Switching to (or from???) the Dark Side

HI guys, well shoot! In '05 when I arrived at the Fresno Whiz-in I was told the "No reproduction Whizzer has ever finished one of our Rides". Well the Gauntlet was thrown down, and even to I had a gas-cap that was not venting correctly, and my new '05 (20 miles on it when I arrived at the event) was running well, BUT, as we would go she would run like a scalded dog, then fizzle down to a dead stop, oven and over this little scene played on, for 65+ miles. I finished the ride that day, stock lil baffle, in an NE that needed an oil change bad! I did not have to worry about that Gauntlet again!

All that has changed, I went to the Whiz-in 06 with my new bike, I rode the Model 08 Racer Prototype an 05 NE5 in the hole then, in 07 the Model 09 Overhead (WC-1 conversion), in bare steel, and this year, 08 the model 09 Overhead (still wc-1 bottom end)in full Red Powder.

I have decided, at this point that it is time for me to experiance what all the Whizzer Owners of the past have. Getting a cast-iron cylinder engine, with a funny-lookin flex-pipe for an exhaust system, odd "Lawnmower" type cables, bolted into a bicycle.

I bought an early origional "H" motor, and am collecting all the little stuff that would have come in the box, that you had ordered from the back pages of that dog-eared Popular Mechanics, dated about March 1947. A wild-eyed kid, you had saved your paper-route money up, and sent it off to someone you never heard of in Pontiac Michagan, and waited, weeks it seemed, for that magic box to arrive.

I am going to attempt a "picto-Build" which is to say, show the steps needed to make an old-style Whizzer breathe new life again.

First, the bike...........I had some Vintage stuff in the yard, a 53 B6 Schwinn, a '37 Hawthorne, a Haiwatha Balooner that someone put a top bar on a girls, a 50's Monark Balooner, in orig blue 2-tone paint, tho missing it's freight-train headlight on the fender, and an old pre-war RollFast, and some other old stuff.

As I was agonizing over the choices, but leaning towards the Blue Monark, wifey says "what about that one you took the back wheel off of that's sitting in the dirt?"

Eureka! It is perfect (tho a bit the worse for the weather wear), a Roadmaster Luxury Liner repop, was new, with Persons pedals, Troxel Saddle, Shockmaster Springer, cool rack, deco tank, big chainguard, headlamp et al!

She is Gloss black, with red trim, and chrome fenders! I've pulled the orig tank, and chainguard, got a very late model WC-1 tank black with silver emblem.

I will take a pic of the bike soon, drum brake, and ChengShen "City Traveller" smooth road tires, undersized at 2.00 instead of 2.125, but a smooth fast tire.

I still lack the controls for the bars, and I do not like the 47 style control set (thumb levers) so I'm opting for "J" type twist handles. EZ-Glide Clutch, and just to build a real nice runner.

As I was thinking about all this fun I'm about to have, I got to thinkin that prolly almost no-body here might have known how to do an early Whizzer, so I want to share this bit with you-all, in case you may wish to switch (To or From???) the Dark Side.

"May the Farce be with you"


Duke WhizzerWalker

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looking forward to see the build. sounds like a great project.

Cool! I'm doing the same thing right now so lets post the pics. I'll start a thread too, and start taking pics now before I get too far into the build..

Hey Mike
When I start assembling my Columbia H Whizzer motor project I will start a thread with pictures too. I am sure many of the members are not familiar with the vintage Whizzer engines and bikes they came on or were installed on. I am going with the thumb controls you don't want to use. Here are a couple pictures of the H engine that is the heart of my project.

Jim

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EZ Motorbike Distributor / Dealer Guthriesville Pa

Here is the project in the early, but already started stage. A '42 CWC built Western Flyer, powdered coated, NOS Shockmaster fork. A '99 WC1 motor kit. Almost everything that came with the kit will not be used, since I want to make this as close to a '47 model as possible. All the controls will be switched to thumb and solid cable, and the carb switched to vintage. The Echo pipe will be switched to flex. The original black tank has been painted cream, and chrome plastic belt guard has been switched to H model guard and painted to match the tank.The WC1 I guess will be used as is until the valve seats go, which I assume will be sooner than later, at which time I guess if I haven't found an H motor, I'll upgrade to the NE5 top end. Everything will either be original to the bike or Whizzer. I re-laced the rear wheel with HD spokes, mounted the sheve, then tested the fit in the frame. Sheve hits the frame... so tomorrow I'm going to have my wheel truing friend dish it as much as humanly possible towards the chain side. If it still hits, then I guess I'll have to dimple the frame, which I'd rather not do, but I've come to terms with it. I also have to go to the local Harley dealership to pick up a few gaskets so I can button up the engine side cover and valve cover before mounting in the frame. Plus, after all of that, I need to pickup the New Departure WD front brake-hub, so I can lace it up and get it trued too. Oh yeah- I need to cut channels in my perfectly straight original rear fender for the belt. That makes me a little sad, but I'll get over it. At some point I need to bend the original dog-leg crank arm out to clear the flywheel/belt cover too! Yes friends, there's still lots to do.



I'll keep you posted as things progress...

I don't know if I'll document this project step by step, since this is my first whizzer attempt. Since many things need to be fabricated to fit, I think I'll make the mistakes off camera and just show things that are together and working. If I had access to a machine shop and had the tools to make or alter the parts I have, it would be a cleaner build. I'm just using simple tools so everything is going to take longer and be a little rougher, but I like the product better. In fact the only thing I want shiny is the frame. Even the frame clamps to mount the engine are too shiny for me. I'm almost tempted to give the tank a little road rash before mounting it. The handlebars and gooseneck are original, and have little chrome left on them. Those are my favorite parts on the bike!

Is this the look your talking about?

Jim

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EZ Motorbike Distributor / Dealer Guthriesville Pa

Yup, that's character!

I'm going to use that tank just the way you see it in those pictures. Almost all of the hardware I have is NOS not new repros. You and I are shooting for the same look.

Jim

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EZ Motorbike Distributor / Dealer Guthriesville Pa

Hi all, well I been busy doing other things, and waiting for some parts to arrive. I missed a chance today to get my twist-grips, and clutch lever for the 1947 H project. Just couldn't get outta here early enuf to catch up with friend who was working nearby and has picked up the parts for me from SoCal.

I have got "Easy Glide Clutch Kit", "special clutch cable/exhaust pipe bracket", "clutch spring", special "adjustable clutch spring bracket". H engine with later sheet metal type clutch assy, little bracket to hold vibration bar, "motor mounts, with adjusters", and an NOS galvanized "Flex-pipe with fish tail". I have a very nice black 02 tank, and somewhere I have cap and petcock, tho I do have a tillitson sediment bowl which is NOS. I also have enuf of that special belting to make rear belt from Fenner Drive Red (thanks to Brent).

I currently lack some nuts and bolts, clutch lever, clutch cable (with clevis, apparently) Vibration bar.

I may make the Vibration bar, tho I do have the NE5 type here (not long enuf?), and I have plenty of cables to make the clutch work, but no Clevis!

We shall see. I will take pics, and post more as I assemble it.


I missed picking up (all new reproduction) "Clutch lever assy", "Twist grips", throttle cable and compression release cable.

Apparently I am close to assembly, and riding the new/old Iron Horse.

Here are pics of the Luxury liner, with tank and chain guard removed. I MAY be able to use the chainguard? I dunno as I am learning this time.

"May the Farce be with you."

Duke WhizzerWalker

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__________________
www.ezmotorbike.com www.simpsonmotorbikes.com
Home of the 08 Racer and
NEW Model 10 production bikes
Whizzer, Starfire, and SkyHawk