Alt Bike Culture - Rat rod build...

Putting together my first rat rod. According to the serial numbers, it's a 1953 Schwinn American. I always seem to forget the "before" pics on my projects, however here are some "during" pics! :eek:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratone001.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratone001.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratone010.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratone010.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratone006.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratone006.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratone004.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratone004.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratone014.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratone014.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Rattwo009.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Rattwo009.jpg)

click to enlarge

thats gonna look sweet. I really love the color choice. Black and red is such a mean combo especially with the whitewalls.

I can't tell from the pic, is that gloss or flat primer black?
Did ya take it to a shop to get painted or give'er the Krylon touch?

Great work so far, please keep us updated :thumb:

Thanks! That's satin black. I'll try to post more pics as the project moves along. :)

Looking good! How much of the original 53 Schwinn are you reusing for this build? Can't wait to see it finished. :)

Looking good! How much of the original 53 Schwinn are you reusing for this build? Can't wait to see it finished. :)

Thanks! :) Let's see, in the pictures, rear hub and wheel, frame, fork and stem, chainguard, and crankset (That's a Wald sprocket). However the actual build won't use the original fork.

did you get it professionally painted? or was it DIY?

did you get it professionally painted? or was it DIY?

DIY as much as possible. It *is* a rat rod after all! ;)

Had a little time to spend on a rear fender...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratthree004.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratthree004.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratthree002.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratthree002.jpg)
click to enlarge

I've always been a sucker for red wheels on black bikes, and the white wall tires set it all off perfectly. Great build so far.

Still have a few things to do...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratfive005.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratfive005.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratfive002.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratfive002.jpg)
click to enlarge

:D niiiiiiice :thumb: Keep up the good work!

man thats way cool. I love the bananna seat and the streetsweeper fenders. I actually just ordered a set of streetsweepers from Nirve last week...

Keep up the nice work mang, thats lovely and the springer fork is a killer look :thumb:

man thats way cool. I love the bananna seat and the streetsweeper fenders. I actually just ordered a set of streetsweepers from Nirve last week...

Keep up the nice work mang, thats lovely and the springer fork is a killer look :thumb:

I'm gonna need to see some pics when your ready! :thumb:

Here's where I'm at. Not finished yet, need to make up a layback seatpost. I have a different seat I want to use. I really wanted (originaly) to go with a boardtracker look, But I'm too old to ride all bent over like that. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratsix017.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratsix017.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratsix013.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratsix013.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratsix009.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratsix009.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Ratsix004.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Ratsix004.jpg)
click to enlarge

beautiful, bannana seats wit apes and long sissy bars are just beautiful

DIY as much as possible. It *is* a rat rod after all! ;)

Did you use rattle cans? Or do you have access to a professional paint setup? I'm also curious how you painted the wheels. Did you disassemble them to paint just the rims and spokes? Or somehow manage to paint them with the wheel still assembled?!? I've got a similar bike I was planning to rattle can black, but now you've got me thinking about doing the wheels and trying to make the paint job a bit nicer...

I'm gonna need to see some pics when your ready! :thumb:

sure thing man, I just put the fenders up on Saturday :thumb:

Where'd you get the springer fork? That or Bars is next for me.



http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73628&stc=1&d=1213203074

You can see, I mounted the front fender differently than it was intended. I didn't have a place to mount the stays on my fork so I pulled the mounts off my original front fender and bolted them on to the new one. Mostly I just wanted the front fender to float over top of the front wheel....well, kinda just like how I managed to get it

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73629&stc=1&d=1213203082

Did you use rattle cans? Or do you have access to a professional paint setup? I'm also curious how you painted the wheels. Did you disassemble them to paint just the rims and spokes? Or somehow manage to paint them with the wheel still assembled?!? I've got a similar bike I was planning to rattle can black, but now you've got me thinking about doing the wheels and trying to make the paint job a bit nicer...

The black is Krylon Satin Black, (rattle cans). As far as the wheels, I've seen them both ways, spokes painted and unpainted. I like the red spoke look, so I masked off the hubs and painted the whole assembly as one. The rear wheel was solid brown surface rust, the front wheel still had maybe 90% of it's chrome intact. I spent quite a long time sanding each wheel, as well as sanding each spoke. My hands hurt for about a week after! :) BTW, the red is Krylon Banner Red.

Actually took the frame down all the way, (I'm pretty bad about not taking pics through the whole process). In the pics above, you'll see a bare frame pic. This was actually taken at the very beginning of re-assembly. The headbadge and crank/sprocket had already been re-installed.

sure thing man, I just put the fenders up on Saturday :thumb:

Where'd you get the springer fork? That or Bars is next for me.

I got the fork at Choppers US. They offered this one powder coated in black. I'm not 100% sure how I like the fenders on my bike, but chances are I will leave them on.

I need to make a layback seat post, I have a triple spring seat with a crashbar that I'd like to use. Then add a rear rack, and saddle bags. Sort of a bobber/bagger style. :)

on edit: In your other post "Cruiser Panniers" I provided a link to the saddle bags I plan on adding.

I've got a '68 Schwinn Typhoon 26", that I was planning on putting the 'nanner on.

Yeah actually I just checked out that link you provided in the other thread. those will be cool lookin for sure :thumb:

Triple Spring seat w/ Crashbar... we must be sharing brainwaves or something man, thats what I'm pining for on mine. I've seen some Double Spring with the crashbar, but really i'd love a Brooks-esque (i can't afford a Brooks yet :rolleyes:) saddle something along the lines of a B-73
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73642&stc=1&d=1213212452


or a B-33

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73643&stc=1&d=1213212509

Here's the knock-off cheapie that I like too. Its on www.streetlowrider.com (http://www.streetlowrider.com)
Only 40 bux.
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73644&stc=1&d=1213212703




As for the fenders I've noticed 2 things. One is that pebbles get kicked up into the fender (better than on to me) and sometimes will kinda hang out and rattle around in there for a little bit as there's minimal clearance between the fender and the tire. The other is that I can't ride off curbs anymore, the rear fender slams the curb and i like it lookin shiny and not dented up. Still, it looks bad ass

Here's the knock-off cheapie that I like too. Its on www.streetlowrider.com (http://www.streetlowrider.com)
Only 40 bux.


Here's a link to the seat I bought. $30.00 at Choppers US.

Choppers US (http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/723/Seat-Cruiser-with-Rail-BLK/)

I really like your bike! It would look good with a bent springer and tall apes! A low slung 'nanner would really set it off too! :D :thumb:

double post oops

The bent springer is totally on my mind... i've never ridden one, are they much harder to steer all stretched out like that?

That seat is gonna look really *****in on your bike mang, Be sure to put up some pics when you get it put on :thumb:


...I'll tell ya though your bike had me on craigslist today lookin for a project and now I'm hounding a guy for this

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73673&stc=1&d=1213228601 :love:

Its a '48 Schwinn Spitfire. The pic is lo-res, in reality its a crappy paintjob done with a brush and roller so its ready for some TLC

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73708&stc=1&d=1213277713
Here's the backup

The bent springer is totally on my mind... i've never ridden one, are they much harder to steer all stretched out like that?

That seat is gonna look really *****in on your bike mang, Be sure to put up some pics when you get it put on :thumb:


...I'll tell ya though your bike had me on craigslist today lookin for a project and now I'm hounding a guy for this

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=73673&stc=1&d=1213228601 :love:

Its a '48 Schwinn Spitfire. The pic is lo-res, in reality its a crappy paintjob done with a brush and roller so its ready for some TLC

Oh man! You gotta get that bike! Those early frames are b*****n! :D Notice how big that front sprocket is? Wouldn't surprise me if it were a skip tooth, since it's a '48. Even if it's not, just from the size of it, I'd bet it's a 52 tooth!

damn it IS huge! :thumb: i didn't notice at first...and I gotta line on a backup if this one falls through


Enlighten me please, whats a Skip tooth?

damn it IS huge! :thumb: i didn't notice at first...and I gotta line on a backup if this one falls through


Enlighten me please, whats a Skip tooth?

On the old sprockets, every other tooth is missing. I don't know why.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/bicycle/skiptooth.jpg

on edit: BTW, that bike would make one hell of a boardtracker! It's already got the front sprocket...

Guy with the 48 Schwinn called. He's an hour and a half drive and wont come down from 200...Gotta see if I can swing it

On the old sprockets, every other tooth is missing. I don't know why.
Old chains were inch pitch instead of half-inch pitch like they are today. You can see how every other gap is bigger in the picture.

Think I'm gonna go with a streetsweeper rear fender.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Rateight009.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Rateight009.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_Rateight007.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/Rateight007.jpg)
click to enlarge

This is where I'm at now... few more things to do.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_ed07bb2f.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/ed07bb2f.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_99687e72.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/99687e72.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_8d816c25.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/8d816c25.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_7a6e9bf4.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/7a6e9bf4.jpg)
click to enlarge

Made a few changes today. I kinda like this version.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_cb05257b.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/cb05257b.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_8d008c72.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/8d008c72.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_f0628d36.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/f0628d36.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_7e45b9ba.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/7e45b9ba.jpg)
click to enlarge

Very nice ride in this configuration. Still have a few things to try out...

Another look...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_a251c5d3.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/a251c5d3.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_50fb261e.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/50fb261e.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/th_673486fc.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Juggler54/Rat/673486fc.jpg)
click to enlarge