1961 Caper Cycle Falcon Resto
- Thread starter Custom Job
- Start date
Got the tank in primer
Not too bad… there’s some stuff around the edges that need attention but I’m super happy with the seam:
as I’m not going the chromed route, I’ll likely just do a light filler skim on the ends and in a few spots around the circumference then paint it the same was the wheels.
I ordered my West Bend 700 on Friday. Super stoked on that. I’ve got a couple big restock jobs to finish then I’ll tear into the rest of this.
I have one question if anyone knows: on my rear fender there are three holes, two about 3/16” on the flat part and one triangular to them on the beaded part.. maybe an 8th”. My dad plugged two of them with pop rivets but I’ve seen original bikes with this holes… any idea what they’d be for?
Not too bad… there’s some stuff around the edges that need attention but I’m super happy with the seam:
as I’m not going the chromed route, I’ll likely just do a light filler skim on the ends and in a few spots around the circumference then paint it the same was the wheels.
I ordered my West Bend 700 on Friday. Super stoked on that. I’ve got a couple big restock jobs to finish then I’ll tear into the rest of this.
I have one question if anyone knows: on my rear fender there are three holes, two about 3/16” on the flat part and one triangular to them on the beaded part.. maybe an 8th”. My dad plugged two of them with pop rivets but I’ve seen original bikes with this holes… any idea what they’d be for?
The rest of the frame was taken down today, soaked in degreaser and pressure washed.
sure is a motley lil thing…
I’m a tad confused about how to deal with the “suspension”. I’m really not terribly interested in cutting this straps off but my inner self hatred REALLY wants the whole thing apart for cleaning.
In other departments, I posted about this on another thread but, I’d been looking at replacement fork decals and what was available didn’t match mine. So I took a decent image of mine,
Made a vector image of the lettering and made this
I still have a little work to do to the border but if anyone needs one like this, drop a line.. I’m keeping a list.
sure is a motley lil thing…
I’m a tad confused about how to deal with the “suspension”. I’m really not terribly interested in cutting this straps off but my inner self hatred REALLY wants the whole thing apart for cleaning.
In other departments, I posted about this on another thread but, I’d been looking at replacement fork decals and what was available didn’t match mine. So I took a decent image of mine,
Made a vector image of the lettering and made this
I still have a little work to do to the border but if anyone needs one like this, drop a line.. I’m keeping a list.
Not really sure if there was a reason other than them maybe saving material, in an area that technically didnt need it. They made many things other than karts and cycles, and used steel from like the truck bodies/bumpers they made to build the cycles, hence the use of diamond plate. They may have been able to make a certain amount of of forks or frame parts and forks out of one length of tubing by running short under the throttle control or something to that effect.
Couple smaller victories. The tank was finished today and I’m happy with it.
I mean, way happier than this:
!
Also ordered all my bearings and a new jackshaft. I don’t think mine was ever set up correctly and looked to have been persuaded on more than one occasion… kinda rolls on a machined surface like an egg on LSD.
Not really sure on gearing yet. May just stick with what’s on there now till it’s more clear what the engine likes.
I mean, way happier than this:
!Also ordered all my bearings and a new jackshaft. I don’t think mine was ever set up correctly and looked to have been persuaded on more than one occasion… kinda rolls on a machined surface like an egg on LSD.
Not really sure on gearing yet. May just stick with what’s on there now till it’s more clear what the engine likes.
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Frame got stripped, dropouts got straightened and aligned, everything got checked for cracks and holes, I ran a bottle brush through every tube I could get one down, and it all got primer.
Tomorrow I’ll treat the inside of all the tubes I can get at with rust converter then rust bullet and let it dry for a few days. During that time I’ll strip the hubs and rims (hopefully, I still can’t get those damned tires off) and ready them for paint.
Trying to figure out the break parts. The finish isn’t too bad save for the sprocket which has a pretty good amount of rust on it. I work for a company where I could likely just drop them in a bin with other parts and they’d get finished but we don’t do anything in that finish so it’d either be hot dipped or electro galv… both of which seem too bright.
Also on the brake tip, I’m not sure what the shoes are that are on it or if replacements are available OR if I have to be glueing new material to the backings but I’ll get looking at that next week.
Tomorrow I’ll treat the inside of all the tubes I can get at with rust converter then rust bullet and let it dry for a few days. During that time I’ll strip the hubs and rims (hopefully, I still can’t get those damned tires off) and ready them for paint.
Trying to figure out the break parts. The finish isn’t too bad save for the sprocket which has a pretty good amount of rust on it. I work for a company where I could likely just drop them in a bin with other parts and they’d get finished but we don’t do anything in that finish so it’d either be hot dipped or electro galv… both of which seem too bright.
Also on the brake tip, I’m not sure what the shoes are that are on it or if replacements are available OR if I have to be glueing new material to the backings but I’ll get looking at that next week.
Looking good. Did you get the tire bead broken loose. I didn't notice your post until now but I found a fairly easy way to break the bead. If it doesn't help with this build maybe it will help in the future, it also helps to reinstall tires on one piece rims.
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-break-a-tire-bead-easy-way.176175/
https://oldminibikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-break-a-tire-bead-easy-way.176175/