# Another project in the pile  -  Bob, The CT



## REC (Apr 18, 2020)

Looking though eBay on April 6th, I noticed an ad that captured my thought processes pretty much entirely. I've had some thoughts on doing something like this for a while, and this looked like just the starting point for the idea to become a reality. First, it's a '52 frame with that nice straight downtube just hangin' down there lookin' for some love. Second, I thought the milk crate idea was a little different (more on that later) as opposed to a basket (which at the lime I first viewed the ad, was included as was the original basket.) With those things in mind, I went out to the shop to do some work, leaving the ad open on the computer screen so I could see it every time I passed through the Florida Room when I went to the bathroom, or to get more coffee. I went out to the shop around 9AM and was still out there when my Wife got home around 4:30 or so, and continued to work until around dinner time. While we were eating, Linda asked me  what I was thinking about this bike that was on the computer screen (she ain't dumb.... She's seen this before) and I just left it there after dinner when I went back out to get a little further on the bike I was working on,. When I locked up and came in, I went and took a shower, and then came back to the computer, now about 10:30 PM. I sat down and looked at the ad photos again and decided that this was not going to slide on by, and without reading or refreshing the ad, hit the "Buy It Now" button. The computer refreshed after I did that and I noticed there were now revisions that were not there when I was looking at it that morning, so I looked to see what was revised. Unfortunately, it was the milk crate was now not included. I started looking further and saw that the basket was a real mess - so much so that I didn't even want to do anything with it. At that point I sent a note to the seller asking if the milk crate could be substituted. Apparently not. So I went on the wild search for the same type milk crate (or something of equal coolness) as that was part of the intrigue. I sat for an hour or more looking on several sites for the same crate to no avail. I went to bed at that point, but the wooden crate thought would not leave my head. For the next day or two, I continued to search, and found a few crates, but nothing that I would consider to be as cool as the one that was in the ad photos for the bike. Later the second day, I started to look for wood crates, and/or boxes. Late that night, I found a box that looked like it might fill the bill. I sent the seller a note asking for outside dimensions. I got the response the following morning that he would have to measure it and would either call me back or have one of the other guys from the store get back to me. I waited and around dinner time, I got a message on my phone with the dimensions. I practically fell off my chair when reading the message as the box was only off a half an inch on one dimension of matching the same measurements as a small basket. We made a deal and I bought the crate/box. The following day, I got back with him about shipping the box, and he said he would take it to the FedEx store and get me a quote. I told him what I would expect the shipping to be and if it was higher than that to call me and I'd try to figure out another solution. He called and solution 2 was to give them my FedEx account number which should net me a discounted shipping rate. The cost I was initially quoted was in excess of $265. The girl in the store said it would be less with my account number, so I gave her the info and she came back and I thought she said it would be about 30.00 less... or so I thought. It was shipped, and it arrived two days later. I looked in my FedEx account and the TOTAL COST for shipping the box was $25.67. ALLLLLRIGHTY THEN! So I got the bike, And now I have a nice box for it too! This is going to be pretty cool when I get done. I post some pictures once I have the time. The ones now are just the bike: The bike has a name - Bob The CT. The basket is REALLY bad...will probably put it up for sale either craigslist or eBay....CHEEP! It is repairable, It's just not gonna be me repairing it!










REC


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## Cooper S. (Apr 18, 2020)

Damn I need a cycle truck


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## 1motime (Apr 18, 2020)

That basket is repairable


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## Danny the schwinn freak (Apr 20, 2020)

Can I ask where you found the wooden box? I was going to have one made locally but I’d prefer to buy one ready to go.


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## Superman1984 (Apr 24, 2020)

Love the idea of the crate. I bought a fiberglass covered wood crate made identically the same way for the same purpose but to attach to a rear mounted rack for just $15. Turns out they're usually $35+ before any shipping charges. I think it's dated around '73 but it was jus' too cool not to pick up for a bike or trike conversion piece


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## REC (Apr 24, 2020)

Danny the schwinn freak said:


> Can I ask where you found the wooden box? I was going to have one made locally but I’d prefer to buy one ready to go.




I went  to the "Facebook Marketplace" and started searching. The place that had the box I ended up with was inside of Florida, but there were an awful lot of choices out there. I may try the milk crate idea again on something in the future. I don't want to post the box until I can get a little preparation / repairation done on it, but I think its the Cats Ass! keep watching for future updates on Bobs' progress.

REC


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## Danny the schwinn freak (Apr 24, 2020)

Ok cool. My search begins! Thank you for the info.


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## Danny the schwinn freak (Apr 24, 2020)

Superman1984 said:


> Love the idea of the crate. I bought a fiberglass covered wood crate made identically the same way for the same purpose but to attach to a rear mounted rack for just $15. Turns out they're usually $35+ before any shipping charges. I think it's dated around '73 but it was jus' too cool not to pick up for a bike or trike conversion piece



Would you post a pic of it?


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## Superman1984 (Apr 24, 2020)

@Danny the schwinn freak 


It's identical to this since I am not where I have my bikes/most of my projects. I figured if it's too small on a trike I'll build wood slat rails & jus' mount this centered. It's kinda heavy'ish so for a bike rack I'd recommend HD supports or braces. Hope it gives ideas vs baskets for someone


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## Danny the schwinn freak (Apr 24, 2020)

Superman1984 said:


> @Danny the schwinn freak View attachment 1180351
> It's identical to this since I am not where I have my bikes/most of my projects. I figured if it's too small on a trike I'll build wood slat rails & jus' mount this centered. It's kinda heavy'ish so for a bike rack I'd recommend HD supports or braces. Hope it gives ideas vs baskets for someone



That is awesome. Thank you for the pic!


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## Superman1984 (Apr 24, 2020)

Danny the schwinn freak said:


> That is awesome. Thank you for the pic!



Not a problem brother. Anytime I can help or give creative ideas I am glad to help. Btw they say that you can be fined like up to $100 for stolen crates if a cop decided to enforce it ; even purchased as they're supposedly never thrown away but I have seen so many modern ones for sodas etc tossed in dumpsters. Supposedly they lose like $200,000 a year or so in stolen crates etc. Jus' useless info but I was surprised to read that when looking up my crate info


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## REC (May 22, 2020)

I went out digging around in the shop again looking for my stash of CT fenders in a box. I think I might have found them, but need to spend another hour or so pulling stuff out to get to the suspected box of fenders. While I was already somewhat involved, I pulled the "new" front box out and changed the hasp out on it, as well as doing some touch up on the exterior of the box. I may be going back and working on that part some more, but this is where I got to with it today.
Bob's Box:









REC


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## REC (Jul 8, 2020)

Back on it... This is now moving along at the pace of a racing snail. Since the last post here, I have looked into the milk crate idea further and have found several of them on Fleabay that I have picked up. Looking under Wood or wooden milk crate, they seem to be available and fairly easy to get, and the pricing was a little easier to deal with than I was told at the onset. I've now bought several that were interesting and appeared to be about the same size as the one from the ad which Bob came from. They come in different sizes, and some are made in different styles, but I was mainly looking for wood with metal reinforced ends. I am still planning on using the "Addressograph" box for Bob, but just in case, I have the crates to fall back on should that become necessary. In fact, I just got another delivery today by FedEx from out in the northwest. This particular one is a "Hires Root Beer" crate that the subject matter was something that either I nor my late father would have been able to pass up due to being Root Beer lovers from way back. I also got one marked as "Bordens" that is the same size as the one from the seller's ad for Bob, and a couple of others that one of which is going to end up on another CT project on hand. Kind of cool when you see them in place.

Anyway. In the last couple of weeks I have put some time in on Bob, mostly to do with repair to the fork, bungs, and fender mounting bolt that broke off in attempting to remove it. They are a test in patience when drilling them out becomes mandatory, but I have now done at least three of them recently. The first was on the last Ross purchased, and then on two of the Schwinn forks since the end of last year. Bob's fork was the most recent Schwinn one, and it also needed to have a little attention focused on the bung ends as they were both a bit of a mess due to not having been tightened up properly at some point in their life and had messed up the ends of shoulders of the bungs. Nothing more than getting a nice flat file and getting them back to flat on the ends. (photos attached) That said, Bob now has a fork that should last at least another 50 to 60 years.  The bolt is now replaced with a 5/16-18 one instead of the 1/4-20 one that used to live there. This should work just fine for a long time (especially with a little grease on the threads to keep them from seizing again.)

More to come as the snail continues to move along at breakneck speed!

REC


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## Goldenrod (Jul 8, 2020)

I have a hires box at our beach house.  I'll take a picture.  A Hires box can be taken apart for shipping?  











This is the box I made for my old child carrier.  Wood burned lettering. My box can be taken out for the picnic.


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## REC (Jul 8, 2020)

I would not want to try to take this Hires crate apart....
REC


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## mike j (Jul 9, 2020)

Here's a box that I made for my CWC. It's select pallet wood & a stainless steel buffet hot plate stand. The legs are upside down at the corners. There is a metal recycler near me & they seem to hold onto stuff until the prices go up, it's a treasure trove for me. Just came upon this thread, cool ideas here.


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## sworley (Jul 9, 2020)

I'm not sure that I dig these boxes over the standard basket on Cycletrucks but to each their own! Probably cheaper/easier than finding and shipping a legit CT basket. It does offer a different look, I'll give you that. 

I'd like to play around with a Coke crate on the rack of my Phantom, seems I could haul beer and groceries easier that way...


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