# It's a start



## the tinker

Bought this 39 Colson at the Blue Moon swap last weekend for 40 bucks. Got this Shelby springer a few years back for 25 bucks.  I think it's the start of a rat rod  The Colson frame is straight, but all original paint is gone.  I would never do anything to permanently alter a classic 39 Colson, so Colson folks don't get upset. I will have to cut down the spinger as it's a girls fork.
There is a swap this weekend here in Ill. at the old I80 drive in on Sunday.......I will be looking for a hocky stick guard  and maybe a rack. It will be FUN!!!


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## rollfaster

all good tinker. its a good platform to do what you wish, as long as you ride the hell out of it. keep us updated. rob.


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## the tinker

*Colson update*

Ok Rob, here's an update: Threaded the Shelby girls springer down 5/8 inch and cut 5/8ths off it and bolted it on the Colson. A match made in heaven......can't wait to see what I can find at the I80 swap tomorrow for it!


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## rollfaster

Right on tinker. Great start!!


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## Jarod24

I recently did the same thing, cut down a women's shelby springer. You may need to make a new bracket piece to push the the fork/front wheel out from the frame. At least that what I had to do. My front wheel was way too close to the down tube. Best of luck on your project. Its lookin pretty awesome already.


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## mike j

I'm liking where you're taking this. Colsons have a certain funky ugliness to them ( Being a devout Colson disciple , I can say this ). That Durante springer is the perfect "nose" for it. Can't wait to see more.


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## the tinker

The Colson ratrod is coming along nice. The fun part about this hobby that I really enjoy
 is finding all the parts to make a complete bike.
 Although the original paint  is long gone from the frame, There is a little bit of green . I am hoping these original paint green fenders fit.[Can anyone I.D. them?] Think they are Colson but not sure. 
Will try to match the fender paint for the frame.  The back fender has the original flat braces.  After going through the fender roller they should look ok.
Found this old blue rack[can anyone I.D. the maker?] Might put that on.
Jarod ,you got me concerned about the front wheel hitting the frame so I put a wheel on. think it will be ok.
The chain guard and early pedals really get the old tinker excited to get this bike together.
Just got these two head badges in a trade from old Ed Borros . Not sure which one will be used. 
looking like the "wings" one.
Thanks for the encouragement guys. Painting the frame is next.


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## catfish

The great thing about making a custom bike, is you can make it anyway you want.


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## the tinker

The Colson frame has surface rust everywhere. It's even under the remaining paint that I scraped off the frame. Looks like it has been carelessly repainted a couple times and then left to rust .
Decided to give it an oxalic acid bath to eat out all this rust.
Had some scrap 2x6 so made a box just big enough to house the frame. Will line it with doubled up plastic and then soak it for a day and see what happens to Mr. Rust.  
The frame had oil and grease on it so I blasted it with some break clean to remove it before it's submerge in the O.X. bath. 
 There is a little bit of room left in the center of the frame...........Wonder if I could soak my feet in this stuff


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## the tinker

Soaked the frame overnight in the oxalic acid and it did a great job  of removing all the rust. 
The photo was taken about ten minutes after I removed it from it's bath and it was not wiped or cleaned off yet. I will steel wool it this afternoon.
Next week: primer.


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## the tinker

Got a problem with the Colson plans.   Primed the frame and it's ready for finish paint.
The problem is those green original fenders I have.... Really like them. I know they will turn out fine once they are rolled. The paint has that old patina that I would like to keep.
The problem is what color do I paint the bike frame,rack and chain guard.
A nice green to match the fenders? the color will be close but old fenders and new paint on the frame.......maybe won't look so good.
just go for the total "rat" look and go with a matt black on the frame or flat black with the green fenders? 
Even thought of a dark green frame or flat green if I can find it.
Anyone have any thoughts?  really want to use those green fenders.....


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## vincev

Tinker,do you remember that new chrome headlight I bought at the show for $2 ? I primed it,painted it and while it was tacky I dabbed it with rusty steel wool.After it dried I sprayed it with flat clear enamel and it looks old. Maybe you can do that on the frame to "age" it with a matching green color...........


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## the tinker

vincev said:


> Tinker,do you remember that new chrome headlight I bought at the show for $2 ? I primed it,painted it and while it was tacky I dabbed it with rusty steel wool.After it dried I sprayed it with flat clear enamel and it looks old. Maybe you can do that on the frame to "age" it with a matching green color...........
> 
> View attachment 234261




Hey Vince, you don't think I am nuts to build a bike around an old set of fenders?  
Well I Know I am nuts, but about the fenders I mean. Good Idea or bad?


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## the tinker

OK. Made a decision here.
Don't want a perfect paint job cause that's not what a rat rod is about.
Don't think this bike will be a true "rat rod" when done, maybe a mutt rod.
Decided to go light green to match the fenders as close as possible with stock Colson grafics on the frame painted to match front fenders as close as possible.
The whole thing is: It will be "FUN". That's what this hobby is about!!!!


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## the tinker

Great morning to paint.
No bugs, no breeze the out door paint booth was perfect!

Now to let it bake in my attic for the last couple weeks of summer before the finish trim painting is applied.


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## bricycle

is that a "low rider" hybrid?


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## the tinker

bricycle said:


> is that a "low rider" hybrid?




Brian I don't know where I am going with this bike. When I bought it it was at the end of a swap meet. No one even gave this bike a second look. It was bunched in with a bunch of other wrecks. All miss matched parts, and looked like the "bald headed step child"  Thought it deserved better. I immediately thought of"rat rod" and using the Shelby springer that I already had.
Then I found a little patch of green paint on the frame and found those green fenders.......what can I say?


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## bricycle

lol...I was speaking of the vehicle it was up against in the first pic....


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## bricycle

your insurance co. know your closest fire hydrant is that near to your house? should get a discount....


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## the tinker

bricycle said:


> your insurance co. know your closest fire hydrant is that near to your house? should get a discount....



I used to have one hydrant on each corner of the garage.  I actually traded one off for some bike stuff.
Paid 30 bucks for the pair. The town was replacing all the old ones and was selling them.  The car is my wife's Honda CRV.
I worked with a fellow that stole a new hydrant from our job site before the village installed it.
He brought it home and set it in front of his condo. The association made him remove it. They said the fire department might mistake it for one of theirs in an emergency.......yeah, right.


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## tech549

boy tinker you don"t mess around do you,looks like you done a few of these,projects get right to work!!


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## the tinker

Got these pedals and this great "Jiffy" stand the Arlington Hts. show last month.
Cleaned them up a bit today and they're ready to put on the Colson.

A insignificant thing I know, but a great way to spend the day.....just messing around.


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## the tinker

My $40- Colson that was purchased back in June is slowly getting there.....the "Jimmy D. springer fits great. Just laced up some early 1930's wheels that I painted ivory.  Will add a green pinstripe  to match frame color.......


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## rollfaster

Coming along nicely tinker. Looking good. Rob.


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## OldSkipTooth

Nice one, any double bar frame makes a great rat or custom.


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## the tinker

Rolled out and installed the "ratty" green fenders today. Going to look through the fender brace stash and see if I have a curved brace for the front.  Definitely got some patina now...


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## vincev

Keep the pics coming.


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## the tinker

Had two early 26 in. rims I painted up and striped last week.Installed my  favorite hubs
Selected two old Gillette "Bear" tires to place on them. Bad news..... No mater what they would not go on the rims.  Figured since these tires were so old and hard that might be the reason.
Kinda chewed up my nice rims paint in the process. 
I selected two old Carlisle lightning dart tires . Same problem. Chewed up the paint some more....
Finally got two Goodyears on.  These were the hardest I have ever put on. Badly wrecked the nicely painted wheels...By this point I no longer cared about the paint, they were going on no matter what.
Only one problem : one tube now has a hole in it .[Yes I used tire spoons] and the wheels look like crap. the paint was just too fresh to be mounting tires... my mistake.
So...I have two other rims I don't need that I striped a dozen years back. Cutting out the hubs[as shown] and installing the Mussleman "air cooled" hubs.
These old rims" looked" like a good plan....Start over.....They must be a tad larger then 26  inch.


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## bricycle

at the show, TT me about difficult rims...phew!!!!


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## the tinker

Solved the tire -rim problem. Put the hubs in another set of rims. Used the old "Gillette Bear". Tires.... plan to do another set of rims this winter for it with green pin striping. The red don't look right with green.  Other then that, the Colson Rat Rod is done!

  A few minor adjustments... the usual stuff. The seat bracket don't look right. Looks bent upwards. Other then a few details the $40 Colson will go out on it's first ride tomorrow.
The changes were :
Hawthorne sprocket...Shelby springer...torrington "U" bars...jeweled grips... Mussleman "air cooled" hubs .... tear drop pedals.....a rear reflector made out of an old valve handle... a motor bike kick stand and a 1950's hood ornament for the front fender.


I kept the original green fenders. A few years from now the frame should match their patina!

Now it's ready to join "the fleet".


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## Jarod24

Man! This came out awesome! Glad you didn't run into the same issue I did with the Shelby springer. Love the green on green color combo. Doesn't get any better than that. Great work!


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