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I did some more serching and found it...........Curt
Allen_Wrench

Thread 'Scored a Higgins!!!'

Pictures to come soon. Don't get your hopes up though, it looks like it spent a few years in a shed (because it did). Here's the story:
On my way to work today I passed a yard sale. I caught only the barest glimpse of an old bike in amongst the other junk. I was sorry that I had not time to browse while they were setting up. And I had no money with me to buy it anyway.
On my way home they had put a bunch of crap on the curb by the cans, and guess what?!?! Of course you know what; the bike was there. I couldn't believe they would just pitch it so I went up and asked. They said...
 
Thanks, Curt. Mine is a 1950. It came with peaked painted fenders, but I decided to use a set of vintage chrome Schwinn fenders I had in my parts bin. I didn't get mine for free, they're getting a bit pricey especially the ones with the springer front end which really absorb bumps well. And, Higgins frames are known to be made from heavier pipe than other brands. Anxious to see what you dig up on other Higgins builds.
 
Mine has the peaked fenders also. I have so many going on now, I was just going toclean it up, press the dents out and ride it for now. .......Curt
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You've got another perfect candidate for motorizing, Curt. Your rims and spokes are nearly as rusty as mine! One thing about these bikes is the front downtube is not swept forward at the bottom as much as I'd like and makes for a tight motor mount. I thought about splicing mine but couldn't bring myself to chop on the ole girl. What's that cross piece on the seat post just above the kickstand?
 
Not sure other that the kick stand mount? Here is another shot. What has been done before is find a old girls bike and cut the upper down tube out and fit it in place of the boy down tube couple sleves to fit the seems with roseset welds.......Curt
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Wrapping up the wiring harness. One more connection, a double feed from two brake switches into one line for stop light, then wrap in split wiring loom. A lot can be said for simplicity since I've spent as much time on wiring as on the entire drive train! I remember the old motorbikes that had no battery and minimal electrics. Lights ran straight from a small stator and were about as bright as a single cell flashlight. My multiple-element LED headlight, driven by a 6AH battery recharged by a stator, will put your eyes out (probably not legal). Stay tuned for more photos.
 
Decided to fabricate a complete springer seat carriage instead of going with a rearward seat post. With that finished, I spent a couple of hours wrangling with the best routing for cables and wiring. It took a ton of "Do Overs" to get them right, especially with so much going on in a tight space. Was able to eliminate three separate wires by moving the rectifier/regulator from behind the seat to the back side of the battery box and sharing current. For example, converted two ground on the tail light and brake light to one common ground wire, then used the same hot wire to power both, with the tail light being on constantly and the brake light powered by a rear brake actuated switch. Kudos to the electrical engineers who design harnesses for cars and motorcycles. It's amazing how much difference a millimeter makes.

Now I'm deciding whether to install a small tool box on the rear fender for zip ties, wrenches, pliers, and a screw driver. Would throw in a roll of duct tape, but there's not enough room!
 
wrenching4fun said:
Decided to fabricate a complete springer seat carriage instead of going with a rearward seat post. With that finished, I spent a couple of hours wrangling with the best routing for cables and wiring. It took a ton of "Do Overs" to get them right, especially with so much going on in a tight space. Was able to eliminate three separate wires by moving the rectifier/regulator from behind the seat to the back side of the battery box and sharing current. For example, converted two ground on the tail light and brake light to one common ground wire, then used the same hot wire to power both, with the tail light being on constantly and the brake light powered by a rear brake actuated switch. Kudos to the electrical engineers who design harnesses for cars and motorcycles. It's amazing how much difference a millimeter makes.

Now I'm deciding whether to install a small tool box on the rear fender for zip ties, wrenches, pliers, and a screw driver. Would throw in a roll of duct tape, but there's not enough room!
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You'll be giving yourself a big old pat on the back for installing the tool box when the roadside repair becomes necessary. When it comes to roadside repairs; it isn't a question of will it happen but when will it happen.
 
Was hoping to pull off a couple of things over the weekend, but my usually reliable eyeball measuring system failed me and a key part of my wiring harness ended up 4 inches short! Curses!!!!! On the bright side got my chain adjuster made and now it's easier to get the tension just right. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
 
What do you do with two useless spring book racks? You cut them in half to make a Tool Box rack. Picked up a heavy duty security box, probably made for storing documents or firearms, thinking it would make a great lockable tool box. It's made of heavy steel with a combination lock and heavy foam padding-perfect for storing tools and other essentials in case of a breakdown. The front of the tubular rack is bolted to the fender and the rear supports are bolted to the tail light mount. If I can find a small luggage rack just big enough for a six pack, I'll bolt it to the lid for added convenience. I think my practicality is beginning to clash with the appearance of the bike, but at this stage it's not gonna win points for appearance no matter what I do! The box is upside down in photos 2 and 3. It actually opens from the rear and swings toward the seat.

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Tool Box.jpg


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While the storm raged outside today, I labored away in the shop fabricating a new undercarriage exhaust from 3/4" thin-walled conduit. I had two curved sections and a straight long piece I had used to replace the broken handle on my wife's fan yard rake (wait til she discovers I reclaimed the pipe). Tack welding the sections at the correct angle and in the proper lengths was an exercise in trial and error and patience! After dozens of "do overs" I finally got it close to where I want it and luckily the tack welds didn't burn through. Will finish with a slip-on silencer constructed from an empty steel propane bottle which should mute the note to a whisper. BTW, the photo shows my removable tool box. It's already packed with essentials minus a multiple-point screw driver I'll pick up later from the thrift store.

As soon as the silencer is done, I'll post of video of it working.

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Am I on Plan A, Plan B, or.................oh heck, who needs a plan anyway? My vintage Higgins build is taking on some modern features despite all my planning. Was going to construct a vintage-looking muffler, but a Chinese kit special was calling out to me from the parts bin. "Use me, hey, you, over here. Use me instead of that stupid propane bottle." I always listen when my parts start talking to me because they are a lot smarter than I am when it comes to mechanical things. So I made an exhaust from 3/4" thin-walled conduit designed to hand close to the frame while clearing the drivetrain. Welded a slightly larger pipe to the silencer to make it a true slip on so I can swap it out if necessary. A vintage Schwinn seat post clamp worked as a muffler clamp and a welded mounting tab will hold the back end to the frame. I like the way it sweeps up (not my idea it just turned out that way) even though it's not exactly in keeping with the bike's theme-whatever that is. I know I promised a video to show how it sounds but wifey is under the weather today and I'm the designated nurse.

Next step is a safety cover for the primary drive train, aka pulleys.

Exhaust final.jpg
 
wrenching4fun said:
Replaced the stock restrictive stinger with a much larger one. It should let the little Honda breath easier. Also attached is the array of essentials in my tool kit. You can make out a monkey wrench, zip ties, a tire patch kit, and a cable lock for extra security

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I like carrying a Huffy quick change split tube. This way you can change the tube on the roadside without having to remove a wheel. Then once you get home you can install a regular tube.
 
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