58s Schwinn Wasp Build (My Dad's old bike)

GoldenMotor.com

MEASURE TWICE

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2010
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Yea it is coming together real good!

Just your gas cap a temporary, it does not look like a vented one?

MT
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
Just spent a few minutes staring at your bike and thinking about things I like about it. One is that it was your Dad's bike. That's pretty special to begin with. Every time you ride it in a sense he'll be riding it with you. If he was like most boys I imagine that he put playing cards on the spokes or at least imagined it having a motor. Now it has one. How cool is that?

I like that the motor is different and that this is not a kit build or everything off the shelf. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, I just like seeing things that are different at the core and not just on the surface. I like the way your air cleaner helps to fill out the engine space which makes it look more like it was made that way back when.

Get used to the idea that old guys are going to come out of the wood work and ask, "Is that a Whizzer? I always wanted one of those. My uncle had one just like that!" And whatever is said, it is with smiles when the boy inside speaks up wistfully once more. Any of us back then who had real blood in our veins became lustful to have one when we'd see an ad for a Whizzer in a sports magazine or Popular Mechanics. .. oh man! So be kind to the old guys and let them be wide eyed boys again while they stare and babble. That's one of the highs of this hobby, being able to share the joy of a hand made time machine bridging then and now from little boys to big boys to old boys... it all kind of melts together in the mechanical moment. Cool stuff. Cool bike. Wait til you take it for the first motored ride. Do have someone taking pictures!
SB
 

MEASURE TWICE

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Jul 13, 2010
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I see a pulley on the engine now, are you going to have a belt(s), jackshaft, and for a rear wheel drive a whizzer or washing machine pulley on the rim or spokes?

I used a type of belt that has links to add and remove to change length. Recently I felt that it slipped badly and links came apart when tightened a lot.

Now I am going to try either a regular vee-belt or another link type belt I just got, it is the Power Twist Plus instead of Accu-Link. Power Twist Plus seems way more rigid and should not stretch nearly as much and hold up I hope. Power Twist Plus notes that pulleys smaller than 3 inch diameter should not be used, which is why I’ll probably use at least one regular belt for a 2 inch pulley I am using.

Great seeing the progress you have made and as SB says the interest is definitely for a major part the non-kit aspect.

MT

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=29678&page=7
 

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
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Howell, MI.
I see a pulley on the engine now, are you going to have a belt(s), jackshaft, and for a rear wheel drive a whizzer or washing machine pulley on the rim or spokes?

I used a type of belt that has links to add and remove to change length. Recently I felt that it slipped badly and links came apart when tightened a lot.

Now I am going to try either a regular vee-belt or another link type belt I just got, it is the Power Twist Plus instead of Accu-Link. Power Twist Plus seems way more rigid and should not stretch nearly as much and hold up I hope. Power Twist Plus notes that pulleys smaller than 3 inch diameter should not be used, which is why I’ll probably use at least one regular belt for a 2 inch pulley I am using.

Great seeing the progress you have made and as SB says the interest is definitely for a major part the non-kit aspect.

MT

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=29678&page=7
I will be going with a belt primary drive and a chain secondary drive. I will also use something like in these two picture for my clutch setup.



 

MEASURE TWICE

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Jul 13, 2010
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Clutch tension/idler pulley, I noticed again that thread of yours. That is something I have to try some day.

MT
 

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
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Howell, MI.
Just spent a few minutes staring at your bike and thinking about things I like about it. One is that it was your Dad's bike. That's pretty special to begin with. Every time you ride it in a sense he'll be riding it with you. If he was like most boys I imagine that he put playing cards on the spokes or at least imagined it having a motor. Now it has one. How cool is that?

I like that the motor is different and that this is not a kit build or everything off the shelf. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, I just like seeing things that are different at the core and not just on the surface. I like the way your air cleaner helps to fill out the engine space which makes it look more like it was made that way back when.

Get used to the idea that old guys are going to come out of the wood work and ask, "Is that a Whizzer? I always wanted one of those. My uncle had one just like that!" And whatever is said, it is with smiles when the boy inside speaks up wistfully once more. Any of us back then who had real blood in our veins became lustful to have one when we'd see an ad for a Whizzer in a sports magazine or Popular Mechanics. .. oh man! So be kind to the old guys and let them be wide eyed boys again while they stare and babble. That's one of the highs of this hobby, being able to share the joy of a hand made time machine bridging then and now from little boys to big boys to old boys... it all kind of melts together in the mechanical moment. Cool stuff. Cool bike. Wait til you take it for the first motored ride. Do have someone taking pictures!
SB
I guess I am going for the look of a home built Whizzer for those that couldn't buy one, but had parts that they could use on their old bike.
 

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
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Even though I ran into a problem with my Pillow Block Bearings I was still able to start on the Jack Shaft mounting plat and I also mounted my rear sprocket.

I will have to modify the fender so the chain will clear it. Don't know if I want to just cut a notch in it or remove the front section between the two stays.




 

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GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
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If you choose to remove the whole section of fender you will get dirt and grime slung forward of the tire and all over the backside of the engine. You could still offer protection by using a rubber "skirt" between the fender stays.

Or just notch the fender.
 

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
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Howell, MI.
If you choose to remove the whole section of fender you will get dirt and grime slung forward of the tire and all over the backside of the engine. You could still offer protection by using a rubber "skirt" between the fender stays.

Or just notch the fender.
I was thinking of building a battery box to go on the back side of the seat tube which would be doable if that section of fender was gone.
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
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San Diego, Kaliforgnia
If that is the original fender I would find a doner fender to cut up. Don't cut up your dad's original fender.
I really like the battery box idea. That would look really cool and double as the road grime shield,
 

dracothered

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Jul 25, 2012
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If that is the original fender I would find a doner fender to cut up. Don't cut up your dad's original fender.
I really like the battery box idea. That would look really cool and double as the road grime shield,
That will be hard to do unless you happen to have a good doner I can have to use. I will have to go without for a while otherwise.
 

MEASURE TWICE

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Jul 13, 2010
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I was thinking if I ever had seen the fender on the old JC Penny Foremost frame I recovered from the dumpster. I know I threw out the rims as the spokes and rims were cracking in half. No use of rust remover could help that!

Your bike in contrast is being a type of motor bike that is retaining the pedals and what’s more the character of the original bicycle.

I was thinking of a flap of flexible material as well. It could be painted maybe and look OK, but remember it will have to take the wear of the chain and not adversely affect the chain too.

Kevlar coated with a rubber coating that you periodically re-coat with stuff like that Dip-It stuff to coat tool handles that grips came off of is one thought.

I actually tried to find where I could buy Kevlar fabric but it is not cheap or in small quantities easy to find.

There is marine caulking that I have used and is flexible to some degree and could coat fabric of a high number denier that is a possibility.

The marine caulking comes in different colors and can be bought in a white color and you add pigment to make desired color. The stuff is stronger than the wood I put it on and when trying to remove the marine caulking is splintered the wood and would not rip itself at all. It still is flexible though.

MT
 
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fatdaddy

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May 4, 2011
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I wouldn't want to chop up a 1958 fender either. I think I would just find any old fender that fits (or you can make fit and looks good on it,) and chop it up instead. Put the original in storage. That way you have your fender and your battery box.
fatdaddy.
 

dracothered

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Jul 25, 2012
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Howell, MI.
I wouldn't want to chop up a 1958 fender either. I think I would just find any old fender that fits (or you can make fit and looks good on it,) and chop it up instead. Put the original in storage. That way you have your fender and your battery box.
fatdaddy.
Might have to go without fenders for a while then because I will have to drill holes in the front one in order to mount it.
 

dracothered

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Jul 25, 2012
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This wrench is made to get into the tight area where I would have to pull the engine to change out the spark plug.



As you can see here from above the plug is covered some by the one bar.


 

Harold_B

Active Member
May 23, 2012
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Grand Rapids, MI
By the time the snow is come and gone it will be ready. I really envy your space heater! I basically have a toaster over with the door propped open to heat garage.