinn stampings). The other keeper parts are a repop Monarch fork, bars/stem from a 24" Sears muscle bike I found beside a dumpster, and the newish wheels. Now that its ridable, I'm trying to restore an old Brooks saddle to go on top of a curved seat post. I also have an early 50's wraparound chainguard I'd like to put on this and paint metallic red, then get some glitter grips and beartrap pedals to match it. Electra Retrorunner tires are being shipped. Maybe there's a chrome chain in its future as well.

I know it pretty much looks just like a third of all the bikes posted here. But I just won something off of eBay that will set it apart just a little bit. This is going to be mounted at the top of the seatstays. Mothers around Green Lake are just gonna love me.

Hopefully everything will come together in time for the Seattle Show&Shine. If not, I'm happy with how it looks and rides now

 

[user 135]

Re: Cool Manchu

Looks great. Simple and clean. I like the Monark's with apes.

 

[johnny nightwolf]

Re: Cool Manchu

Can't go wrong with the Supersuckers! Love the bike!

 

[blsm]

Re: Cool Manchu

I have to give a big thanks to Larry, Monster Metal's metal master, for fabricating the mounts for my chainguard this morning :mrgreen:

 

[blsm]

Re: Cool Manchu

I finished this last week and took it to the Renagade Muscle show, where I was awarded a trophy for Best Vintage Hot Rod Bike. Mostly because I stuck around and the real victor had left early, but that part isn't important.

This is my first true Kustom creation, and I'm really proud of how everything turned out. It has a psychobilly flavor that I love.

Here is a good desktop shot: http://tinyurl.com/coolmanchudesktop

 

[floridasfavson]

I have a 37 Hawthorne Zep frame and it looks exactly like yours so the CL ad seems correct.

 

[BrigmasterA]

nice work, man. Glad to see another sweet ride right here in Washington State! Keep up the good work!

 

[xddorox]

Excellent looking ride. I really like the chain guard and grips color match.

 

[Highridah]

is that a shifter mounted on a bell

 

[BarnesTO]

I like it....although yours looks like a bell, I'd like a shifter like that!

 

[blsm]

Yeah, its just a regular large ding-dong bell mounted there to cover my "cut then measure" approach to the chainguard. The suicide arm is an adjustable shelving bracket with a 90º bend at the top.

 

[blsm]

I took advantage of the Choppers U.S. 30% off sale to give my baby a little face-lift. This diamond-plate sprocket has been calling to me for months. I thought it was the same tooth-count as the old Schwinn clover, but the diameter is noticeably smaller. After looking at these pics, I'll probably switch back - it just doesn't fill out the chainguard very well and I can't stand how the chain drops down in the rear. But who knows, it may grow on me after a while.

------------------------

Now as you can see, we had an awesome sunny day here. I took the bike down to Green Lake to do a couple laps. After I took those pictures, I hopped on and tried to pedal and my bike just wouldn't budge. Apparently when I adjusted the chain, the axle nuts weren't tightened enough and my wheel was all akimbo leaving my tire wedged against the chainstay. Luckily I drove down to the lake instead of riding from home..... but I was still a mile and a half from my truck when this happened. So I had to walk back with the bike slung over my shoulder while all of Seattle was looking at me, silently mocking and judging.

This is how I got my upper-body workout today:

 

[stretch]

i wanna know where you got that awesome johnny belt buckle! :mrgreen: :lol:

 

[Wingman]

Nice Bike .... I like it

Kinda like the moth to the light im attracted to the Ape Hangers .... I just can't help it .... lol

Stephen / Wingman

 

[ej599]

Very cool. The bell is trick and I'm an ape-man. I agree with the sprocket though. I think something more 'vintage' would look better. And maybe a tool pouch for roadside repairs!

 

[bits n pieces]

cool bike! i had to do that work out a few times, only we were about 24 miles from home! my buddy busted the chainring off my hutch windstyler somehow. he wouldnt even pay for it! that will teach me to let someone ride my bikes again!

 

[KOTA]

Apparently when I adjusted the chain, the axle nuts weren't tightened enough and my wheel was all akimbo leaving my tire wedged against the chainstay.

You might want to put the tensioners back on the dropouts, because this will keep happening. If you don't have them get some bolts that fit and "double nut" them. I've had this problem, and this seemed to fix it.....Good luck

 

[blsm]

i wanna know where you got that awesome johnny belt buckle! :mrgreen: :lol:

I got it off of eBay. There's a few up right now

 

[ricksterr1221]

...... bike.