Christmas Rat for the gf is DONE!

['48 Hawthorne]

My girlfriend recently mentioned that she would like a rat bike for herself, and that it would be awesome if there was one under the tree this year. Thanks to HotRodRob I found an early '50s Crusty Roadmaster. There are many others on this site that have also helped me to scrounge up parts for this, as they are not easy to come by in my neck of the woods. Here's what it looked like when I picked it up.

I spent the previous weeknights stripping it down. Some parts came off really easy, others made me buy a hacksaw, lol. This is what it looked like earlier today before sanding.

After an hour or so, and a one inch pile of rust it now looks like this.

It's going to get a rattle can purple paint job, and maybe pink fender stays (double ugh). I will post pics as this goes.

 

[GreatWhite00]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

It should look cool when done.

Is that a child seat on the back?

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Yeah, it's an old, and no doubt unapproved (lol) baby seat. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. Might trade it for something. It would make a great beer case transporter. I am going to JB Weld a small crack on the bottom of the left chain stay tonight, wipe down the frame and fenders with Varsol and maybe start the painting tomorrow night, weather permitting.

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Frame has been JB Welded tonight, first time using that stuff. Hopefully it cures well overnight by the heat register in the kitchen.

 

[ballroomwrecker]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

lookin' good

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Used a heat gun on the frame for about 25 mins (2 beers) last night before applying the JB. Brought her into the house. I knew the temperature was going to drop throughout the day while I was at work, so I placed the weld over the heat register. It hardened up real good as the house was at 22 Celsius. I'll heat gun the repair for a bit tonight, Varsol the fenders, maybe do a test spray!

Here's the repair, not too pretty. It was originally about an 1 1/4 lengthwise crack and an 1/8th at the widest.

 

[HotRodRob]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Comin along good Jord. Can't wait to see what you do with her.

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

So I did the 2 beer heat gun treatment again tonight, but just on the repair. Wiped the inside of the fenders out with Varsol after a brushing to get rid of the really old spider webs. Then did a little two pass test spray on one side of the front fender. The colour is growing on me. I may have to punk the rest of the paint for myself, lol.

 

[Critter1]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Nice!! I've done two for the ladies in my life. Very rewarding to see the smile on their face!!! Good job. Post finished pics when you're done

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

I guess whitewalls are self explanatory now with that purple.

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

The frame and the front fender spent all of last night and today on the main floor of the house to stay warmish. On the way home from killing things, I went to Canadian Tire and snagged some new Tremclad quick dry grey primer. It sets up in a few minutes! Took them both out the back with the patio light, lanterns and an LED head band light to give them the primer action in the dark. This is what I got to. (the springer will not be going on this bike, it's for me as I just picked that up from the post office thanks to Rusty513)

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Seeing as it is a balmy 4 degrees Celsius and the bike has been in the house for the last 24 hours, I'm gonna take a shot at some paint tonight. Gotta a jimmy rig a holder and we're off. Pics soon!

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

I managed to get most of the frame hit with the gloss purple awesomeness, and into the garage before the rain hit. So far so good, she's gonna need to be flipped and a few more coats all over, but it'll be worth it for sure.

 

[Joeskustoms]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

looking good!!

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

There was a break in the snow we were having today, and the frame and parts have been in room temps for a few days. Got to spray the front fender on both sides, as well as the chain guard. The chain guard got sanded as best as I wanted and hit with 3 coats, inside and out, of flat grey primer. The more I look at the contrast between the purple and the flat grey, the more I want to leave the chain guard and fender stays flat grey.

Empty rat poison pails make great painting stands.

 

[LarzBahrs]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

What came of the little child seat on the back? You should restore that little bugger to! Someones bound to want a vintage piece

 

[KJV]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

the underside of the fenders would be sweet in "pink".
maybe the backside of the gaurd too. :idea:
looking good.maybe paint up/recover the
kid seat. she can carry her purse in it. :idea:

 

[mattyfu]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

the underside of the fenders would be sweet in "pink".
maybe the backside of the gaurd too. :idea:
looking good.maybe paint up/recover the
kid seat. she can carry her purse in it. :idea:

Or a case of painting timing devices for you :lol:

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Spent last night masking off the chain guard for an idea I had then doing a feather spray. Tonight the tape comes off!

A fork arrived today thanks to zedsn. It's from an old Elgin, and will fit the part quite nicely. I'm torn as to paint and leave it primer grey, primer grey with purple darts, or purple? There's a lot of purple on this bike and I'm trying to mix it up a little. Oh well it'll be grey at least in about 30 minutes.

 

['48 Hawthorne]

Re: Christmas Rat for the gf.

Pulled the tape off the frame, fenders and chain guard tonight. Touched-up the little bit of over spray. It's been a long time since my painting days I also made up my mind about the fork, it's now purple. I had to sand and touch-up one spot on the front fender due to some orange peel action. It would not have bothered my girlfriend, but I would always know it was there, lol. Now it'll be a lot of clear-coating for the next few days. Once the seat arrives, it'll be assembly time after that.