Juggler2

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!





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deez

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

Juggler2

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

e-Man

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

Juggler2

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.

evan_phi

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

Juggler2

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

Juggler2

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


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VT tallbike

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.

Juggler2

Still have a few things to do...


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e-Man

niiiiiiice Keep up the good work!

deez

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

Juggler2

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

Juggler2

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.



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los buenos

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

sstorkel

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...

deez

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

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





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

Juggler2

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.

Juggler2

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.

deez

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

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 ) saddle something along the lines of a B-73



or a B-33



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





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

Juggler2

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

Choppers US

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!

deez

double post oops

deez

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


...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



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


Here's the backup

Juggler2

Oh man! You gotta get that bike! Those early frames are b*****n! 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!

deez

damn it IS huge! 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?