Diamond frame board track - Varsity gettin some love (DONE!)

[valvesprung]

I snagged this little Varsity for $29 at Goodwill specifically so I could use the chrome parts to restore my Dad's Varsity (still has it and bought it at 14 years old). I'm waiting for that to get a profiessional paint job before I start rebuilding.

The before (well not really, I didn't take a picture, but it looked like this):


Well I decided to strip and paint my now extra varsity frame and then thew it in a closet for the last two years or so. I've nearly started this build many times, but kept talking myself out of it. Well with chunk of birthday money I took the plunge and ordered a bunch of parts to build it. Not being able to leave well enough alone I decided to sell of my 6 month old Huffy to fund doing it up right. I'll probably miss it, but it was cheap and easily replaceable...

The Huffy:


This bike however will not be as easily replaceable...built not bought that is Here it is after a good coat of Oldsmobile Engine gold that I applied before storage, it'll be the same color after completion:


So I sent the frame home with a good buddy for some custom work:





A little exta flare after widening the rear stays


That's it for now. I'm waiting for my stash of parts to arrive next week and I'll mock the bike up to double check clearance before smothing, painting, and final assembly

[valvesprung]

My goodies arrived

[valvesprung]

Mock-up update!







Now that I know how everything fits I have a few more things to finish before paint.
-permanent layback seat post
-stem spacer for springer
-grinding, smoothing, and finishing frame mods

The main fork legs will be painted gold to match the frame. Still need to get a rear sprocket and headlight and I'll probably go back to black grips, but we'll see.....

I'm really stoked with how this is coming out

[slowriderz]

Looks great! I love the clean look to it!

[valvesprung]

Thanks! I'll probably have a buddy do a bit of black and white hot rod striping work on it once done

[Mr. Kool]

Nice bike!!!!

[CHAMPION123]

Awesome bike. I just had a similar idea.

1959 Traveler. Freeby Thanks for posting your bike. Gary

[valvesprung]

Thanks guys. Really dig that bike, would have liked to do a truss style brace but the bender isn't set up for tubing this small and I thought the straight bar did good justice to the look

[outskirtscustoms]

You guys are giving me ideas for my Runabout.

[Carbon]

That does look really good, I recently converted a girls step through all pro to this, that straight bar looks sweet, got me thinking,...

[red_beard13]

Awesome! really like the way the secondary tube looks on that frame! I may just borrow this idea sir
any further progress updates?
What crank gear and arms did you find to work?

[raggedjim]

Man, you took a throw away bike and made something desirable! Great job, Rg

[iven]

haha coolest Varsity i seen yet

[valvesprung]

Wow thanks for the love guys! I don't have any updates yet, but we did sandblast the frame last week. The final fab clean up should be done this weekend so I can paint next week my hope is to be on the road by next weekend...fingers crossed.

I'm using the stock cranks, but a BlackOps 44t chainwheel. I still need to snag a coaster kit with an 18t sprocket for the rear too. I can friggin wait to have it on the road!

[12gaugesage]

Thats sweet, I just passed on a similar frame that was abandoned behind my wifes work. If only I had the vision you do. Totally changed the feel of the frame, sick.