Corsair Bike

GoldenMotor.com

AslansMonkey

Member
Oct 2, 2008
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A few weeks ago I saw a local listing on Craig's List for a motorized Schwinn. The add stated that it ran, but was leaking gas from the carb. They wanted $75 for it. I've done enough of these bikes now to know that this is an excellent deal because pretty much anything that could be wrong with the bike could be replaced for less than the difference between that $75 and the kit cost.

So I went and picked up the bike and then stopped at Walmart and picked up a shiny new Cranbook as the Schwinn was not so nice.

For this build I chose the F4U Corsair, WWII Fighter plane, as my inspiration. I'm kind of a fan of WWII Fighter aircraft.

I used decals printed on white vinyl stock on this bike, something I've not tried before. Came out pretty well, I think.

Not sure yet if I plan to keep this one or sell it.
 

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bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
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Central Illinois
I like it, too.

Plus a bike like that might have more value than a run-of-the-mill motorized bike. I guess the market that will pay the premium is smaller, but it ought to exist.
 

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
221
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TX
Its very clever how your inverted handlebars mimic the shape of the Corsair wings. I have been told that wing first slopes downward so that the landing gear can be shorter, but still long enough to keep that huge propeller from hitting the ground. Check six!
 

AslansMonkey

Member
Oct 2, 2008
194
1
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Yeah, I'm just not sure I can let this bike go. I need to tweak a few things on it yet. The tires are larger than the stock Cranbrook tires so they're rubbing a little on the fender in back. Also, the tires are less than true. Well, enough less that it bothers me. I'm more of a perfectionist on the bikes I want to sell than the bikes I keep for myself because I frankly don't know if the new buyers will be inclined to maintain them so I want them in top notch condition before I sell them. This one doesn't quite make that high mark yet. I'll keep piddling with it until it does and then decide if I will sell it. Getting too cold in the northland though so it may stay with me until spring.

When I showed my son's photos of it while it was still in progress my eldest (all my sons are adults) said "You have to put gull wings on that somewhere." That's where I got the idea to flip the bars. Frankly I thought it'd be too uncomfortable like that but surprisingly it's not at all uncomfortable and gives the bike a nice aggressive stance. This bike runs pretty darn well too, so it not only looks fast, it is fast. Well, fast enough for me, I doubt it tops 30mph, but it is pretty much stock.

I threw a different air cleaner on over the weekend and did some other tweaks as well.

I toyed with the idea of cutting notches in a bullet headlight to mount it over and around the bars in the stem area so that it looks like a F4U cowling. I could even get a three blade spinner from a hobby store. I fear that might be overkill, but I may do a paper mock up just to see what that would look like.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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Littleton, Colorado
Monk, be very very careful with the fenders. Especially if the rear one is rubbing.
Secure it in some way that it CAN NOT come loose. That's the voice of experience talking. It was the last thing I ever expected to happen, but it did.

Tom
 

AslansMonkey

Member
Oct 2, 2008
194
1
16
Monk, be very very careful with the fenders. Especially if the rear one is rubbing.
Secure it in some way that it CAN NOT come loose. That's the voice of experience talking. It was the last thing I ever expected to happen, but it did.

Tom
Yeah, one of my first bikes had a springer fork and I stupidly secured the front fender to the steerer tube (which does NOT flex) and the axel (which does). In short order the fender had flexed itself in half and rotated forward, locking the front wheel. Luckily for me I was OFF the bike rolling it down some stairs when this happened, but I'd just finished a long ride and the thought that this could have happened while riding scared the crap of of me.

I reinforce the front fenders by adding an additional piece of angle bracket to the front fender to augment the original mount and I lock tite all bolts. The fenders are pretty secure, but it shouldn't rub anyway, so I'll be fixing that.
 

AslansMonkey

Member
Oct 2, 2008
194
1
16
Wasn't happy with the tires rubbing the fenders, so I removed them. They just didn't feel safe enough to me. Also replaced the air cleaner with a better one, because why not?

This is the finished version. It'll be listed on Craig's List. I could use the money more than the bike at this point, but it won't pain me if it doesn't sell either.
 

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AslansMonkey

Member
Oct 2, 2008
194
1
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If it sells for a grand (and it might) I think we are the stupid ones for not coming up with such a great design. lol.
Kudos again Sir.

Dan.
If it sells for a grand I'll be surprised. I listed it at $700. But in the frozen north country of Minnesota even that's a long shot.

I have a black rack with collapsible baskets on it that I might just plop on this bike...then keep it for myself.