The Rat Deluxe

I found the bike this past weekend at a swap meet/flea market.
It's a Rollfast Deluxe.
The rims tires and chain guard were to far gone to save ,but everything else was useable. It took me a few hours to free up the rusty skip tooth chain then, i used my grinder to make a 20 tooth peddle sprocket into a skip 10 tooth.
I disassembled the hole bike, and used 300 grit to smooth all the rust on the bike. I didn't want to remove it to bare metal. I just sanded it smooth and then hit the whole bike with 3 coats of clear.

I still have to bend the original cranks out an 1/8 inch to clear the engine,and build a custom pipe so it can drive the 30 tooth sprocket i had to used to clear the frame with ought a tensioner. Maybe i should call it the Flying Rat.
I hope to have it on the road by the end of next week. I just need to have my farther give me a hand with bending the cranks due to a broken collar bone, thanks to a hit and run driver.

I had offered the guy $90, but he wanted to waite till the end of the show to see if he could do any better. When i came back half way threw the show, it had a sold sign on it. Turns out my Girl had given him $100. She gave it to me as a early birthday present.

As for the forks. They seem very sturdy. I don't want to heat them and risk damaging the brazing. Before i reinstalled them, I put them between two 2x4s and stood and bounced on wear they were bent to try to straighten them out bit(200lbs) .They didn't budge.
I rode it for a few miles and they ride just fine. The 2nd pic makes the forks look worse than they actually are..

She is a runner. I just need to fab up a quick tank to fit inside the horn tank. And pick up some new wheels and tires. I'm going to run 1.75black bricks on this bike and worksman wheels with a front drum. and a tuned pipe too. Can't forget that.

By the way. Teaser alert.

Just finished the bike up. I built a tuned pipe ,but it just seemed to loud for the type of person that would probably buy this bike.

Venice Motor Bikes said:

I love this bike... but the fork looks a little bent back. :/

Click to expand...

They are slightly. They place the axle 1/4 " further back than original.
But in person it is barley noticeable. It just shows up better in pictures.
I could heat and straighten them ,but i don't want to damage the patina .
I've put close to 50 mi on the bike so far and it is rock solid. I love just putting along just over idle at 25mph.