Murray Rat

[Flame Jigger]

I love all the black bikes with red wheels and whitewall tires and finally decided I had to have one. So here it is.

The frame is an old Murray I have had laying around for years and actually built several times. It is actually the first cruiser frame I ever built. Here it is before paint. The seat stay has been replaced and layed back due to the fact it had filled with water, froze, and split.

And here it is after paint and assembly.

Here are a couple shots of it next to my stretched 3 speed.

I added some cabinet knobs my brother came up with to look like hub caps. They wouldn't fit on the axles so I put them as close as I could.

I have added white grips since the photos were taken. It rides nice and I really enjoy riding it. Now I need to figure out what to build next.

 

[jojobiker13]

SWEET RIDE!!!!! 6 STARS ******

 

[Speed2XS]

Good lookin bikes. Whats that chain wheel from?

 

[Anonymous]

WAY COOL!

Im diggin' the 'Spacely Sprocket'

 

[mikek]

Very nice! I like what you did with the seat tube. Can you show me a detailed picture how you welded it?

 

[roadmaster]

sweet rides. i have two murrays (an 86' monteray and a 93' westport). the monterey i converted to a 5speed cruiser and it still in the works and far from finished.

.

i love that black bike, red rim and whitwall combo too. still got a bike or two i could easily fit that into.

great bikes.

 

[Flame Jigger]

Good lookin bikes. Whats that chain wheel from?

It is off an old Western Flyer. My brother has 2 more Western Flyers with the same sprocket.

Very nice! I like what you did with the seat tube. Can you show me a detailed picture how you welded it?

I will try to get some pics as soon as I get time.

Thanks for for all the positive feedback.

 

[RZ94]

Sweet! AMF chainring???

 

[roadmaster]

i gotta +1 it for being a chainring off a 62'ish to midlate 60's AMF/roadmaster bike. a very SWEET and sought after chainring indeed. my 59' roadmaster has its directional predesesor ring used pre 62'.

 

[Flame Jigger]

Here is a link showing a Western Flyer like the one I got the sprocket off from. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ornery_chick/506039869/ My brother has a boys 26" and a girls 24" Western Flyer and they both have the same sprocket. I believe Western Flyer bikes were made by different companies over the years so I don't know for sure who made these. Cool sprockets though. I had one on my Raleigh BMX bike when I was a kid and loved it.

 

[JoeyMac]

remarkable change to an otherwise unremarkable frame! certainly made that murray something special!

 

[KOTA]

No doubt about it...It's a RAT!

 

[benz]

nice build, lots of cool touches to bring the eye in. Dig that sprocket, matches mine!

 

[TH3JUICEMAN]

Nice Rat Flame......thats what I've decided to do with my old Murray. I was gonna go with a military theme but decided to rat it out. Pics are on an old post
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10796&p=108303#p108303
I havent made to much progress, I've got her stripped and ready for sandblasting. Still collecting parts for the project

What size tires are those? I want to put some 2.125's on her but im afraid they wont fit without rubbing. Also did you get it powdercoated? If so who did it? Only reason I'm asking is because you live 30 minutes away and I've been trying to find a reliable/cost friendly powdercoater.

 

[Flame Jigger]

Nice Rat Flame......thats what I've decided to do with my old Murray. I was gonna go with a military theme but decided to rat it out. Pics are on an old post
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10796&p=108303#p108303
I havent made to much progress, I've got her stripped and ready for sandblasting. Still collecting parts for the project

What size tires are those? I want to put some 2.125's on her but im afraid they wont fit without rubbing. Also did you get it powdercoated? If so who did it? Only reason I'm asking is because you live 30 minutes away and I've been trying to find a reliable/cost friendly powdercoater.

The tires are just walmart cheapies. They are supposed to be 2.25 but they are a bit narrower than the old tires on my other bikes. They do fit this frame good though and are not bad tires for the money. The paint is Krylon satin black but it turned out with a bit more glossy look that I wanted but not bad.

 

[Flame Jigger]

I made few changes to this one. I traded the star sprocket to texasbigjohn for a rattrap springer fork. This bike had a rattrap when I got it but it got lost over the several years it spent being neglected at my parents house.

I decided to go with a Huffy Mag Wheel sprocket and added a chainguard.

Here are some pics of the new ratrap fork after a bit of cleaning and reversing the rockers.

I love the way it rides and looks. I am probably going to paint the fork black to match the bike but not sure yet and I want to do some lettering or striping on the chainguard. Thanks again to texasbigjohn for the trade.

 

[texasbigjon]

bike looks sweet with the laid back seat tube and flipped springer! very nice! now how do i talk you out of those white pedals? :wink:

 

[beatcad]

if you paint that springer i'll find you and kick you squarely in the family jewels
wipe off that red paint leavins with some paint thinner and than use this....

grab a few beers and rub and rub w/ some elbow grease. than polish to the best of your(or the original chromes) ability.
if all the rust and crust wont come out....i like to call it character.

striping will look good, but it looks pretty good rite now.

 

[Flame Jigger]

bike looks sweet with the laid back seat tube and flipped springer! very nice! now how do i talk you out of those white pedals? :wink:

The white pedals were all I had at the time and I didn't really care for them. After I added the white grips I think it looks good. If I find another pair I will remember you though.

 

[Flame Jigger]

if you paint that springer i'll find you and kick you squarely in the family jewels
wipe off that red paint leavins with some paint thinner and than use this....

grab a few beers and rub and rub w/ some elbow grease. than polish to the best of your(or the original chromes) ability.
if all the rust and crust wont come out....i like to call it character.

striping will look good, but it looks pretty good rite now.

The chrome forks are growing on me so I am going to leave them for now. I don't mind a little character rust and have left a bit on most of the rest of the parts.