This is my latest project, a 1929 Hawthorne Trailblazer Motobike. It's a fun build, but not wild enough for the build-off. I picked this one up about a month ago and have been slowly piecing it together, to the point that it's now rideable. Still working on it though.
This is what I brought home that first day.
This bike originally had 28" wooden wheels, not the most practical, I decided to run 700C instead. Here's a mockup with the tires.
The rims I went with are Sun CR-18 700c 36 hole rims. I wanted the wheels to have a wood look, so I thought covering them in this wood-grain tape I found might work.
Took a long time getting them wrapped up nicely in the tape, and after a coat of clear to seal it all in, it looked like this.
So yeah, that was no good. Very dissapointing, but after that I decided to try my hand at faux wood-graining by hand. Picked up some paint, and here's how it came out. I've never tried this before, sort of figured it out as I went. I think it came out better than the tape.
I have the original New departure model C, but I laced in a new Shimano instead, and got a skiptooth sprocket to fit it from that eBay guy. For the front I used the original New Departure S.M hub. This was the first time I tried lacing and truing a wheel myself, it's rideable, but could be a bit rounder.
I picked up a stem, cross brace handlebars, rack, light and battery can, and threw on some grips I had. I also replaced the seat with my Brooks from another project.
Check out the battery that goes in that battery can.
Got the grips matched, and got a Klaxon horn installed. Took it out for a ride with MadMax '58, that's his killer Murray in the back.
And this just came in the mail too, got to find a good way to secure it to the fender without drilling holes into it.
Next up, make a wooden tank.
This is what I brought home that first day.
This bike originally had 28" wooden wheels, not the most practical, I decided to run 700C instead. Here's a mockup with the tires.
The rims I went with are Sun CR-18 700c 36 hole rims. I wanted the wheels to have a wood look, so I thought covering them in this wood-grain tape I found might work.
Took a long time getting them wrapped up nicely in the tape, and after a coat of clear to seal it all in, it looked like this.
So yeah, that was no good. Very dissapointing, but after that I decided to try my hand at faux wood-graining by hand. Picked up some paint, and here's how it came out. I've never tried this before, sort of figured it out as I went. I think it came out better than the tape.
I have the original New departure model C, but I laced in a new Shimano instead, and got a skiptooth sprocket to fit it from that eBay guy. For the front I used the original New Departure S.M hub. This was the first time I tried lacing and truing a wheel myself, it's rideable, but could be a bit rounder.
I picked up a stem, cross brace handlebars, rack, light and battery can, and threw on some grips I had. I also replaced the seat with my Brooks from another project.
Check out the battery that goes in that battery can.
Got the grips matched, and got a Klaxon horn installed. Took it out for a ride with MadMax '58, that's his killer Murray in the back.
And this just came in the mail too, got to find a good way to secure it to the fender without drilling holes into it.
Next up, make a wooden tank.
