No weld Chopper rebuild part 2

So the bike has been taken apart and inspected. Recent documents that came back to light revealed that the mileage made is actually 300 miles. Taking it apart revealed some good and some bad. Grease and bearings stood up good and removing some tape reminded me that I did a stupid move with the hacksaw when I built this thing. However, everything has held up pretty good.

Make no mistake, I wouldn't sell this bike to anyone as it is at best a slapped together piece of junk. But it rides very smoothly and I love it, which in this case comes second to my health and safety.

Talking about slapped together, the paint was just sprayed on after a very light wipe down using a half dirty rag. Want to know what happens when you don't prep your surface properly? Take a look at the picture and the answer is pretty obvious.

So step one is done. The bike is pieces, I gathered some parts, found my tools, well most of them, have a design in mind and the weather is nice, because I'm outdoors you know so that is important. Next will be painting primer red so that I can start building on a , temporarily, clean canvas.

Taking it apart

Grease and bearings fared well.

Oups! A case of measure, cut once...measure again, cut twice.

Paint chips all over the frame shows the very low degree of surface prep. The new paint job won't be much better.  :)

My chaintool is still missing in action.

Some of the parts I'll be using, or not.

Definitely going for a full wrap rear fender.

Until next time, ride safe and Godspeed.

Gerry  :)

CCM Marauder restoration

Snow is melting away and the sun was present all weekend with temperatures above zero. All that is needed to go for a ride. I went in the shed and the only bike not tied up in a knot with all the others was my CCM Marauder.

The ride was nice but the bike is truly falling apart at the seams. Even if it doesn't show up in my pictures, a recent clean up of my shop afforded me some space to start a new project. I have found most of the missing parts for this bike and I was planning to rebuild it, so now is a good time as any to begin the restoration process.

I originally bought the bike for $10 but with the different parts that I got for it, the spend-o-meter now sits at $90. I plan to salvage what I can and use what I already have to avoid any more expenses.

If you want details on how I took this thing apart, just follow one of my older blog here: bikeoverhaul.blogspot.com The information there covers the tear down of the exact same type of bike.

What I do want to share with you are a few tips that can make things easier, especially for when the time comes to rebuild the thing.

Tip number one is to set aside a box that you can dedicate to your build for the loose items big or small. Sounds too obvious, but it can save you a lot of cursing in a near or distant future when you are looking for that elusive, impossible to replace, little thingy part that you absolutely need.

Tip number two is to leave whatever you take apart in some relative state of sub assembly until you are ready to work on that specific part. Example: All the bearings and cones left on the fork or brake calipers with all the attached nuts and bolts.

Tip number three is take a picture! You're about to take something apart for the first time in your entire life? Take a picture of it with all the parts exposed in a few angles and Bingo! You got yourself documentation to save your life when that little gizmo goes "Pop" somewhere in your shop. Most everybody has a camera these days, you just have to discipline yourself to use it.

All these tips will help you even if you are just doing a simple repair job, not just a full restoration. When you come back to your bike after a long work week or a couple of months down the road, all the parts and information will be there, ready to continue from where you left off.

I'll keep you posted on the build.

Until next time, ride safe and Godspeed.

Gerry :)

RAT ROD BIKE BUILD OFF 3

Once again it's time for THE build off of the year over at the very friendly ratrodbikes.com discussion forum. To my wife's great chagrin it is also time for me to build another bike. This time I will be using a modern Chinese made cruiser frame that I reviewed last year called The Chief. The bike frame is in almost new condition and in keeping with the rules I am not modifying it. I have slightly scored it with sandpaper, sprayed with Krylon white anti rust primer and layed down two coats of Krylon red over it. It now sits to dry and i will be applying multiple coats of Krylon epoxy clear as soon as weather permits (I'm outdoors you know). This also keeps in with the rule that the builder must apply the paint himself, no fancy thousand dollar paint jobs here.

So go over to see the other builds here: http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=24

Or better yet, sign up and join us in the fun. Last build off winner was karfer67 who ratted out a vintage Schwinn delivery bike. Anything goes folks, within the rules of course. :)

Til next time, ride safe and Godspeed.

Gerry :)

RAT ROD BIKE BUILD OFF 2

As of this Saturday sept 15th 2007, the build off at ratrodbikes.com has officially started. You can follow all the action, the drama, the sweat and tears as rat rod bikers duke it out in an all out battle to the end... Oops! Got carried away a bit, hehehe. The second build off at ratrodbikes was much anticipated by many, partly because the membership at the forum as grown a lot since the first one. Rat Bikers also love to build bikes and show off in a very friendly manner.

The build off is the perfect occasion for builders to not only show off their talents, but also to share ideas and find new ones. With almost 400 new members since the last build off, this should be very interesting. I cannot wait to see what new ideas will come out. The rules specify that the frame cannot be modified with welding equipment, this is to keep the playing field level for those who do not weld.

Last build off I showed up late and it was in the middle of winter. My entry ended up being a DNF for lack of nice weather, time and parts. NOT THIS TIME! I have the perfect subject, most of the parts I have or are easy to get and I have a vision! Vision and inspiration are two essential ingredients for this type of endeavor.

So go check it out, enjoy the show or better yet, sign up and join in the madness. :)

Rat Rod Bike Build Off 1

Rat Rod Bike Build Off 2

My entry 1950 CCM "Victoria"

Til next time, ride safe and Godspeed.

Gerry :)