Ideas to make my bike more "vintage" looking?

[gobigkahuna]

I've always been a "champagne taste on a beer budget" kind of guy. I just picked up a Huffy Savannah 700c hybrid bike at Wally World for $75. It wasn't the bike I had hoped for, but for the price it's good enough and will suffice for a first build. I plan on adding a 66/80cc slant head China Girl engine and rag sprocket. I also plan on adding wider tires (although I probably won't be able to go over 1.75" in width). When it's built, it'll look just like the one in the photo below (this is the exact same bike as mine). My problem is that I love early 1900's vintage motor bikes but can't afford (nor do I have the skills) to build a replica like those posted here. I've found so much inspiration looking through the builder's threads here I'm hoping you veterans might have some ideas for simple / cheap things I can do to make my ugly duckling not so ugly. Any ideas? I'm handy with woodworking tools, fiberglass, and basic shop / mechanical skills. Any ideas? Any reference photos of similarly shaped frames that will give me some ideas?

 

[Mr.B.]

Well, if you can work glass then a vintage looking tank would be pretty easy to do...

-Kirk

 

[Estaban]

a couple of things like swapping out the forks, seat and pedals in addition to an earlier style tank would move you in the vintage direction....flipping the bars over as well...just my $.02

 

[gobigkahuna]

Good ideas!

I was thinking of adding a longer seat with a layback seatpost and then stays to the seat stay.

I'm not sure I've got the geometry of the tank right in this photo, suggestions? As for construction, I was thinking I could make a fiberglass shell for over the original metal tank. I suppose I could make an actual fuel tank out of fiberglass, but I really don't think I'll need that much fuel (and weight).

This looks like a good start, keep them ideas coming!

 

[silverbear]

If it were me, which it isn't, I would install the motor kit on the bike as it is and get some experience with the setup. Get riding and enjoying and while you do start planning the next build. I don't think the frame geometry lends itself to a vintage look and if the best you can do on wheels is 1 3/4 then you've got some real limitations in terms of coming up with a vintage cruiser/ board tracker look. And this will give you time to find a frame suitable for what you have in mind. Trying to do add ons can nickel and dime you to death and in the end you're still working with a cheap quality frame and components. If you want vintage, then bide your time and go vintage with the real thing. Keep your eyes out for yard sales or craigs list or ebay... start asking around. When you've scrounged a suitable bike and have wheels and seat you like, then remove the engine from the bike you're riding and now you have your vintage bike on a solid old frame. The real deal. That's what I would do.
SB

 

[gobigkahuna]

@silverbear - That's very good advice. I really wanted to start with a cruiser frame or something with a horizontal top tube, but Craigslist sucks here (1 bike listed in 30 days) and for $75 this was the cheapest bike I've been able to find for a first build. I may do just like you suggest, maybe just clean off the cheap stickers and make minor improvements. Good advice, never the less. Thanks.

 

[ChopperDave]

Plus one on Sliverbear's advise, once you have one to ride (takes the pressure off) you can take your time, save your fun coupons and get what ya really want...

 

[harry76]

Yep Silverbear hit the nail on the head, and as im from Australia we have little in the way of the vintage bikes many people purchase and modify on this site, and if they are they are generally rather dear. There are a couple of options if you have metal work skills:
a) find a vintage ladies bike, they are way cheaper and more available, you just need to remove one of the downtubes and install a top bar, and these bikes will usually have a coaster brake, which goes a long way to looking vintage not to mention you solve the problem of three levers (front brake, rear brake and clutch)
b) find a steel mountainbike from the 80's or 90's, they are very cheap and very available, a little cutting and you have yourself a vintage

 

[wheelbender6]

Look at vintage motorcycles on ebay for ideas.
Since you can do woodworking, fill in some of the open spaces in the frame.
Make pieces to fill in between the seatpost and rear wheel and above and in front of the motor. Add fenders. There were not very many paved roads before WWII.
I like previously listed ideas also.

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Silverbear beat me to the punch too. And that's just how I came to be where I am also: I had my other bike already, but ran across the Higgins which was a yard sale offering that nobody wanted, so they were going to pitch it. I picked her up for free.

Once I had that sweet cruiser frame, I took my time. Bought some paint when I could afford to. Sundry odds and ends were bought and repurposed. Check it out in the thread "Scored a Higgins". She's close to being on the road now. If it weren't for my accident, I'd already be on the road with her, I'm sure. Check out my old JC Higgins - that's how close you can come to a vintage cruiser on a shoestring budget. I got four kids who eat as much food as eight kids, I know a shoestring budget. But if you have a clear picture in your head - it can be done with a bit of patience.

 

[gobigkahuna]

Well, to make a long story short, I've returned the bike to W-Mart. I started going through it, and although some of the components seemed decent enough and the frame is steel, the stem, seat post and front forks seemed to be made of some sort of soft aluminum. I decided to return it and wait for the "right" bike for my first build.

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Well, to make a long story short, I've returned the bike to W-Mart. I started going through it, and although some of the components seemed decent enough and the frame is steel, the stem, seat post and front forks seemed to be made of some sort of soft aluminum. I decided to return it and wait for the "right" bike for my first build.

Having once worked at Walmart (for my sins) and worked first-hand with some of those bikes, I can say only this: where your continued health and safety are concerned, you may have done the best thing in this case.