Now this is when they made bike's. Just look at where the seat post holder meets up with the rear upper frame part, that's almost a fork in itself these days they taper that all into one piece for half the strength God there is more metal in those fenders than an entire Wal-Mart Huffy . I love this bike!!
Scored a Higgins!!!
- Thread starter Allen_Wrench
- Start date
This bike is awesome. I love your dunny roll "carbide light". It looks like a real one and way cooler because you can say you made it. Cant wait to see more of this bike
I'm rather attached to it myself. The frame is so solid it rang like a bell when I had it stripped bare. Any buzzing would have indicated a crack someplace. The frame does not buzz; it rings true. You may notice there is a dent in the rear fender. The fenders on this bike are of a steel the thickness of which is comparable to most cars on the road. I got all the dents out of the front fender, there weren't many. When I saw I missed one on the rear, I just figured I would leave it there to give the bike "character". That, and I was tired at that point.
Thanks. It's getting better looking the more I work on it. I always did love the primitive look of the street bikes from the early teens. The big "carbide" lamp is, however, probably much brighter than anything they had back in the day. But it had to look the part. I'm looking at the bike as a whole, and I'm going for as complete a look as I can manage (for what little money I have).
Sorry about the wait on the pics. I've been busy getting sick. Then some of my daughters got sick. Then more life stuff happened. It goes like that.
So, here's where I started work on "The Bat Tank". The pic below shows the softball bat I chose. The end of this bat is all one piece with the body. No plastic end-cap. That's the kind I wanted.
Before you cut your bat short, pick up a metal pipe/tube end plug. That's the round, chrome thing with the metal fingers in the picture. I measured it with a caliper and used the caliper to find the place along the taper of the bat where I would make my cut, and I made a line. I then placed the bat in a miter box with the but-end resting against a clamp and held a scribe at the line and slowly rotated the bat to make a precise cutting guide-line. I cut the bat freehand with a dremel and a cut-off wheel (because I have very steady hands and that condition won't last forever so I'm taking advantage of it now). The plug was tested and found to be a perfect fit.
I have also purchased some brass fittings at ACE hardware. The largest pictured will become the cap and filler neck. The small one still in the box is one of a few, and will link the copper line (which was cheaper than I thought) to my glass-bowl fuel filter and from there to my carburettor.
As a side note: the swept back, former ape-hangers in the pictures are not working well no matter what I do. So I got a good deal on some Wald 872s. When I got the Wald bars home and took 'em out to the shed, I stumbled upon a piece of steel tubing just a hair smaller than the OD of the Wald bars. That's when it hit me: extend 'em. The smaller steel tube is just big enought to be too tight a fit to slide into the handlebars. So I cut it in half and put the two pieces in the freezer. I took the ends I cut off the ape-hangers a while back, and cut five inch sections off them. Holding the five-inch section with needle nose pliers, I used my butane torch to warm it up a bit. I then slid the (still cold) smaller tube all the way into it and still had four inches of smaller tube remaining. When heat and cold wore off and each part resumed its original size, they were as tight as if I'd welded them together. I then put the completed extension in the freezer and repeated the process for the handlebar end. I then filled the small remaining seam with JB Weld. I'll have to get pics of that too. I now have long, back-swept handlebars that don't get in the way of my knees. And my grips are just long enough to reach up and cover the seam.
So, here's where I started work on "The Bat Tank". The pic below shows the softball bat I chose. The end of this bat is all one piece with the body. No plastic end-cap. That's the kind I wanted.
Before you cut your bat short, pick up a metal pipe/tube end plug. That's the round, chrome thing with the metal fingers in the picture. I measured it with a caliper and used the caliper to find the place along the taper of the bat where I would make my cut, and I made a line. I then placed the bat in a miter box with the but-end resting against a clamp and held a scribe at the line and slowly rotated the bat to make a precise cutting guide-line. I cut the bat freehand with a dremel and a cut-off wheel (because I have very steady hands and that condition won't last forever so I'm taking advantage of it now). The plug was tested and found to be a perfect fit.
I have also purchased some brass fittings at ACE hardware. The largest pictured will become the cap and filler neck. The small one still in the box is one of a few, and will link the copper line (which was cheaper than I thought) to my glass-bowl fuel filter and from there to my carburettor.
As a side note: the swept back, former ape-hangers in the pictures are not working well no matter what I do. So I got a good deal on some Wald 872s. When I got the Wald bars home and took 'em out to the shed, I stumbled upon a piece of steel tubing just a hair smaller than the OD of the Wald bars. That's when it hit me: extend 'em. The smaller steel tube is just big enought to be too tight a fit to slide into the handlebars. So I cut it in half and put the two pieces in the freezer. I took the ends I cut off the ape-hangers a while back, and cut five inch sections off them. Holding the five-inch section with needle nose pliers, I used my butane torch to warm it up a bit. I then slid the (still cold) smaller tube all the way into it and still had four inches of smaller tube remaining. When heat and cold wore off and each part resumed its original size, they were as tight as if I'd welded them together. I then put the completed extension in the freezer and repeated the process for the handlebar end. I then filled the small remaining seam with JB Weld. I'll have to get pics of that too. I now have long, back-swept handlebars that don't get in the way of my knees. And my grips are just long enough to reach up and cover the seam.
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Well, I installed my extended Wald 872 handlebars on the Higgins. Wow! This was the exact look I was going for originally. I have got to post pics of the bike with the new handlebars on. I now have a very comfortable riding position AND I have the long, back-swept handlebar look of a vintage motorcycle. I'm likin' it.
While I was at it, I rebuilt the "acetylene tank" headlamp battery housing with an identical, but beefier, tank (i.e. a heavier gauge cookie tin I found). It'll be in the next batch of pics too, but nobody'll notice a difference (except that I installed it backwards on accident and now the switch is on the other side. D'oh. Heck, I'm just leaving it like that).
While I was at it, I rebuilt the "acetylene tank" headlamp battery housing with an identical, but beefier, tank (i.e. a heavier gauge cookie tin I found). It'll be in the next batch of pics too, but nobody'll notice a difference (except that I installed it backwards on accident and now the switch is on the other side. D'oh. Heck, I'm just leaving it like that).
Got the new pics uploaded. They show off the new handlebars I extended and also give a better view of the headlamp (per request from those interested in building their own). As always, I'll answer any questions I can.
I can't wait to see the tank that Fundreamer's welding up. It will be the last thing I need for a really classic-looking bike.
I can't wait to see the tank that Fundreamer's welding up. It will be the last thing I need for a really classic-looking bike.
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Super nice Allen Wrench. Are you finished for a while or will there be more improvements for the hungry crowd. 
Steve.
Steve.
I *might* be done tweaking her for a while. I can't think of anything more to do at present other than putting in the in-frame tank. The peanut's gotta go.Super nice Allen Wrench. Are you finished for a while or will there be more improvements for the hungry crowd.
Steve.
The tank will put it right over the top. That bike has come a long way. I remember when you first got it. How are you healing up from the run in with the truck... just about all better now?
SB
It has come quite a long way. I remember when I first saw it; I knew I wanted it, but I also knew I was in for the long haul with it. I knew very well I would have a lot of work to do. What I lacked in money, I had to make up in elbow grease.
And so far as healing from the crash: yeah, I get around pretty good now. I fake not having a limp, and nobody notices. It's all good.
Well, here's the most recent pic. The "Bat Tank" has been installed, fitted with copper fuel line (not as expensive as I thought it'd be) and complete with a glass bowl fuel filter/petcock. This tank is a beaut, but it will not be permanent. I've just got to have something bigger if I want to go any further than a couple miles away. It holds about a pint and a quarter.
This bike MOVES! I was amazed. Sure, I did quite a bit of tweaking and dialing in, but jeez! You crank the throttle back and, OOF - away she goes. It gets me every time.
I just got back from the Kroger plaza that has the Dollar Tree in it that I was going to. And, for for being the quiet mid-day and a less-than-crowded parking lot, I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes on me. An old, old man was pulling up on a bicycle and he was just staring at my bike. Then he said it brought back really old memories for him. His father owned an old Cleveland with a torpedo-style tank. That old fellow was almost in tears. I don't think he'd remembered anything that far back in a long time. That was cool, talking to him.
This bike MOVES! I was amazed. Sure, I did quite a bit of tweaking and dialing in, but jeez! You crank the throttle back and, OOF - away she goes. It gets me every time.
I just got back from the Kroger plaza that has the Dollar Tree in it that I was going to. And, for for being the quiet mid-day and a less-than-crowded parking lot, I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes on me. An old, old man was pulling up on a bicycle and he was just staring at my bike. Then he said it brought back really old memories for him. His father owned an old Cleveland with a torpedo-style tank. That old fellow was almost in tears. I don't think he'd remembered anything that far back in a long time. That was cool, talking to him.
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Ya' done real nice!
I like watching the old iron get resurrected into beautiful new iron. They look sooo purdy compared to the modern Chinamart bikes.
Yes, I own a Chinamart bike...
I like watching the old iron get resurrected into beautiful new iron. They look sooo purdy compared to the modern Chinamart bikes.
Yes, I own a Chinamart bike...
Haven't posted here since last year. But I figured, since I've added a few new pics to the ol' album, I'd post 'em under this thread too, since it's all about the bike.
It's true what the old veterans on this site say: most of these bikes are never really "done", because we're never really done tinkering with them. But that's almost half the fun. (Riding is loads of fun, by more than half.)
It's true what the old veterans on this site say: most of these bikes are never really "done", because we're never really done tinkering with them. But that's almost half the fun. (Riding is loads of fun, by more than half.)
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That bike has come a long way, Allen. I wonder what the original owner would think of it now? My guess is it would get a big thumbs up!
SB
SB
SB, this ol' girl was the unwanted cast-off of a yard sale up the street. She lay at the curb at the mercy of fate. Well, I was privilaged to decide her fate that day.
I have ridden her past that house a few times since that day. Those homeowners do stare, and are impressed. But in my helmet, goggles, and leather, they don't seem to recognize me any more than they do the bike. I may tell them some day, to see what they think of it.
To think I've been riding past on their old "clunker" and they would not have guessed.
I have ridden her past that house a few times since that day. Those homeowners do stare, and are impressed. But in my helmet, goggles, and leather, they don't seem to recognize me any more than they do the bike. I may tell them some day, to see what they think of it.
To think I've been riding past on their old "clunker" and they would not have guessed.
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Giving this old thread a bump because I'm overhauling the old girl. She's getting a springer fork (paid good money for it years ago, so may as well use it - that, and if they aren't going to fill the small potholes, I'm going to need some suspension up front). So I dragged out the old, black springer fork from the first incarnation of Tempus, and started the process of painting it red to match the rest of the bike. And she may later get a new headlamp housing. To be honest, I'm on the fence about that. I still like the faux carbide lamp.
Also, in between coats (because, let's face it, watching paint dry is NOT exciting) I made a nifty little filler neck shield out of sheet brass. Not matter what paint I used by the filler neck, or clear coat, epoxy coat, beeswax, you name it, the tiny amount of fuel that would sometimes spit from the cap vent would cause the paint (or whatever) to always flake off to the bare metal in that exact spot. So I made the shield with upturned rolled-edges, and the hole was cut close so that it had to be pressed down tightly into place. We'll see how well that goes; but it should work like a charm.
Also, in between coats (because, let's face it, watching paint dry is NOT exciting) I made a nifty little filler neck shield out of sheet brass. Not matter what paint I used by the filler neck, or clear coat, epoxy coat, beeswax, you name it, the tiny amount of fuel that would sometimes spit from the cap vent would cause the paint (or whatever) to always flake off to the bare metal in that exact spot. So I made the shield with upturned rolled-edges, and the hole was cut close so that it had to be pressed down tightly into place. We'll see how well that goes; but it should work like a charm.
