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Walker

Walker

Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
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Location
New Hampshire Lakes Region
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The plan is to turn this teens-20's Westfield dumpster score into a sweet ride.

Up until last night things were going well....Read on.

Started with this, saved from a transfer station in southern NH.
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Shipped it all out to Michigan as part of a trade deal for powdercoating. I provided a little input into the colors but that was it. I requested "no photos" so it was more fun to open the boxes over the weekend.
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Fenders courtosy of a 60's Bridgestone ladies bike. I just liked the profile better and the originals were pretty beat!
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While the frame and parts were "away" i went shopping on e-bay...NOS Cadillac badge fits nicely
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Started assembly last night. turns out the torrington adjustable bars will not fit the fork so there is hiccup #1

Then the tire issue. these are marked 26", try 27" or something. DANG :x ! I really wanted this color combo and now I'm stuck..a 26" x 1-5 would be a perfect fit.
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It's just not the same with a black tire...
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Fender struts go out for sandblasting etc later this week.

How about some input on hub selection..Rico just about cleaned me out of hubs :D
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I'm leaning toward the drum front but also might polish up a vintage high flange road bike hub.

The orig crank are pretty rusty, anyone got a shiny one?

Hopefully I can keep the momentum going on this one and it wont become next in the line of unfinished projects!
 
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hi Walker ,i will do the older new departure skip tooth hub that's a real nice one :wink:
 
OK, with regards to the hubs, I'm going with the drum front and model A skiptooth rear. The front forks are skinnier than i anticipated so it looks like I'll get a chance to use my new fork alighnment tool!

I drilled out the fork legs so i could mount a front cargo rack, i can probably use these holes to also hold the brake cable. Somewhere I've got a neat reverse brake lever, if it will fit the bars that would be cool, but then i wont be able to use the torpedo grips :?

the fork mounted brake mounting arms do not extend far enough so that the bell can clear the front fender. Looks like it's cut and weld time again....the stem I ended up using is from a road bike with a Huret stem mounted shifter, i figured using one shifter lever to actuate the bell would be cool. We'll see.

The tire situation is killing me! Black tires just dont seem right, I want grey ones and I'm not having any luck in the search. The bike will have some black parts on it such as the fender braces and so forth. Maybe I wont sweat it just yet and see how it comes together with some black on it. Those Electra's have the right look though. If Felt made creme color tires in a +/- 1-1/5" that would be a good one too.
 
Thanks Deorman, I found those a while back, a bit too skinny I'm afraid.

I just tried a kenda 26 x 2.125 and it is a decent fit, about 1/4" of clearance. then i tried a vintage white wall marked 26 x 2.125 and it barely fit. My creme felt tires are marked the same and they are pushing 2.5 inches inflated. This is great.
 
Just some NOS bits, Wald chainguard hardware and kickstand. big whoop de doo.

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Looking over the grip options..

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Bringing the fender struts to powdercoater today.

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I think its going to come down to some middleweight white tires for this one. I can live with that.

The hub situation is changing too, You'll see.
 
My quick bricks were way too wide for the frame. I took a chance on a pair of Kenda all white 26 x 2.125's because the black kenda's i have are the narrowest of the bunch at just under 2" inflated. We'll see..

White walls looked pretty good but I liked the look of a solid light color.

Found them online. $ 43.00 for a pair shipped. Once again the budget goes out the window :D

Powdercoat folks quoted me $ 100.00 for 8 fender struts, and the springs and frame from one bike seat (sandblasting and black powder). That's not going to happen! :shock: That's the trouble when there is no competetion!
 
Dr. Tankenstein said:
found these on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %26fvi%3D1

Good luck, I'm fighting the 'tire war' myself right now.

Dr. T
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Tankenstein, seems like tires and seats have such an impact on a bike they seem to take over :? This color scheme was driven by the grey tires so that was a real setback. Hopefully the place i ordered from is for real and I didn't just waste more $.

Tonight I made some tweaks to the fork. Since the drum brake will not fit due to interference with the fixing arm I have decided to go with a matching set of New Departure Model D's, front and back. I've got the blades set to the proper width and alighned. After a bit of filing I've just about got the axle in there. I'll be alighning the tips of the forks upon completion. the cog is going to get ground right down to nothing and I'll weld on a lever arm to increase the leverage.

I'm kind of jumping around the parts pile on this one but I'm afraid if i get too picky it will never get done.

Off to Laconia Monument tomorrow for a sandblasting quote. they make headstones and such. Quoted me $40.00 to do a complete frame/fork etc. etc. a while back. Probably going to just get those small parts rust free and rattlecanned.

spoke calculation is coming up shortly. I'm wondering if i pulled a spoke from the Peerless since it has the same rear hub and dropcenter rims and measured off of that if that would be the easy way out of the long math? I'm goad i bought 24 boxes of NOS spokes off ebay for short money this summer, hopefully i can put that stock to use.
 
Got some work done on the forebrake. Trimmed the brake arm more than a little on the Model D.
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It hides away pretty well now. Next step is to install a bolt or something to match the slot.
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Used my new fork alighnment tool to widen the fork legs. Didn't get a photo of the drop out alighnment, man were they out of wack though. Lots of hand filing to allow the axle to fit the narrower drop outs.
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The cog is going to get trimmed way down and will have an actuator arm welded on
 
Looks awesome so far. Sorry you're having issues finding the right tires. Okay, enough of the buttering up! What are your plans for that rear rack?!?! I have the same one, minus that great looking reflector and bracket! If you're willing to part with it (bracket and reflector), let me know. Thanks.
 
Thanks for the kind words Pudge, At the moment, no immediate plans for that little gem.

The bracket isn't any more than a folded over piece of tin or something with a typical stud mount glass jewel reflector. I haven't checked for a mark but it was probably home made, or could easly be custom made for that matter. I'll get a better photo of the backside of it for you.

The rack is pretty crusty, might send it out with some other stuff to at least get it sand blasted and primed after I bend it back into shape. As far as I know I wont be installing it on this project bike though.
 
Walker said:
Then the tire issue. these are marked 26", try 27" or something. DANG :x ! I really wanted this color combo and now I'm stuck..a 26" x 1-5 would be a perfect fit.
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Click to expand...


Hi

The tyre you have (26x1 3/8) is a Uk 26" these have a different radius to the Us 26" tyres :cry:

I`ve got the reverse problem i want to fit 26" Creme Fat Franks on my Sunbeam roadster and can`t
get them on,

Theres a good article on Sheldon Browns site about tyre dimensions.

Good luck with the build

Cheers
Adrian
 

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