Hot Rod Higgins - DONE. In the finished forum

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Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

I've been busy at work on it. I swapped out the rear wheel for one to match the front with beefier spokes and I dropped the bike off today to have the pinstriping finished.
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

Peatbog said:
Wah..!? You're making it better than it already is. Oh man, I gotta sit down.
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Nothing major...I just rushed to finish it for a couple of shows that were coming up. As far as the striping, he still needs to outline the "Grumpys" and add some lines to the back of the headlight and the fork blades. I still may end up going three speed, but we'll see. I have a couple other bikes in pieces and a Stingray I need to work on, so I may leave it as is. I do have come up with a location for a photoshoot. I used to shoot for a racing magazine, so photography is another hobby.
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

dang, that's a nice bike! everything about it is just so "right". love it!
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

jerrykr said:
dang, that's a nice bike! everything about it is just so "right". love it!
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Thanks man...It's crazy that you get some ideas, you dig for parts to recycle, you put it all together and then people are into it. That's flat out cool.

Not sure why some people aren't into rat bikes. I mean you basically bring a pile of parts back to life and make something new. Not just my bike, but check out all the threads. Look at what they start with and look at their creations. I think the build offs are the best time of the year around here. I love to read through all the threads....good stuff.

I think it would be sweet for RRB to put together a calender of the top 12 bikes from the build off each year. Talk about motivation hanging in the garage....a new killer bike every month to stare at! :lol:
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

Terry66 said:
jerrykr said:
dang, that's a nice bike! everything about it is just so "right". love it!
Click to expand...

Thanks man...It's crazy that you get some ideas, you dig for parts to recycle, you put it all together and then people are into it. That's flat out cool.

Not sure why some people aren't into rat bikes. I mean you basically bring a pile of parts back to life and make something new. Not just my bike, but check out all the threads. Look at what they start with and look at their creations. I think the build offs are the best time of the year around here. I love to read through all the threads....good stuff.

I think it would be sweet for RRB to put together a calender of the top 12 bikes from the build off each year. Talk about motivation hanging in the garage....a new killer bike every month to stare at! :lol:
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I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE CALENDER IDEA!! BUT FIRST - YO!! YA BIKE IS KRAZY KOOL!! IT'S 90+ OUTSIDE TODAY AND FLEAS ARE IN THE BASEMENT BUT I'VE GOTTA GTB!! HAVE A COLD ONE ON ME CUZ YOU JUST ROSE THAT BAR. PEACE
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

Thanks Jake!

So, I get a text from Brian, the guy doing my stripes....says he finished the bike. I asked him how it looks....he said the finishing touches "bring the bike to life". 8) 8) 8)

Man, I cannot wait to see this! Probably can't get it till tomorrow though. :|
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

Made a late night run to get my bike. All I can say is wow....Brian nailed it with the striping. He didn't go crazy, but the touches are just killer. Man, if you guys are in the Ohio area, look up Brian Tomlinson. He hits a lot of the local shows. I'll post some pics tomorrow before I take a few parts back off the bike to make some changes.
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Done for now. First trophy pics

Not too much to report, but I did get the final pinstriping done. Brian outlined the word "Grumpy's" and added a few accents to the frame, fork and headlight. Here are a couple of quick pics....

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Finally I swapped out the rear wheel. I had a standard 24 rear wheel on the back that I got off a Nirve Switchblade. The front had a heavy duty Wheelmaster rim that was 24X2.125 and had 12G spokes. I ordered a matching rear wheel. This thing is beefy...

black21.jpg


The only thing left is to get the headlight working. I stripped an LED headlight this evening and will wire it up tomorrow. IF I get that all done, I may try to get the horn working....
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - new rear wheel and striping

Man those are some bigbutt spokes!!!!

Gotta keep this baby on my radar for motivation to do my best!!
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - new rear wheel and striping

kingfish254 said:
Man those are some bigbutt spokes!!!!

Gotta keep this baby on my radar for motivation to do my best!!
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Cool thing is they run $18 for the front and $31 for the rear with coaster brake. They look amazing. Nice wide rims and heavy duty spokes. Lots of bling for not a lot of dough.
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

So late last night, I decided to tackle my headlight. The light is an old fog light with a cool yellow lens. Once again, I had NO idea what I was doing, but armed with a soldering iron, and LED flashlight and some previous RRB posts I tore into it.

I totally destroyed the flashlight trying to get the LED element out. Once I did that, I used a round file to open up the globe inside the light. A little electrical tape and super glue and the element was in place. After that it was soldering in the battery pack and the toggle switch.

Here is what I started with.
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After a shoddy wiring job by a total rookie....
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with a flip of the switch
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Cool thing is that there was already a hole where the wire came out of the housing. It was perfectly placed!
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Finally the cool part...any idea what you get when you light a yellow lens with the slight blue cast of an LED? You get this funky neon greenish look that perfectly patches the pinstriping on the bike! You can't really see it here, but it is cool!

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Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

Thanks Jim...this was one of those things that probably didn't mean much to the look of the bike. I mean in a show or competition, I doubt a working light would make much difference....but it bugged me. A light is supposed to light up. :mrgreen:

Honestly, this bike is about done. I guess I am still tinkering with a suicide shift three speed hub idea and maybe a cool taillight, but I am doubting they will happen before the end of the build off
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

That light looks great :!: The green color is perfect 8) 8) Is that what what you anticipated?
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

Nice light work! That reminds me, I need to get to work on mine soon.
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

Circa Cycles said:
That light looks great :!: The green color is perfect 8) 8) Is that what what you anticipated?
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Nope...just random dumb luck I suppose. :mrgreen: That's okay, I'll take it. I guess I should have expected it, but the LED really didn't look all that "blue". It was a surprise when I flipped the switch. Well, actually two surprises...one that it actually worked at all and two the greenish tint to the light.
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

Sweet!!! :mrgreen:
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - Let there be light and some dumb luck!

Terry66 said:
Honestly, this bike is about done. I guess I am still tinkering with a suicide shift three speed hub idea and maybe a cool taillight, but I am doubting they will happen before the end of the build off
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Terry, keep on going! You have plenty of time to mess this one up! :mrgreen:

I'm going back through your thread, I'm sure there's something I can hate on... Ahhh, I'm kidding myself, you have a great eye. Some bikes I look at and think "Oh, I like it BUT..." but yours, I don't think there's a single piece I don't like, other than I don't own it!

Rg
 
Re: Hot Rod Higgins - pinstriping done & new parts

Terry66 said:
Got the bike put together late last night and loaded it up for the Cincinnati Rat Riders show. Great show by all involved. I heard they raised over $1100 for charity. My bike won best custom. Here are a couple of cell phone pics. One with the trophy and of course the required garage door shot.

Plan to cut the bars down a little narrower, add a three speed and a few more finishing touches on the pinstriping.

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that was a great time over in cincy,very kool show and nice riding area too...i tried to enter "bloody mary" in the build off,but it was built before the contest....oh well.
 

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