Officially In the thick of it..

GoldenMotor.com

mudbugone

New Member
Aug 12, 2010
19
0
0
Louisiana
I couldn't resist the temptation and found a 2 stroke 49cc mini chopper on ebay that had the forks & handlebars missing:confused: for a super price. I bought it ! (I'm assuming the owner or his kid ran under/into something and trashed the springer forks or he sold them first) He seemed happy to dispose of it at almost any price.It has front wheel/lights/electric starter/pull starter/disc brakes...everything EXCEPT the forks/handlebars.

It's one of the 49cc fake V-twin engines and beyond that I won't know much until it's delivered. I want to replicate an old board track cycle so this engine should look pretty good no matter what I finally build.

Last year these mini choppers were all over the internet and when I went looking for repair parts (just in case) NADA-NOTHING.... it's like these mini-choppers never existed (well almost) Suits me except I like options in case I need them.

I figure I'll have everything I need to build a motor bike and then have parts left over to re-sell or build something else.... Should be in by next week and then I'll start figuring a frame design...might look into re-designing the existing frame into what I want. I may be able to restructure the rear to accept a larger wheel and may have to alter the rake in the neck.

Since I have to fit a new fork & handle bars anyway it might be simpler to just cut and fit a new rear section also and alter the neck so the rake isn't sooooo far out. That way all the mounts/controls/gas tank might already be in place instead of trying to swap all the parts to another frame.

Any thoughts about that method of re-building a mini-chopper into a board track bike?

I knew I should stay away from Ebay,but it was calling my name " It's too cheap you crazy sucker..Buy It !" LOL
 

mudbugone

New Member
Aug 12, 2010
19
0
0
Louisiana
LOL... I don't have it yet soooo the best I can do is the ebay auction picture. He sent me a pic of one exactly like it (in gold) he had (bad picture). The green one includes the front wheel as well as all the handlebar controls and lights and speedometer.

He emailed me today to confirm shipment and answered my question about the missing parts....as I suspected he was riding it and ran under the rear of a truck.... brake cable failed ! He got out without serious injury to his person,but the bike didn't (it probably didn't make him like the bike though).

The rear has disc brakes (not sure about the front) looks like the front wheel is spoked and much larger than the rear fat mini bike wheel in the fuzzy photo he sent.

I didn't get hurt on the price at any rate... shipping from NJ for 90# of scooter...that's a different story. He said it took him 3 hours to pack it...I don't doubt him,he's been very helpful with the entire transaction. It's nice to deal with good people.

I should have asked him to ship the damaged parts... I could use the triple tree as a starting point to construct new forks... That's why I bought all these welders in the shop .... to fix stuff. Perfect chance to practice with the new Tig toy.

The more I look at the frame though.....the less I'm taken with it for the style I want.... I'll wait until I see it in person to make any determination about re-working it instead of using another frame entirely.
 

killercanuck

New Member
Dec 17, 2009
1,748
6
0
47
Wallaceburg ON
Chopper to Board tracker? eep. You should just gut the mechanicals off of it and build a far-out frame the style you want to put the pseudo thumper in, eh? Good luck, keep us posted :)
 

mudbugone

New Member
Aug 12, 2010
19
0
0
Louisiana
LOL... Me Too!

It isn't going to get here until at least the first of September according to UPS.

I still kept looking for an antique engine to build around and.....
I just bought a Maytag motor and another similar motorized contraption that the seller told me was something to spin yarn... WRONG ! I have discovered it's actually something called a "Drag Saw". A forerunner to chain saws.

I had never even heard of such a saw and no one had ever seen one...BUT.... Thanks to Youtube (drag saw) this thing actually makes sense.

I wanted the antique engine to power a bike,but at the prices these things bring and considering it's 95% complete... I doubt I trash it for the engine.

It's pretty cool looking and while it may have been an improvement over a two man saw...it ain't a chainsaw substitute.. Go take a look on youtube at the way they work. Mine has an engine similar to a Maytag washing machine engine (only bigger) while most of those on youtube are much larger machines. It's interesting trivia.
 

mudbugone

New Member
Aug 12, 2010
19
0
0
Louisiana
The drag saw I found is much smaller than most of those on Youtube... Very similar to this one in size YouTube - The chainsaw guy Shop talk with his Eureka Drag Saw ,but with an engine similar to a Maytag washing machine engine. It appears intact and factory.

It resembles the Eureka one above because it was made in Eureka,Calif. and it's marked "Little Woodsman".

I've seen that V-8 chainsaw..Takes some strength to lift that thing.

I have a two man chainsaw in the shop handlebars at the motor end and a single hand grip at the tip..... I don't know anyone crazy enough to hold onto that single grip ...the saw is over 8' long... Everyone thought I was nuts to buy it.