'38 Special ------ Update July 2nd

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Road Master

Road Master

Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
1,545
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Location
Sunny Florida Starting October 1, 2016!!!
Hi! I see the enthusiasm is high already - good way to kick off a new Buildoff. This year I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and will build my attempt at a Board Tracker. To help get the seat as low as possible I swapped a 50s CWC frame for this 1938 Cleveland Welding Hawthorne Frame (thus the name '38 Special). This will be a "build it with whatever is laying around" type of project plus I could use the extra floor space. My usual technique of completely building it first then tear it apart to paint will be employed - I'm hoping for nice weather and low humidity. To all of this years entrants - HAVE FUN!!! Robert





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Re: '38 Special

You have a good plan. Last year I painted and built parts and then crossed my fingers as I put everything together. haha

Get to work, can't wait to see it.
 
Re: '38 Special

Looks like a fun build. Hoping for some nice weather and low humidity too. Tried painting some parts on my wife's bike today. Will be spending the first day of the build off fixing that paint
 
Re: '38 Special

+1 on the paint technique. Something always doesn't fit right. Or makes a noise, or flat out doesn't work.
 
Re: '38 Special

Me likey ur frame choice! 8)
 
Re: '38 Special --------- Update 5/2/12

I was looking through pics I had searched to draw inspiration from and was really excited by a lot of the old originals. I was looking for ideas for the type of build I want - I've already come up with an out of the box idea for a gas tank. I'm going to try to capture the flavor of a board track racer without actually building a motorized version. I'll start mocking up tomorrow - I've got more ideas than I need, I just have to find the ones I think work together the best. TBC (to be continued) Robert

Who's the passenger in the first pic?

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Re: '38 Special

I completed Mockup #1 this afternoon. As usual it took a lot longer than anticipated. I had 5 sets of handlebars out there but I really liked the one with the least amount of curves and as a bonus those coke bottle grips were already on them. The one thing that really got me was that w/ a 52 tooth chain ring a full size 56" chain was about 2" short of connecting with the rear sprocket so I grabbed the chain that originally came with my Dyno Roadster and cut it to length.

The Red Brick Tires are all I had here at the house - I have a different type of tires I'm going to use in storage but I wanted to get it up & running. After Dinner I'll take it for a spin to see if it's "rideable" so I don't get in trouble with the Rules Commitee. Can you imagine a 300 lb dude laying across those bars in a Board Track Race position? Maybe I'll have the little woman take a pic for laughs.

The seat is off a '55 Columbia 5 Star - I'll either recover it or leave the bare pan. I wanted to use these wheels I took off a Monark mainly because the rear hub is a Bendix 2 speed manual. That stuck me with a 1/2" sprocket so I used an old crusty Monark front sprocket to match. For a ratrod I don't mind using rusty parts that I can grind down and paint.

The mocking up of the main body is complete - I might tweak some things as I go but mostly it's a matter of what I add on to it from this point. I have some ideas, I just don't know how many I'll be able to incorporate in the alloted time. Guess that's about it for today. TBC! Robert


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Re: '38 Special ------ Update #2 for May 2nd

Looks good 8)
 
Re: '38 Special ------ Update #2 for May 2nd

Yo that front end is sweet!!! GTB!! Peace
 
Re: '38 Special ------ Update #2 for May 2nd

I hope you left this in your yard, I'll be over to to get it in about 3 hours or so, it's kind of late so I won't wake you :wink:

I'm really digging those tires with the rest of the bike but I'm sure you've got something cool stashed away !!! If you had any doubt, don't worry Robert. Your doing it right :D
 
Re: '38 Special ------ Update #2 for May 2nd

Looks awesome! Okay, at first I thought what's a car doing on the velodrome then I saw the lion! What the?!
 

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