Hi there, today my dad bought a tubing bender for our shop so I figured it was time for a project. The best one I could come up with is a homemade Taco Frijole. Does anybody have the demensions (width, length, height, etc.) for the Frijole? I am talking the early ones, I think 1965-ish? Thanks in advance. :thumbsup:
Taco Frijole Dimensions
- Thread starter Clayon
- Start date
- Tags dimensions frijole taco
I have a really poor, welded on, warped early frame. No forks. However it would serve to get dimensions. I would send you the frame if you wish. I just don't have the time currently to smoke out all the dimensions and make a drawing. A number of people have been hoping someone would do just that and publish it. If you make them you can sell a few, of that I am sure. BTW, it would, I'm told, be properly termed a Steen Frijole. Just sayin'. I even bought the proper tube and it is still in the metal rack after a year and it don't look like I'm any closer.
I can send you the frame because I know you will send it back when you are finished. The forks are another matter...I don't, as mentioned above, have any. I really would like for someone to make reasonably exact frame and forks with the identical 'blocked' tube ends and source wheels/tires/axles, and seat, and sell a close approximation of the original "kit". The attached is a restored Frijole that I put together for my eldest son. I gave him one in the early 60s when he was 4. He instantly knew what it was when he saw it and remarked on the purple paint being as he remembered it!
Funny I was wondering the same thing, I have been scaling any good straight shot of these and find they are all different, even the "original ones" , the top bar height and the junction between the neck and 2 tubes , even the handlebars triple tree area. With that being said I just went as close to my dimensions as i could and it still looks cool. I'll try to post some pics got a father and son pair in the works. Good luck,
Hey Clayon, check out this guy's build....somewhere in there he gives some dimensions, not sure if they are all there or what you need, but worth a look. Might even PM him if you need some specifics he didn't list :shrug: Good luck.
http://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/project-logs/35816-tired-frijole-hunt-build-one.html
http://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/project-logs/35816-tired-frijole-hunt-build-one.html
Hey Clayton I love the look of the Fijole as well , but another realy cool old bike is the Caper cycle Falcon ,not as many bends though.
What type of bender did your dad get for the shop?
Buy lots of extra tubeing as it takes practice to do a frame , not hard to do random bends , but doing a bunch of different bends together on one piece of tube takes planning , beleive me I have ruined $$$ worth lol
Keep the picts comming.
Rob
What type of bender did your dad get for the shop?
Buy lots of extra tubeing as it takes practice to do a frame , not hard to do random bends , but doing a bunch of different bends together on one piece of tube takes planning , beleive me I have ruined $$$ worth lol
Keep the picts comming.
Rob
Thanks Scott. :thumbsup:
Your right Rob, I too love the Caper Cycle Falcon, but I am thinking Frijole for now any way. Me and my dad bought a 12 ton bender from Princess Auto, it was on sale last weekend so we went and bought it. I am really happy with it so far, it is really nice and heavy. I have made a couple manifolds for my 3hp Briggs motors with it. Just trying it out for now. I will maybe post a pic of the bender this weekend. :thumbsup:
And once I get building my Frijole I am going to draw up some blue prints with the measurements for the frame so others like me can build there own. :thumbsup:
Your right Rob, I too love the Caper Cycle Falcon, but I am thinking Frijole for now any way. Me and my dad bought a 12 ton bender from Princess Auto, it was on sale last weekend so we went and bought it. I am really happy with it so far, it is really nice and heavy. I have made a couple manifolds for my 3hp Briggs motors with it. Just trying it out for now. I will maybe post a pic of the bender this weekend. :thumbsup:
And once I get building my Frijole I am going to draw up some blue prints with the measurements for the frame so others like me can build there own. :thumbsup:
Ya your right Clayton there is just something about a Frijole that is special .
I started out with the princess auto "pipe" bender and had moderate sucess ,use the smallest possible dies for your tubing , even if it doesn't seem to fit ,it will form into the die. As I am sure you know pipie is measured inside and tubeing is measured outside.
There is also some good videos on You tube on useing the harbour freight version.
I eventualy got frustrated with mine and used it for parts to build my own rotory bender.
Rob
Another trick I used to do with mine was to divide a larger angle into three equeal smaller angles.
I started out with the princess auto "pipe" bender and had moderate sucess ,use the smallest possible dies for your tubing , even if it doesn't seem to fit ,it will form into the die. As I am sure you know pipie is measured inside and tubeing is measured outside.
There is also some good videos on You tube on useing the harbour freight version.
I eventualy got frustrated with mine and used it for parts to build my own rotory bender.
Rob
Another trick I used to do with mine was to divide a larger angle into three equeal smaller angles.
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I also expect to waste some tubing when using a tubing bender to get something exact. The only tip I have [other than having a full sized drawing] is to mark the entire length of the practice piece with 1" increments. Set the tube in the machine and make some 'witness' marks on the tube and the bender that will be able to later tell where you stared. Bend it up and see how many inches or fractions thereof that are needed to be added or subtracted for the next try. After the second test piece there is no reason why a guy would not be close enough to make a drawing of the tube showing the lengths and where marks should be that will show where to set the tube in the bender. Not trying to be a 'smart guy' but I know this method has worked for me.
last time i asked about frijole plans i pretty much got hollerd at 
ut: i dont see the big deal about copying an old design. any dip with half a brain can tell a replica from an old one if they really were after an original. there just aint enough to go around. And cheapskates like me would just assume build one than pay out for one. Looking forward to you sketch though i wont be building one any time soon. Too many other ideas to build first :smile:
ut: i dont see the big deal about copying an old design. any dip with half a brain can tell a replica from an old one if they really were after an original. there just aint enough to go around. And cheapskates like me would just assume build one than pay out for one. Looking forward to you sketch though i wont be building one any time soon. Too many other ideas to build first :smile:I'm like you Jeep, I got a few other projects in the works, but I am hoping to build a Frijole this summer, and then I will talk to Hent and maybe the Frijole blueprints can be a sticky? And in my area there never ever where any Frijoles so building one is the easiest option. Plus I want a rider, if I had a real Frijole it would end up being a show piece.
Ok, change of plans, fletchman77 never ever PMed me back about the Frijole dimensions, and I had a brainwave that was kick started by Square Chopper. I am going to build a Frijole drag bike! :thumbsup: It will look like a Frijole except it will be stretched and running a hopped up clone or B&S flathead. I hope to start this project in june. :thumbsup: