worksman ex boeing bike. future board tracker?

Whats the wheelbase? I like the look of the worksman frames but overall i think that they seem a bit small? They really benefit from being chopped and stretched a couple of inches for the proper btr look..

radrob,
Last summer I bought the same frame on ebay, was of the idea it was pretty old since the handlebar was rusted, wheels were missing and paint was chipped and some surface rust showed through. It was eagle eye Bairdco who noticed under the head badge logo the Worksman Cycles - Factory Direct Store: America's Oldest Cycle Manufacturer of Industrial Bicycles and Tricycles, Since 1898 dead giveaway that this bike got pulled out of the Hudson or left in the rain for a few years and isn't old. Yours probably is older. I tried to find out from Worksman what the serial number translates to and got no response. Maybe somebody knows if there is a database out there to give year of manufacture. The frames are very well made and it is true that the in frame area makes for a tight 2 stroke engine fit. But it has been done without frame modifications. Search the forum here and there are threads. I have yet to fit an engine this summer, so I hope to follow your build and see what you do especially with mounting the engine. While I want for mine to end up looking vintage, I also want to be able to ride it comfortably upright, so won't go for a strictly board track look. I made a cylindrical in frame tank for mine and am anxious to see how it looks (I'm in Maryland yet and the Worksman is in Minnesota)... sometime next week. Good luck on your build.
SB

That Worksman Cycles - Factory Direct Store: America's Oldest Cycle Manufacturer of Industrial Bicycles and Tricycles, Since 1898 stuff is not what I typed in... on the head badge of mine it just gives the www and then worksman dot com. It got translated, I guess. If yours has no web address at least you know it is older than that.
SB

I'm guessing the rear wheel is probably original. I don't know if the newer Worksman coaster wheels use a Bendix brake or not, but I do know that the heavy duty Schwinn wheels for paper boy models from the early 60's were Bendix assembled in Mexico. I bet in the 50's they were USA all the way as I don't think much anything was assembled outside of the country in those days. Someone who knows more could probably place the correct decade from that alone. The regular weight S2 rims from 60's Shchwinn were also Bendix, but not assembled in Mexico or at least the brake arm doesn't say so. I would guess the same heavy duty Bendix hubs were used for the paper boy Schwinns as the Worksman. Somebody out there knows all about this stuff. How does it ride? What are your plans for it or do you know yet? As always, I'm on a budget so no spiffy stainless tank from Sportscarpat (aren't they something!). I don't have a drum front brake for it either and gave it a BMX front caliper brake which isn't exactly a board tracker look. If funds drop out of the heavens I'd like to get a Husky front wheel with the drum brake for it. Until then it is caliper up front which is better than nothing up front. I bought Wald replacement fenders for mine from bikeworldusa and replaced a missing chain guard from Niagra. I had a Worksman seat already and although it is not a board tracker look, they are well made and comfortable for long rides which matters more to me than how it looks. To each his own. I'm an old guy and looking cool is hopeless so laying out flat leaned over on the bike looking like I'm speedy wouldn't convince anybody and I'd never straighten up again. Hafta walk like that, too . Mine was originally red. I stripped it down and painted it in Duplicolor engine enamel, a dark Ford blue, as I recall. Looks much like the Worksman blue.
SB

the bendix mexico hub was the last one's bendix made before getting out of the bike business. it's from the mid 80's. i dunno if the 86 stands for 1986, but it's possible.the model before that, bendix made the mexico76, which was used on bikes from the late 70's, so either way, it's close.

the weirdest thing about worksman, is they claim they're the oldest bike company in the usa, and they've been around since the late 1800's, but i never seen or heard about any of their bikes dating back past the 60's or so. i had an old cycle truck they made for the US postal service and it was from around 1965.

as many old bikes as i've owned, and all the researching i've done, i figure i woulda spotted a pre-war Worksman by now, but they just don't exist.

i'm not knocking the quality of their products, just the claims they're making about their age...

Why not just use the mounts on the engine? Front engine mount right to the frame, stack two mounts in the rear and its done. It will sit lower and further forward in the frame giving more carb clearence.

sportscarpat said:

Why not just use the mounts on the engine? Front engine mount right to the frame, stack two mounts in the rear and its done. It will sit lower and further forward in the frame giving more carb clearence.

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Or, he could use a smaller front pedal sprocket (like a lucky 7), & bolt the engine in the way it is without any fancy mounts!

Pat or Norm or anyone, does the welded to the frame tab for the chain guard need to be altered or removed for the engine to sit low in the frame? As I recall on mine in Minnesota I was looking at it and thinking it was in the way, but now don't have it in front of me to stare at. If so, what do you do about the chain guard? I used the double mount in the back on something I build, don't remember what frame now, but it worked very nicely with longer studs of course. That is a good anc cheap way to go, but you're right, Norm, you could go even lower and open up a bit more room above for the engine, carb, air cleaner and such with that smaller sprocket. Who pedals these around anyway? The smaller sprocket would make for easier bump starts, too, I guess. But what about the chain guard?
SB

I have messed with this set-up quite a bit and found that the two rear blocks put the engine at a height that worked for the front mount. As you go lower in the frame the front mount will be out of the sweet spot where the engine mount angle and frame angle match. Any lower than two stacked rear mounts causes the front mount angle problem. Any higher than two stacked rear mounts and you'll never fit the carb correctly as the top of it will hit the center frame tube. The Works frame is just a tight fit. It's bottom bracket is a couple inches higher than a Schwinn and the front tube has much less curve to it which forces the engine back in the frame. That said, two rear mounts stacked and the front mount used as is makes for an almost perfect fit on the China two stroke. Oh, and I suggest a slant head to gain spark plug clearence.

That's good to know, Pat, and I'll remember that to save some fussing around. It's also a pretty inexpensive mounting setup, which is nice.
SB

radrob said:

I ordered this engine thinking I was going to use it on a larger dia. Frame. Should have ordered the one for smaller frame. Oh well this seems to be ok.

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Use both steal clamps on the front top and bottom. Did that make sense?

Adam