Huffy Davidson WLA Build

[Nightster]

So with the handlebars moving back 4 inches, I believe I need to add another post to move the seat back. Here is what I have pictured in my mind. And I want to use A seat that can be used with a suspension seat post like the WLA’s had.

can anyone tell me if I can mount a bicycle seat suspension to this WLA replica seat from India?

 

[Nightster]

Oops forgot the bicycle pic

 

[curtisfox]

Maybe think about lengthening the frame some?.........Curt

 

[Nightster]

Maybe think about lengthening the frame some?.........Curt

Maybe..., definitely a good idea. Bike is sitting here in the living room, let me stare at a little lol.

 

[wrench]

can anyone tell me if I can mount a bicycle seat suspension to this WLA replica seat from India?

Is this what ya mean by bicycle seat suspension ?
Pics of an old a 20 year old Worksman seat and it's suspension

I guess you can take the India seat cover off and change the bolts position in the seat pan to line up with the seat suspension frame ya got. also use the correct length of bolts for the springs

 

[wrench]

The seat from India looks like it might use a M/C type seat mount

 

[Nightster]

Is this what ya mean by bicycle seat suspension ?
Pics of an old a 20 year old Worksman seat and it's suspension

I guess you can take the India seat cover off and change the bolts position in the seat pan to line up with the seat suspension frame ya got. also use the correct length of bolts for the springs

Yea, that might be the way to make it fit

 

[Nightster]

The seat from India looks like it might use a M/C type seat mount

And yea, it’s a motorcycle seat. Just trying to make it look like a WLA. No springs on the seat if possible.

looks like there’s gonna be more fabrication in this bill than I planned on, LOL

 

[wrench]

And yea, it’s a motorcycle seat. Just trying to make it look like a WLA. No springs on the seat if possible.

looks like there’s gonna be more fabrication in this bill than I planned on, LOL

OK I see, WLA Sure a guy like you should be able to figure out how to mount that.

 

[Nightster]

OK I see, WLA Sure a guy like you should be able to figure out how to mount that.

Wow, thank you for the picture. It made me go back and look at some of my other pictures a little closer. I had not noticed that the front of the seat was attached to the gas tank. I appreciate your confidence, and yeah I’m thinking I can figure something out, lol.

Obviously, realism requires fabrication.

 

[wrench]

I looked on line and I saw WLA seat frame and mounts $$$$$$$$$
Maybe it made in a Reproduction kit?

Also solo M/C seat mounting kits

Maybe ya can make something out of a Solo seat mounting kit?

 

[Nightster]

I looked on line and I saw WLA seat frame and mounts $$$$$$$$$
Maybe it made in a Reproduction kit?

Also solo M/C seat mounting kits

Maybe ya can make something out of a Solo seat mounting kit?

That’s definitely an idea as well, but most of those I have seen have springs on the back of the seat. I’m trying to avoid that.

i’m thinking I can fabricate a little mount for the front of the seat to mount on the gas tank or frame and rig something up on the back of the seat to hold the seat post mount.

 

[wrench]

YEA I figured it was worth looking at the WLA and solo seat mounts just to get an Idea.
Making your own is the only way to make it work on a bicycle frame

 

[Nightster]

Damn you Curt, lol.

I thought this would be a semi-relatively easy build. Mostly just hanging stuff off the bike, lol.

now we’re talking I need to make or buy a jig for the bike frame. more chromoly and brazing. Been checking dimensions with my micrometer and I will need some 1 1/2 inch, 1 1/4 inch and 5/8 inch chromoly to stretch the frame and build the front rack.

but that’s the correct way to do it if I’m trying to make it look Somewhat authentic.

The extra seat post that I mentioned earlier would just stand out, so I am accepting there’s gonna be more fabrication here.

so thanks Curt and Wrench for making me try harder.

 

[Nightster]

This picture gives me a good representation of what to do with the frame. Especially the bottom

 

[PeteMcP]

Whoa, Danny! ....
This sprung WLA solo seat idea quickly expanded to a LOT more work than you first thought. Before you contemplate such drastic measures as frame lengthening/butchery, think more along the lines of Keeping It Simple.
Let's back up a little. First up, the WLA-inspired seat look you're after should be fairly simple to achieve. You'll need one of these hinged solo seat front mounts (hundreds of these on eBay). The WLA pan should already have bolt locations for one of these.

Then you could adapt the underside of that WLA steel seat pan to accommodate a pair of steel rails to fit the kind of mounts normally found on modern sprung seat posts. Shown in this pic. 'Cept maybe snug the rails closer up to the pan so they aren't so visible.

Easiest way to do this is to get your hands on an old, cheap saddle and cannibalize it for the rails. These are commonplace. Weld the rails onto the underside of the steel pan - and you might just want to start with a bare metal WLA pan rather than rip the leather off an already covered pan. I've seen bare steel WLA pans on eBay at cheap prices..

My only concern about your WLA seat plan would be that its a motorcycle saddle and its size might overwhelm a bicycle. Not saying it will. Just something to be aware of.

 

[Nightster]

Whoa, Danny! ....
This sprung WLA solo seat idea quickly expanded to a LOT more work than you first thought. Before you contemplate such drastic measures as frame lengthening/butchery, think more along the lines of Keeping It Simple.
Let's back up a little. First up, the WLA-inspired seat look you're after should be fairly simple to achieve. You'll need one of these hinged solo seat front mounts (hundreds of these on eBay). The WLA pan should already have bolt locations for one of these.
View attachment 107204
Then you could adapt the underside of that WLA steel seat pan to accommodate a pair of steel rails to fit the kind of mounts normally found on modern sprung seat posts. Shown in this pic. 'Cept maybe snug the rails closer up to the pan so they aren't so visible.
View attachment 107205
Easiest way to do this is to get your hands on an old, cheap saddle and cannibalize it for the rails. These are commonplace. Weld the rails onto the underside of the steel pan - and you might just want to start with a bare metal WLA pan rather than rip the leather off an already covered pan. I've seen bare steel WLA pans on eBay at cheap prices..

My only concern about your WLA seat plan would be that its a motorcycle saddle and its size might overwhelm a bicycle. Not saying it will. Just something to be aware of.

Wow ok Pete, I like your idea. Got old seats laying around so the frames from those seats are readily available.

and now that you bring up that final point of size you may very well be correct that it would look stupid. It’s a big seat to start with for a motorcycle so yea on a bike it might overwhelm.

still like the idea on the made in India replicas. That’s how I found the WLA seats.

you’ve given me some things to think about Pete, including looking for a smaller seat most likely. Somethings shaped the same just smaller.

thanks for your advice Pete

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Schwinn Full - floating saddle and seatpost
1938 Schwinn Auto Cycle
The Schwinn Autocycle | 1938 to 1952 (bikehistory.org) Study the sear suspension. Kind of what Pete posted.
Tom

 

[Nightster]

Faux Springer underway...

some tubing and flat at to build a front rack.

 

[Nightster]

Amazon call, been wanting this for a while. First few pages look incredible